GUATEMALA MISSION: Parish of Santo Tomas la Union

Celebration of Mass

Language

Father Hazelton's Assistants

Sisters

Other components of the mission are further described on the pages listed at right.

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Background
The Diocese of Helena has maintained a mission presence in Guatemala since 1964. The mission lies in the coastal highlands of Guatemala, about 100 km (66 miles) west-northwest of Guatemala City, not too far north from the City of Mazatenango. The complex contains a residence for the priest, Father Jim Hazelton; a residence for the sisters who serve there, Sister Mary Waddell, BVM, and Sister Anna Priester, BVM; a residence for volunteers and visitors who serve and go to school there; a medical clinic; and a variety of spaces attendant to all these functions.

The mission serves nearly 40 communities (aldeas), most of which are accessible by 4-wheel drive vehicle, although there are a few to which one must walk. About 25 of these communities have a Church.

Celebration of Mass
The main Church is located at the parish of Santo Tomas la Union in Departmento Suchitepequez. Mass is celebrated there regularly, including every weekend. The other Churches, located both in Departmento Suchitepequez and Departmento Solola, are served on a rotating basis. People walk to the closest Mass - often from great distances. A recent change has placed the territory served by the mission in two dioceses - which provides its share of challenges both to the respective bishops and the mission staff.

The day a community has Mass, they often also have instructions in their faith; celebrate Baptisms, marriages, and the Sacrament of the Sick - whatever the needs of the area are at the time. Burial must take place within 24 hours of death, so they do not have funerals as we do here; usually there is a Mass for the deceased person one month after the death.

Language
The language native to the area is K'iche, which is quite guttural sounding - a variety of Mayan - a difficult language to learn. The words for religious-related terms (God, church, faith, etc.) often are Spanish - in part to avoid thinking they are the same as Mayan gods. Spanish is the official language, but a second language for almost all who live in the mission parish. "Typically" the men will learn some Spanish; women may (but it is not uncommon that women from the more remote areas do not know Spanish), and children must learn some Spanish to go to school - which is taught in Spanish. Our American staff people there speak Spanish - and some words of K'iche, most often what they are saying must be translated into K'iche. Father Hazelton celebrates Mass in K'iche - also in Spanish.

Father Hazelton's Assistants
There are a number of men who have been trained to assist the priest. Father Hazelton meets with them each week, reviews the Scriptures for the coming weekend, talks to them about the particular message he wants to get across to the parish - and then these men go to the various communities, have lessons with people and the like. They also deliver the homily from Mass in K'iche, both during Masses and as part of their catechetical work in the communities where Mass is not celebrated that week.

Sisters
Two Sisters serve at the mission. Sister Anna Priester, BVM, assists with the religious education of the young people (both instructing teachers and working directly with the high school age young people), directs a project to assist widows to make a living selling their woven goods, works with education assistance for those who need it, and whatever else needs to be done. Sister Mary Waddell, BVM, is the Director for the Clinica Maxeña.

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