On the same journey

Scarboro Priest and Lay Missioners, walking together as Pilgrims, open to adventure and risk in their faithfulness to Jesus

By Julia Duarte
March 2003

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The Ecuador mission team at the liturgy celebrating the peoples of Ecuador during Assembly 2002. L-R: Marc Chartrand, his wife Anne Quesnelle (behind Marc), Julia Duarte (front), Fr. Charles Gervais, Fr. Frank Hegel, Carolyn Beukeboom and Ignacio Pinedo.

While examining some written works of Bishop Leonidas Proaño—also referred to as “Bishop of the Native Peoples”—I found one work, which particularly attracted my attention. It is entitled: “Three Images of Church.”

The first image Bishop Proaño describes is the “unmovable” Church. This Church seeks permanency, the status quo. There is no openness to change for fear of risking stability.

The second image of Church is that of a “modernized” Church. This Church changes easily in order to follow the evolution of society. Its changes are superficial in its form, its methods, and its need to follow the ways of the world.

The third image of Church is that of the “people of God on the move.” It seeks, as a community, to pass through this world contributing to the building of the reign of God. It is a pilgrim Church open to adventure and risk in its faithfulness to Jesus and His teachings.

Reading about this third image of Church, I was reminded of my experience of the Scarboro Missions gathering last summer. Our General Assembly and Chapter meetings brought together many characteristics of this Church of “the people of God on the move.”

There, I felt and lived the presence of the Spirit—the love, the openness as a community to the different ideas and positions, trying to understand and to see Christ in each other.

I was able to recognize, to sense, that together we were on the same journey. To be faithful to Jesus affirmed us in the reality of a vision of Church as a “people of God on the move.”

I have been a Scarboro missionary for 12 years and I have always considered Scarboro Missions as one of the most advanced in its mission ministry. But today, more than ever, I feel pride in being part of this community.

I think of the light that shone among us during our meetings last summer and I remember the testimony of the lives of those gone before us, leading the way. I recall their courage to dream with faith and to believe that such a future is possible. Even though they are no longer present, this reality moved my soul to tears. It is because I have been living and sharing in something I have so desired and dreamed of for so long.

There is no doubt that the Holy Spirit is wise and self-revealing, not as we want, but rather when the time is ripe and when we are faithful.

It is not Scarboro Missions’ administrative changes nor the larger participation of the laity that I wish to highlight, even though these are very important. Rather, it is to see the diversity, the openness to risk journeying together, to work out the same dreams, to place our trust in the faithfulness of Jesus. These are the things at our gathering that touched me the most.

As Scarboro missioners, we believe that change is possible even though our community is getting smaller in number and our members are not getting any younger. Despite these and other challenges, we continue to grow in wisdom and depth. Our hope is in all of us together; in the action of the Holy Spirit who acts in each one of us, with and through Scarboro Missions, here in Canada and in each of our missions. These realities are what open new horizons, bring new hope, and give witness to our life as a Society.

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