Running With Priests (9-20something-15)

It is impossible to conceptualize our time here thus far without acknowledging the fact that we are living with priests. More specifically Vincentian priests. One huge aspect of the Vincentian life is community. With that in mind, let me introduce our community:

    
  
Padre Hugo: “el Indio” – the indian

Padre Hector: “el doctor”

Padre Gabriel: “el Conquistador”

Dan: “el Judio” the Jew

Jake: “Pepe el semenarista” (future priest)
If my nickname is any indication, these labels have little to do with reality. They have been derived over many shared lunches discussing history, politics, religion, love, and sometimes less controversial topics (i.e. food, priest gossip, premarital sex, etc.). Its not hard to imagine that a 81 year old Spaniard (Gabriel), a 33 year old rural Paraguayan (Hugo), a 35 year old Argentine (Hector), a 22 year old- Jewish advertising major (Dan), and yours truly all share the exact same opinions on the afore mentioned topics…
In all seriousness this has been a great experience. The most important thing to express is that living here has been just like living in every other community – in other words: priests are normal people. 

Every morning they (notice the emphasis on they) pray together and then each goes about their individual day. At around 12:30 we all eat lunch together, invariably one or two of us have conflicts and eat later on. (Also note that lunch here is the primary meal, much like dinner in the states). After an hour of eating, arguing, priest gossip and hearing about the superiority of Spain we all go our separate ways. Evenings vary: Hector and Hugo are enrolled in English classes, I play basketball at a club, Dan and I have been invited to talk at random english classes throughout the city, we have gone to several families houses for dinner, and when none of this happens we go running. 

There is nothing more ordinary than jogging. We all agree on a time, and head out, walking a mile to a blocked off road that has been designated for running. These experiences have not been extravagant, but extraordinary in their simplicity. Some nights have consisted of ‘blowing of steam’ (a phrase Hugo quickly incorporated into his English vernacular) after stressful days in the school. Other days we have needed some encouragement to make it to the track, this usually consists of more name calling and trash talking than any actual words of encouragement. One time we went out to run and their was a huge crowd of families gathered to send their kids off on a camping trip. They were blocking the door and so we had no choice but to go right through it all. Never was there a stranger sight than a tiny Paraguayan priest dressed in athletic pants and a hoodie followed by a giant Yankee (as foreigners from the US are referred to) navigating a crowd of parents that were sending their children off for the first time. As we tried pass unnoticed, parents began offering hugs and kisses to Hugo, they were honored that the priest had come to send their children off. Nobody really knew what to make of the giant Yankee following him, laughing his way through the crowd.

With less than two weeks left in Escobar, I have begun to ask myself what this time has been all about. A integral part of this experience has been sharing it with the priests. They have helped humanize the institution of the catholic church for me. While my constant inquiries have led Gabriel to believe I have a calling towards the priesthood, this time has not been about ‘reconnecting with my catholic faith’. Instead it has been an open conversation about religion in our world, and in the lives’ of individuals. No one here minds that Dan is Jewish, or that neither of us have been to mass since our arrival. I do not have to hide the fact that I am not a practicing Catholic, or that my confirmation actually marked my renunciation of much of the institution of the church. 

The “confianza”, or trust, we have built up has allowed us to move past our different opinions, philosophies, background, beliefs, and share something much more profound, subtle, and transient in the human experience. Let running represent that shared element of humanity.
– I wrote this post two weeks ago and have been waiting to post it until I had a picture of the 5 of us. Between busy schedules, my forgetfulness and community “tension”, it has taken me until our last night to pull off this feat. Enjoy.