thedrifter
08-17-09, 08:21 AM
Faith helps lead woman to freedom
Comments | Recommend
August 16, 2009 6:40 PM
CAROLYN ALFORD
Hello, friends and neighbors. It is good to see you here.
Catholic priest Jose A. Bautista-Rojas, a Navy chaplain stationed at the Marine Corps Base Chaplain’s Office at Camp Lejeune, had an uplifting experience while deployed at Al Taqaddum, in the Anbar Province near Ramadi, Iraq.
“I experienced such fulfillment of my faith,” Bautista said.
The beginning of the story comes from Joe Burns, a war stringer for the Catholic News Agency. Parts of the story and the photograph are reprinted here with permission from CNA.
“The setting for our conversation was a makeshift wooden chapel, sparsely furnished with the plastic chairs we sat on and a small white table for an altar. Being inside this simple chapel was like finding an oasis in the desert. What made this oasis most refreshing was the time we spent with Fr. Bautista, a man of irrepressible good humor, joy and generosity.
“The events of that morning for Fr. Bautista included a Mass he had just conducted in Ramadi at a Marine detachment. What made the Mass unique, was that his “congregation” consisted of one lonely Catholic Marine. When Father Bautista arrived in Ramadi along with his personal bodyguard, a strong young, well-armed Marine, he visited a detachment of eight men, only one of whom was Catholic. Undeterred, he told the Marine he would be happy to say Mass for him.
“The young Marine confided to him, ‘You know Father, back in the States, I didn’t go to Mass that often, but out here I find myself longing to go to Mass again. But I’ve been here for seven months and you’re the first Catholic chaplain I’ve seen.’ Fr. Bautista spent some time listening to his story and asking questions about his family. Then he said Mass for this single Marine.
“As Fr. Bautista continued speaking with us, he described the fascinating story of a young Muslim woman who was entering the Church under his guidance. Her story was moving. While working with Americans, this wom- an, who must remain anonymous, was touched deeply when she realized that the U.S. medical personnel not only treated wounded Americans and Iraqi civilians, but also treated wounded enemy combatants, including one who was known for having killed U.S. Marines. As she put it, ‘This cannot happen with us.’
“This dramatic extension of mercy even to enemy soldiers caused her to take the next cautious step. She asked Father Bautista to ‘tell me more about Jesus.’ As Father described Jesus and his life in the Gospels, one thing stood out among the rest for the Muslim woman he called ‘Fatima’ (not her real name) and that was how kindly Jesus had related to, as she put it, ‘the two Marys.’ Fatima was moved to see how Jesus deeply loved Mary, his mother, who was sinless, but also how Jesus deeply loved Mary Magdalene, who was ‘a great sinner.’ As these discussions continued, Fatima reached a point where she said to Father Bautista, ‘I want to become a Christian.’
“As their catechetical lessons developed over time, Fatima’s family discovered her plan and she was warned sternly by her father that if she continued on this path, she would be disowned by the entire family and would never have contact with them again. At this point, Father Bautista became concerned for Fatima’s well-being and cautioned her to look carefully at the consequences of her decision and to think seriously before continuing her path into the Church.
“Fatima paused for a moment and then looking intently at Father Bautista asked, ‘Do you give up so easily on Jesus?’ The question took Father aback for a moment, but then he said he thought, ‘This is incredible; this Muslim woman is already bearing witness to me about how important my own faith is!’ This woman’s question had caused him to give greater thanks for his faith and for the great privilege of sharing Christ with others. Fatima is currently continuing the process with great courage and joy.
“In a wonderful irony, the first words she will hear spoken during the Liturgy of the Word in the Rite of Acceptance will be those spoken to her great ancestor, Abraham: ‘Leave your country (and your kindred and your father’s house), and come into the land I will show you’ (Gen 12:1).”
The rest of the story
Father Bautista told me the rest of the story.
Shortly after Fatima began her conversion to Christianity, she was called back home. When she returned home, she was locked up until she could marry a man who would keep her under control.
A way was found for her to leave Iraq, which was difficult since a female cannot travel without a male family member, Father Bautista said. She is now living in California married to a Marine.
“She is happy as can be with the freedom here,” Father Bautista said. “It overwhelmed me. My idea was to bring God to them but she evangelized me.
In America, we have the freedom to worship without being rejected by family or putting our lives at risk, Father Bautista said. Yet, people so easily compromise their faith because they don’t want people to judge or make fun.
“Here is a person who has just met the Lord so willing to sacrifice for what she believes in,” he said. “It is a lesson for me on how we need to be strong in our faith always. We need to stand up for our faith and have courage and strength.”
Father Bautista and his family came to this country from Guadalajara, Mexico. He became a priest in 1999 at the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Father Bautista joined the military in 2006 to “thank this country for all it offered me and my family.”
Thank you for coming.
Ellie
Comments | Recommend
August 16, 2009 6:40 PM
CAROLYN ALFORD
Hello, friends and neighbors. It is good to see you here.
Catholic priest Jose A. Bautista-Rojas, a Navy chaplain stationed at the Marine Corps Base Chaplain’s Office at Camp Lejeune, had an uplifting experience while deployed at Al Taqaddum, in the Anbar Province near Ramadi, Iraq.
“I experienced such fulfillment of my faith,” Bautista said.
The beginning of the story comes from Joe Burns, a war stringer for the Catholic News Agency. Parts of the story and the photograph are reprinted here with permission from CNA.
“The setting for our conversation was a makeshift wooden chapel, sparsely furnished with the plastic chairs we sat on and a small white table for an altar. Being inside this simple chapel was like finding an oasis in the desert. What made this oasis most refreshing was the time we spent with Fr. Bautista, a man of irrepressible good humor, joy and generosity.
“The events of that morning for Fr. Bautista included a Mass he had just conducted in Ramadi at a Marine detachment. What made the Mass unique, was that his “congregation” consisted of one lonely Catholic Marine. When Father Bautista arrived in Ramadi along with his personal bodyguard, a strong young, well-armed Marine, he visited a detachment of eight men, only one of whom was Catholic. Undeterred, he told the Marine he would be happy to say Mass for him.
“The young Marine confided to him, ‘You know Father, back in the States, I didn’t go to Mass that often, but out here I find myself longing to go to Mass again. But I’ve been here for seven months and you’re the first Catholic chaplain I’ve seen.’ Fr. Bautista spent some time listening to his story and asking questions about his family. Then he said Mass for this single Marine.
“As Fr. Bautista continued speaking with us, he described the fascinating story of a young Muslim woman who was entering the Church under his guidance. Her story was moving. While working with Americans, this wom- an, who must remain anonymous, was touched deeply when she realized that the U.S. medical personnel not only treated wounded Americans and Iraqi civilians, but also treated wounded enemy combatants, including one who was known for having killed U.S. Marines. As she put it, ‘This cannot happen with us.’
“This dramatic extension of mercy even to enemy soldiers caused her to take the next cautious step. She asked Father Bautista to ‘tell me more about Jesus.’ As Father described Jesus and his life in the Gospels, one thing stood out among the rest for the Muslim woman he called ‘Fatima’ (not her real name) and that was how kindly Jesus had related to, as she put it, ‘the two Marys.’ Fatima was moved to see how Jesus deeply loved Mary, his mother, who was sinless, but also how Jesus deeply loved Mary Magdalene, who was ‘a great sinner.’ As these discussions continued, Fatima reached a point where she said to Father Bautista, ‘I want to become a Christian.’
“As their catechetical lessons developed over time, Fatima’s family discovered her plan and she was warned sternly by her father that if she continued on this path, she would be disowned by the entire family and would never have contact with them again. At this point, Father Bautista became concerned for Fatima’s well-being and cautioned her to look carefully at the consequences of her decision and to think seriously before continuing her path into the Church.
“Fatima paused for a moment and then looking intently at Father Bautista asked, ‘Do you give up so easily on Jesus?’ The question took Father aback for a moment, but then he said he thought, ‘This is incredible; this Muslim woman is already bearing witness to me about how important my own faith is!’ This woman’s question had caused him to give greater thanks for his faith and for the great privilege of sharing Christ with others. Fatima is currently continuing the process with great courage and joy.
“In a wonderful irony, the first words she will hear spoken during the Liturgy of the Word in the Rite of Acceptance will be those spoken to her great ancestor, Abraham: ‘Leave your country (and your kindred and your father’s house), and come into the land I will show you’ (Gen 12:1).”
The rest of the story
Father Bautista told me the rest of the story.
Shortly after Fatima began her conversion to Christianity, she was called back home. When she returned home, she was locked up until she could marry a man who would keep her under control.
A way was found for her to leave Iraq, which was difficult since a female cannot travel without a male family member, Father Bautista said. She is now living in California married to a Marine.
“She is happy as can be with the freedom here,” Father Bautista said. “It overwhelmed me. My idea was to bring God to them but she evangelized me.
In America, we have the freedom to worship without being rejected by family or putting our lives at risk, Father Bautista said. Yet, people so easily compromise their faith because they don’t want people to judge or make fun.
“Here is a person who has just met the Lord so willing to sacrifice for what she believes in,” he said. “It is a lesson for me on how we need to be strong in our faith always. We need to stand up for our faith and have courage and strength.”
Father Bautista and his family came to this country from Guadalajara, Mexico. He became a priest in 1999 at the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Father Bautista joined the military in 2006 to “thank this country for all it offered me and my family.”
Thank you for coming.
Ellie