December 20, 2006

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On Sunday, December 10th, in Comayagua, Honduras, the friars dedicated a new apostolic center, Casa Guadalupe. The following are remarks by Fr. Bernard Murphy, CFR, Community Servant, for this occasion, along with some photos of the dedication ceremony.

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Your Excellency, Roberto Camilleri,

Brothers and sisters from far and wide,

On behalf of the Franciscan Friars, Sisters, and Associates of the Renewal, I want to thank you for your presence here today for the blessing of this outreach center dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Seven years ago, when our little Franciscan community from the Bronx, New York, in the United States of America, sent five brothers to this beautiful land to learn Spanish and assist in the recovery efforts following Hurricane Mitch, we had no idea what our gracious Lord had in store for us.

We came to learn a new language, but we were taught a new way of life. We came to serve our brothers and sisters in need, but our needs were cared for with generosity. We thought we would not stay long, but we found we could not leave. We felt we were coming as foreigners, but we were welcomed immediately as family.

One day during my first visit here to Comayagua, while the friary was still under renovation and Casa Guadalupe was no more than a soccer playing field, I was enjoying a modest breakfast with the brothers. During the meal, there was a light, almost inaudible knock on the friary door. Actually at that time, the present workshop in the back courtyard of the friary was the refectory, and the “back door” was the metal gate to the car port. When I asked who that might be, I was informed that it was probably the first benefactors to our little fraternity here in Honduras—a brother and sister.

When I opened the door I was surprised to find two youngsters, aged about 4 and 5, holding a precious gift wrapped in a dish towel. As expected, our young benefactors brought to the friars breakfast tortillas freshly baked over an open fire by their mother. As I learned was their custom, our little friends came into the makeshift refectory, sat in the laps of the seated friars, and smiled. They said nothing; they just smiled… and smiled… and smiled some more!

This is what we found in Honduras; this is what we encountered in Comayagua; and this is why we are here today to dedicate and bless this facility. You have taught us generosity; you have given us an example of selfless service and love; you have made us your own.

Today we are here to make a return to the Lord, to say thank you to the people of this neighborhood, to say “yes” to the invitations of Bishop Camilleri to serve with the church in Comayagua, and to live what we have learned here in Honduras.

The friars pray that this facility will be utilized to strengthen the faith of the local church, to evangelize those in need of the good news, to facilitate the efforts of our brothers and sisters from America who, like ourselves, long to experience the simpler life of generosity, and to provide, in a little way, for the needs of our less fortunate brothers and sisters.

Under the patronage of Our Lady of Guadalupe, I pray this facility will seek to fulfill the words of Our Lady to Saint Juan Diego on the Mount of Tepeyac almost 500 years ago: “I wish and intensely desire that in this place my sanctuary be erected. Here I will demonstrate, I will exhibit, I will give all my love, my compassion, my help and my protection to the people. I am your merciful mother, the merciful mother of all of you who live united in this land, and of all mankind of all those who love me. Here I will hear their weeping, their sorrow, and will remedy and alleviate all their multiple sufferings, necessities, and misfortunes.”

Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, ruega por nosotros.