Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Sister Parish Covenant



Sister Parish Relationship

St. John the Evangelist Church, Seattle & La Iglesia de San Miguel, Ilave
St. John School, Seattle & Immaculada, Puno


Approved by St. Johns Pastoral Council 4-19-99


"Catholic communities of faith should measure their prayer, education, and action by how they serve the life, dignity, and rights of the human person at home and abroad. A parish's "catholicity" is illustrated in its willingness to go beyond its own boundaries to extend the Gospel, serve those in need, and work for global justice and peace" (Called to Global Solidarity: International Challenges for U.S. Parishes).



The Pastoral Council of St. John the Evangelist Parish commits St. John the Evangelist parish to establish a formal sister parish relationship with San Miguel, Ilave, Peru and Immaculada School in Puno, Peru. We believe this relationship can bring prayerful wisdom to both parishes and hope that the relationship will honor what each parish can contribute to the growth of their Catholic people. The relationship should be based upon mutuality and respect. Every effort should be made by the Parishes to learn from each other and assist in each other’s needs in whatever ways the Parishes find helpful after mutual consultation and prayer. In the spirit of the special Synod of Bishops for America, entitled: ENCOUNTER WITH THE LIVING JESUS CHRIST: THE WAY TO CONVERSION, COMMUNION AND SOLIDARITY IN AMERICA; it is our hope that this relationship will assist us on the journey of ongoing personal and social conversion, communion with Christ and the Church, and solidarity in action for the betterment of humanity, especially the poor and the suffering.

At St. Johns we hope to benefit San Miguel with our abundance of our prayer and resources. We hope to learn from San Miguel the joys of service and care, to expand our moral and spiritual imaginations through solidarity across the world, and to deepen our own spiritual lives by learning of the insights, practices and wisdom that San Miguel can bring to us.

To establish this Sister Parish Relationship, we agree to the following actions:

1. Promulgate and celebrate this formal relationship to the entire Parish community. We should commemorate this relationship through regular prayers at the liturgy for the welfare of our sister parish and periodically incorporate symbols of the relationship in our liturgies.

2. Establish the Amigos de Peru as a permanent committee under the Social Justice and Christian Service Commission. The Amigos will work with the Commission to further this mission.


3. Amigos will make every effort to consult with San Miguel in developing its plans for mutual work on behalf of each other.

4. Amigos will join with other parish organizations to promote a Mission Sunday or weekend for prayer, education and fundraising.


5. Amigos will work to create ongoing knowledge of San Miguel within the parish and keep open lines of communication between the two parishes. This should include but not be limited to:

-writing articles for the parish newsletter, the Eagle;
-sharing news items received from our sister Parish in the bulletin and other ways;
-establish a bulletin board featuring our sister parish in San Miguel and our sister school La Immaculada in Puno, Peru;
-establish frequent correspondence by letter and email with the Parish and send pictures and directories to them;
-educate the parish as to the social, economic, political, cultural and religious realities of the peoples of our two countries.

6. Amigos should assist all parish councils and commissions to include our sister parish and the focus of "global solidarity" in their program planning. San Miguel's Pastoral Plan, the US Bishops' CALLED TO GLOBAL SOLIDARITY, and information from the Synod of Bishops for America are some of the resources to assist in our parish's reflection and response to this sister relationship.

7. Amigos, together with our school ministry, should help our children participate in this partnership, especially by encouraging St. John School to continue its pen pal correspondence with our sister school.

8. Amigos should consult and work with our sister parish to create new visits, perhaps every other year, by delegations from the parishes to each other.

9. Amigos in consultation with the pastor and parish council may undertake fund raising to support these activities.

10. Amigos should actively work to involve more and more parishioners in this sister relationship.

History of the Latin America Task Force

1989 The parish proclaims its five year Goals and Priorities. The three priority
areas include Worship, Education, and Social Justice. Under the Social Justice area the parish states its goal is “to assist the parish in recognizing that the pursuit of justice and alleviation of human suffering are an integral part of the gospel.”

1990 The Social Justice Commission is formed and develops it’s strategic plan.

1991 The Social Justice Commission establishes the Central American Task.
Force to: promote awareness and create opportunities for involvement in Central American issues, so that 1. Both communities gain a mutual understanding and appreciation of the practicality and the role of spirituality in each other’s lives. 2. St. John’s parish will work for the promotion of social justice in Central America,”

1992 Central America Task Force (CATF) sponsors several public events, does some self education.

1993 CATF contacts a parish in Guatemala and seeks to move ahead with a
sister parish relationship. CATF hopes to get the school involved.

1995 Pastoral Council promulgates new five year goals. Council states that
“We continue to be called by our faith to look beyond our own lives, to reach out to be with those who are suffering and to right injustices….” The council went on to state: “The parish responds in faith when more and more parishioners are aware of the bond that unites the global human family and particularly our responsibility to the poor.”

1996 Social Justice and Christian Service Commission discusses shifting focus
to Peru due to difficulties in communication with Guatemala and because of local contacts with Peru. A newly reconstituted Latin America Task Force begins to study the feasibility of pursuing a relationship with the Altiplano area of Peru. The Missions Office, Fr. Bloom, Peruvian Consul, the Latin America Relief Foundation and Maryknoll offer assistance.

1997 Pope John Paul II calls a synod of North, Central, and South American
Bishops. He urges greater cooperation among the Americas. Latin America Task Force organized fact-finding mission to Peru.