Page 32 - Catholic Extension Magazine Summer2020
P. 32

32 INSPIRE


            Cover Story | Reflection














          Father Melvin
           Díaz Aponte
             surveys the
             damage to
             his church,
            Immaculate
           Conception in
          Guayanilla, after
             the January
            earthquakes.










          BRINGING HOPE AFTER EARTHQUAKES



        In his own words, Puerto Rican pastor inspires                    I ask, “Why is everything, or
        amidst a natural disaster and the coronavirus                   almost everything, paralyzed due
                                                                        to the coronavirus? Why is our
              am Father Melvin Díaz       We witnessed our beloved      daily activity interrupted?”
              Aponte, a Puerto Rican    church collapse.                  I believe everything happens for
              priest from the Diocese of   Soon after, among the many   the good of those who love God.
              Ponce.                    people who approached me, was a   Nothing escapes the loving provi-
                I am pastor of Immac-   boy who is a student from our par-  dence of God.
        I  Conception Parish, a         ish school. He was bewildered by    “Why is everything paralyzed as
              ulate
        faith community that experienced   the devastation.             a result of the coronavirus emer-
        large earthquakes this past January   He asked a question that I didn’t   gency?” My answer is this: So that
        in this region.                 expect: “Father, why is the church   you and I can be awakened. So
                                        on the ground?”                 that you and I can once and for all
           For a quarter century, Catholic   I was startled by his question,   awaken from our dormant faith.
           Extension has funded historic   which had a deeper meaning, and   And encouraged by our faith,
           Immaculate Conception Church   responded, “So that you and I can   we can rekindle charity. We can
           in Guayanilla—built in 1841—  lift it up.”                   rekindle the love of God and for
           with church repairs and par-   Now, shortly after returning to   God so that we may love others—
           ish subsidies, and recently pro-  the normal rhythms of life, once   our brothers and sisters.
           vided support after the January   again our daily life is interrupted   Under the protection of the
           2020 earthquakes.            by this coronavirus.            Immaculate Conception, may God
                                          And during these days, that boy’s   continue to bless us.
                                        question comes again to my mind.
   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36