Juarez Mexican Anglican Church Missionaries to Visit Silver City, NM

: Category: Local Events Local Events; Published: 30 October 2014 30 October 2014

Courtesy Photos by Victoria Tester

Reverend Miguel Angel Ramirez Centeno and his wife Catherine Hudak, of San Jose de Anapra Mission in Juarez, will visit Silver City onSaturday and Sunday November 8 and 9.

Reverend Miguel Angel, a former Roman Catholic priest and Jesuit, a highly educated man who later taught law to future priests, and also studied herbal medicine, was accepted as a priest into the Mexican Anglican Church in 2013 and assigned the pastorship and administration of San Jose de Anapra.

San Jose de Anapra is a parish in the Diocese of the North of Mexico and forms part of the Mexican Anglican Church. San Jose de Anapra has a large church building, a separate small building for Bible study, a field for soccer, a basketball court and a parish house.

Anapra, one of the Juarez's more populous neighborhoods, began twenty years ago with the majority of its inhabitants coming from the central and southern part of Mexico, many with a frustrated hope of migrating to the United Stat

es, or as recruits for cheap labor in the maquiladora industry.

Anapra is a neighbor to the Lomas de Poleo neighborhood where many women who are victims of drug trafficking have been buried.

Problems faced by residents are poor housing conditions, overpopulation, street children, early sexual activity, clandestine commerce, gangs and drug trafficking.

There are currently 25,000 inhabitants in Anapra, the majority of whom are young people and children with an unclear future.

Father Miguel Angel and Catherine Hudak's work serves the general population as well as those who regularly attend their religious services. Their goal is to strengthen their efforts in the vital areas of health, recreation and child nutrition.

What are their hopes for the community? To build a dispensary in order to offer alternative medical services such as reflexology and natural herbal remedies. To create a recreational center with spaces for sporting activities and where their neighbors from Anapra can rest and relax. To create a dining hall for the children, where they are offered nutritious food six days a week.

The Sunday offering at San Jose de Anapra averages only around eight dollars. Father Miguel Angelrecieves no salary.

Local Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd priest Father Paul Moore and Deacon Tom Bates recently visited San Jose de Anapra. A diocesan companionship relationship is being sought between the Mexican Anglican Diocese of the North and the Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande.

"Very few priests in the church have the gifts that Fr. Ramirez has," Father Paul remarks. "Very few of us baptize 80 people and see our congregations grow from 5 to 75 in only two years. On the other hand, very few of us suffer the persecution he does from other religious denominations and from the drug violence. If we say that the Anglican church in Mexico has nothing to share with us we should think twice!"

Deacon Tom, who later arranged for a much needed cane for an elderly parishioner, and a wheelchair for a severely disabled child whose mother often carries her several miles through the long sandy roads to the church was struck by what a wonderful shepherd Father Miguel Angel is, and how well he and Katie work together for the benefit and spiritual growth of their people.

Deacon Tom, who also wasmoved by the physical beauty of the San Jose de Anapra church and the property, added that "it was a wonderful visit and the hospitality and preparation to receive us was special."

Father Miguel Angel will celebrate the Eucharist and preach at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Silver City on Sunday November 9 at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services.

Anglican Holy Trinity in Silver City, NM, which earlier this year purchased the historic St. Mary's chapel and other property from the Sisters of St. Joseph, will host a formal presentation about San Jose de Anapra by Father Miguel Angel and Catherine in the chapel on Saturday, November 8, at 4 p.m., to be followed by a potluck celebration. Everyone is joyfully invited.

Father Henry J. Hoffman of Anglican Holy Trinity visited San Jose de Anapra last year, where he and an accompanying church member shared in a feast of traditional bean dishes prepared by the congregation.

San Jose de Anapra is served by a project of the Anglican Diocese of the Southwest and the Anglican Diocese of the West that provides basic food to hands-on entities with few resources working among the very poor on the Mexico border.

San Jose de Anapra Mission can be reached in Spanish or English by U.S. telephone at: 720-401-8195.