Sister Parish
In 1994, St. Joan of Arc
began a Sister Parish relationship with Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Tierra
Nueva Dos near Guatemala City. Our hermanamiento (sister parish relationship)
has grown and deepened as we share our lives and our faith together in a spirit
of solidarity and mutuality. Our core team meets monthly.
We commit ourselves to learning about and acting on issues that are important to our brothers and sisters in Guatemala. Delegation travel (to TNII one year and SJA the next) and home stays are an essential component of our relationship. We support projects in the community of TNII including the Women’s Group, youth scholarships, and an annual Christmas party hosted by youth of our Sister Parish for several hundred children.
Celebrating 30 Years
In 2024, we are celebrating 30 years of journeying together in friendship and faith with our sisters and brothers in Tierra Nueva II in Guatemala. What an impact this relationship has had on so many! Mark your calendar for these upcoming events celebrating this landmark:
And here's the menu:
- October 11 - 21: A DELEGATION from SJA will visit TNII. On Sunday, October 6 we will bless the delegates at masses, and during the delegation you can check the SJA Facebook site for stories and photos.
- Sunday, November 10: 30th FIESTA WEEKEND - Returning delegates will share their experiences at masses and we'll have our annual Sister Parish Craft Fair, with items handmade by Sister Parish members in Guatemala. That evening we'll host an SJA Sister Parish Fiesta with music, dancing, food and stories.
- Sunday, November 24: GATHERING FOR STORIES AND BLESSINGS - Past Sister Parish delegates, host families, friends and committee members from both SJA and TNII will gather via Zoom to share memories, stories and blessings for the future of this relationship.
How Our Relationship Began
This is a story of two communities coming together in tumultuous times — across different cultures, languages, economic status and thousands of miles — to forge a relationship that has lasted for 30 years.
In the 1980's and 90's several St. Joan of Arc parishioners were part of peace movements protesting our country’s complicity in supporting military dictatorships in Central America. At the same time, St. Joan’s was placing an increased emphasis on social justice ministries. Then-new pastor Father George Wertin suggested an international solidarity ministry. At the time, Sister Parish, Inc. was an actively growing solidarity organization that St. Joan’s chose to establish a relationship with a community in Guatemala.
The community of Tierra Nueva II (New Land II) in Guatemala was ready for an international partnership as well. This settlement community was founded in 1987 by an organized invasion of uninhabited land along a volcanic ridge in the outskirts of Guatemala City. The first community members fled natural disasters, civil war, landlessness and extreme poverty to settle there. They organized, took risks, made sacrifices and struggled to build their homes and community during challenging times. Given their lived experiences, they recognized the value of forging partnerships of support and solidarity.
One Parishioner’s Story
(Note: this is parishioner and peace activist Bob Heberle’s article and photo of his memories — currently found on Sister Parish, Inc. website)
The First Delegation
While SJA was planning the first delegation to TNII, a tragic event shook everyone. TNII’s priest, Padre Alfonso, was assassinated on December 17, 1994. Although the police claimed it was a botched robbery, his wallet was found on his body and his murder was never solved. SJA delegates questioned whether they should be going to a place where priests were killed on the streets. However, after much discernment and prayer, the committee decided that TNII needed our support and solidarity more than ever. The delegates traveled to TNII in April, 1995. While there, the two communities created a mission statement with a focus on the development of women and children, that guides us to this day.
Mission Statement
The purpose of the Sister Parish relationship is to promote equality and respect and broaden our knowledge of the people and cultures of each church through sharing on a cultural, spiritual, economic, social, and political level.
A special focus of our exchange is the human development of women, children, and young adults. Participating in the Sister Parish relationship will contribute to the integration and universality of the Church, which will promote communal growth.
We are committed to the growth and improvement of the Sister Parish organization, which we will support through timely, ongoing communication on a national and international level.
Joint Projects
St. Joan of Arc and TNII work together on jointly-selected projects and each community contributes resources as they are able. These projects allow us to share faith, deepen connections, teach each other and support the growth of women and children in TNII.
Alfombra
In 1997 the first alfombra (sawdust carpet) was created for Holy Week on the plaza outside of St. Joan of Arc. Delegates to TNII had seen and admired these colorful creations in the streets of Guatemala and they determined that it would be an act of solidarity to build one here. It became an annual tradition and now, almost 30 years later, the youth of St. Joan's and Our Lady of Guadalupe continue the tradition of creating alfombras at their respective churches.
Bible Study
Joint Bible study sessions began in 1998 during a TNII-to-SJA delegation when the delegates and St. Joan of Arc hosts held a joint reflection on "the person of Jesus". We were struck by the wisdom and faith of the TNII delegates and wanted to continue sharing reflections. At first the exchanges were via email but now the two groups (Peregrinos 1 and Peregrinos 2) come together on Zoom every month.
Children's Christmas Party
We assist the youth of the parish in TNII in their effort to host an annual Christmas party for 300 children! This is a huge celebration and a wonderful way for youth to be involved in the church and community.
Crafts
Each fall we conduct a Craft Fair offering vibrantly-colored fabric craft items and candles made by our brothers and sisters in TNII. Donations from these fairs contribute to funding South to North delegation travel and other projects.
Prayer Partners
This simple program -- two people exchanging photos and prayers -- provides a surprisingly powerful connection. Once a match is made between two people (one from SJA and one from TNII) and photos are exchanged, they lift each other up in thought, prayer and meditation. If desired, they can exchange occasional notes of fellowship and encouragement.
Women's Group
We fund Women United for Development, the women's committee of TNII, which promotes the development of women with educational and leadership events, skills training to help them increase their income, and opportunities to participate in local and national actions focusing on the rights and dignity of women.
Youth Scholarships
For the youth of TNII, gaining an education is an important step toward lifting themselves and their families out of poverty. Since 1999, we have funded partial scholarships for a number of youth as they enter middle school. TNII committee members administer the program and monitor student success.
Learn More:
- Email sisterparish@stjoan.com.
- Join our monthly meeting - first Wednesday of each month at 7pm.
- Become a prayer partner with a member of the TNII community.
- Consider being a delegate to Guatemala or get involved in Minnesota delegation visits.
- Attend Sister Parish Bible study, Zoom calls, movies, and other gatherings.