Steadfast, Resilient Witnesses: St John Fisher Chapel and Detroit SHARE Committee

The Detroit SHARE Committee and St John Fisher Chapel: A History

It is 1987. The civil war in El Salvador is at its height. Ground war, helicopter war, massacres, mayhem. In the midst of these horrific conditions, Salvadoran refugees housed in Honduras say, “Enough is enough.  We are going home!” And they do.  Refugees from Mesa Grande, Honduras are returning to their home country in spite of fear and displacement to begin new lives and new communities.  The atmosphere is threatening, and those witnessing this homecoming sense the deep profoundness of this courage.

Under the leadership of Bp. Tom Gumbleton and a group of three others, the Detroit Going Home Task Force began sending delegations to El Salvador to accompany these faithful refugees home.  In 1990, the committee accepted a covenant to support Ellacuria—a small, struggling community in rural Chalatenango— and have faithfully continued this relationship for 21 years.  Kudos to Bishop Gumbleton, Sue Sattler IHM, and Mary and Bill Carry who opened this journey to many others in the “Detroit SHARE Committee.”

Enter St, John Fisher Parish, autonomous, but entwined with the Detroit SHARE Committee:

In 1989, Eileen Lynch, a member of the Detroit SHARE Committee and a St. John Fisher Parish parishioner, also began a journey of transformation.  After a few visits to El Salvador on delegations, she engaged her parish in support for the people in need. At first, Eileen initiated an Alternative Gift-Giving Event in which parish members could purchase items that she had bought in El Salvador for this purpose.  The proceeds of the sales were sent to SHARE.  Then she developed support for an auto training facility in honor of her deceased husband’s work in Michigan.  “..various advocacy campaigns such as voter registration and access to the polls, land redistribution after the war in accordance with the peace treaty, school building, scholarships, education supplies, transportation for community organizing purposes, poultry raising, cattle raising, women’s development, and auto maintenance, repair and mechanic training.”  -member of Detroit SHARE Committee She also advocated for and initiated annual parish Lenten programs benefiting SHARE projects for Ellacuria and Chalatenango. Most of all, Eileen attracted others from her parish to “come and see.” Although Eileen died in 2007, the parish continues to actively support the work of SHARE in very concrete ways. In ongoing years, other members of St. John Fisher Parish have taken part in the Detroit SHARE Committee delegations to El Salvador and are active members of that group.  St. John Fisher Parish’s major focus is to offer support to the community of Ellacuria as a one-on-one sistering partner.  

Combining resources and advocacy:

St. John Fisher Parish offers focused support to the community of Ellacuria, while the Detroit SHARE Committee, in general, supports regional projects. Around 2000, SHARE implemented a policy change to request that US Sisters relate not just to a single community, but also to a region – as there were some communities with several partners, like Ellacuria, and others with none – and there was a need for the communities to relate to and work with one another. The Detroit SHARE Committee agreed with and conformed to this change in policy.  Such regional projects, which are showing strong results, include scholarships, youth leadership programs, women’s empowerment development, organic food sustainability, and micro lending to women. Combining both committees’ efforts to support Ellacuria, regional projects, and special events reveal an extraordinary love for El Salvador and its people.

A long, hard walk “home.” How the Detroit SHARE Committee and St. John Fisher Parish see their history:

“A majority of the twelve delegations we organized between 1989 and 2009 included participants from [the Detroit SHARE Committee and] St. John Fisher Parish.  The delegations have typically contained between 12 and fifteen people.  Most delegations have visited Ellacuria, so we are very aware of the gradual growth of Ellacuria from the jungle settlement to a modestly thriving community. Most apparent has been their success in fostering the leadership of women, education, health care and regional cooperation.  The community’s efforts to keep the history of the country fresh for the second generation, those who never experienced the suffering from the war and the refugee camps, are clearly important to them.”

St. John Fisher Parish:  “The parish continues to support the Alternative Gift-Giving event.  In ongoing years other members of St. John Fisher Parish have taken part in the Detroit SHARE Committee/SHARE delegations to El Salvador and are active members of this group.  As more members of the parish have witnessed first hand the needs and the courageous spirit of the Salvadoran people they have expanded their support.  The parish instituted an annual Lenten Project which supports ongoing SHARE programs such as the Scholarship Program and the Women’s Micro Loan and Garden Projects.  How do these sistering groups see the future?

El Salvador and importantly, Ellacuria, will never forget the war.  A beloved priest, Fr. Jon Cortina, made his home in this community. His courage and life became the model for vigilant adherence to and advocacy for human rights, dignity of person, and “nunca más.” What a journey our friends in the Detroit SHARE Committee and St. John Fisher Parish have traveled over these many years; what tears have been shed; but what celebrations have been held these many years of accompaniment.  Today and for the foreseeable future, Ellacuria and the entire region – with  the love and help of the Detroit SHARE Committee and St. John Fisher Parish – will continue to grow, will cherish these cross-border friendships, and will thrive. Yes, it may take a long time to reach all of their goals, but the Resilience, Witness, and Advocacy from folks like the Detroit SHARE Committee and St. John Fisher Parish are living models for us all at this milestone in their personal history with El Salvador and this remarkable 30th Anniversary of SHARE.

When one leaves the plane in San Salvador, one still walks upon blood-soaked ground.  One walks with Archbishop Romero and all the martyrs of the civil war.  One calls out from the heart “¡Presente!”  And to our faithful witnesses, dear Detroit SHARE Committee and St. John Fisher Parish, we of SHARE call from our hearts to you: “It is an act of grace that we can walk with you.”

(All quotes for this article are taken from an overview of the sistering history of the Detroit SHARE Committee and St. John Fisher Parish. Many thanks to Phelia Lorenzen; Sue Sattler, IHM; Bill Carry; Mary Carry; and Dot Wolff.)