Bringing Life and Hope to the Murder Capital of California
Sisters in Salinas, California, strengthen the ministries of four city parishes
Four Catechist Sisters of Jesus Crucified from Guadalajara, Mexico, are working in Salinas, California, a city of 155,000 in the Monterey diocese. In Salinas, known as the “salad bowl of the world,” 75 percent of the population is Latino. Workers spend long hours for low wages in the fields and packing plants.
Adding to people’s daily struggle to put bread on the table and a roof over their heads, the city has a high rate of gang and other violence and has been named the “youth murder capital of California.”
In the midst of these many problems, the sisters bring hope and happiness to countless families.
Each sister has been assigned to work in one of the town’s four populous parishes. Sister María Teresa (Marité) Gutiérrez, who works at Madonna del Sasso Parish, cites the example of a young mother, who is struggling to make ends meet and lives with her two daughters in a small room in an apartment she is sharing with another family.
“I believe that is not what God wants for His children,” Sister Marité said. “The first thing I can do for this mother is to be her friend, to listen to her and to reach out to her and her children so that they can feel God’s love and care for them.”
“Faith can be a small window for light, for God to enter into her life and tell her, ‘I am here and I love you.’”
It is hard for the sisters to walk down the street without being stopped by someone saying hello, asking a question or seeking their help. They embrace their role with compassion and joy.
Sister María del Roble (Mari) Rodríguez serves at St. Mary of the Nativity Church, where more than 6,000 people attend one of seven weekend Masses. She said that when she leads the women’s prayer group, she is amazed at the depth of personal sharing that goes on. The women come to find support, healing and hope.
Sister María de la Luz (Luz) Lara Solis is the daughter of street vendors, who like the families of Salinas, worked hard to put food on the table. She works at Cristo Rey Parish and has a special place in her heart for Salinas’ large homeless population. And Sister María del Rosario Jimenez serves at Sacred Heart Church.
According to Sister Marité, this year has been more difficult for many of the sisters’ parishioners. “They don’t know what is going to happen to them,” she said.
Because of the widespread fear of deportation, “they don’t know if at the end of the day they will be able to return from their work. The children don’t know if their parents will be home when they come back from school.”
She added, “Immigrant people are our brothers and sisters, and as the Church, we need to help them in whatever way we can. The first thing is always to give hope. The second thing is to work together like one family, like brother and sister.”
