Every year the Mexicans in the parish put on a celebration for the sending up of “El Grito” which started the movement ending up with independence from Spain. Very many attend, including many non-Mexicans. There were those from Central and South America, and gringos were everywhere to be seen. Food is spectacularly delicious. Lots of prizes. Lots of dances. Lots of music.
Because this is spearheaded by the Mexicans of the parish, and because they wear their parish T-Shirts, and because everyone knows everyone anyway, this acts also as a bit of evangelization for those fallen away or who are all too conveniently pretending to rebel in some Iglesia Bautista or some other imaginary excuse for letting things slide. They all come. They all have a great time. They all figure out it wouldn’t be so bad to go to the Catholic Church. And in fact, there were new faces to be seen Sunday, the day after. And there were great conversations with some fallen aways. ;-) The above picture, leaving out the crowds below the frame, is in the town’s community center because our parish hall is too small.
We have some new police officers in town. As far as I know, like all law enforcement in the area of whatever kind, they have little interest in throwing the undocumented out of the country in a booming economy with workers in short supply. But things have changed. I asked if we should invite the local law enforcement and that idea was met with enthusiasm but it was also said that some might feel uncomfortable. It is what it is. That’s too bad. Just a few years ago the Latinos put on a meal for the law enforcement in town and then, later, law enforcement in town put on a meal for the Latinos.
I hope this doesn’t sound racist, but the truth of the matter is that our Mexican brothers and sisters work hard, and they show up for work, even for long hours, for emergency hours, for really early start times and really late call-it-a-day hours. Many of our “Anglo” brothers and sisters as they are called have lost the concept of work, of entrepreneurship, of any kind of go-get-em attitude. We need to get that back again. We can take good example from our Mexican brothers and sisters.
A fearless faith is the best way in every way.
He said he got a phone call one day. It was one of the kidnappers of his daughter. That’s the nightmare phone call no parent ever wants to get. The kidnappers wanted Mex$ 220,000.00 or they would kill his daughter. I asked him if he paid. He laughed, shaking his head in derision of my stupidity, saying “No! Never!” Instead, he himself then made a call to some friends, Mexican State Police. They then explained the matter to the kidnappers in person. ;-) His daughter was set free, safe and sound. You see, our lawn-mower friend is himself Mexican State Police with half a lifetime of experience, highly tactically trained, equivalent to one of our special ops guys, martial arts, weapons, tactics. I asked him if he would like me to have a chat with the Sheriff here. He would be a treasure for us. He jumped at the idea but wonders how the bureaucracy would work. I’m sure something can be done about his lack of papers. He’s been here some 13 years, pays his taxes and his ‘wait in line’ fees, blah blah blah. And he can get plenty of super excellent job refs from both here and the Mexican government. So… nothing is ever as it seems. He’s the guy who, instead, might be giving one of the locals a ticket or handing over a warrant. I love it. ;-)
Saint José Luis Sánchez del Río, soldier and martyr, because “all those Mexicans are the same!” Oh, I forgot, I was supposed to pick on someone who wasn’t yet canonized, you know, someone undocumented and who, say, committed a non-violent crime years ago but was still in the system at the invitation of the system, so that we could kick all Mexicans in the face with impunity.
