San Lucas community stands in solidarity with NYC victims and families

by Father David Roney

The parade stopped in front of the Catholic Church at 9:00 a.m. Saturday morning, September 15. The people of San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala, were celebrating the Independence day of their country.

But this year the parade marched in silence until it stopped in front of the parish church, which is staffed by American priests of the New Ulm diocese. There it stood in silence for 5 minutes of prayer for the victims of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

The next day, Sunday, impromptu prayers were offered at the Prayers of the Faithful for the souls of the victims and the consolation of the survivors.

And on Tuesday night, one week after the terrorist attack, the people requested a social Mass to be offered in the church. Men with loud speakers walked around town inviting people to attend. People came with small American flags pinned to their shirts.

In the midst of the notices in the media of presidents and notables of countries around the world offering help, giving blood and protesting their innocence, the people of San Lucas, fathers, mothers, and children, showed their shock and sorrow for an inconceivable disaster.

Not all have much love for the United States. The mouse who sleeps alongside an elephant seldom rests easy. But all realize that an attack of this nature is an attack against peace. And all are fearful of what will come, for in a war the innocent always suffer more than the guilty.

They know that they have little influence on the great world around them. They realize that the decisions that will affect their lives will be made by others.

But, they can do one thing. They can stand, man, woman, and child in solidarity with the victims of the attacks. They can assure them that the people of the world, unknown and unnoticed though they may be, stand in sympathy with those who are victimized.

Father David Roney is a retired priest from the Diocese of New Ulm and is residing in San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala.