Padre Rafael by Ashley Sheehan '12

Day 7. Evening reflection. Where had we seen the face of God today? "Well, definitely in you, Padre," Bob Patrick admitted. "We talk about you a lot, just so you know." Everyone laughed, but his words were true. Seeing Christ in Padre Rafael, the priest with whom we traveled in El Salvador and a good friend of our parish, was obvious in so many ways.

My favorite example happened earlier on Day 7, March 23. We had participated in a vigil Mass commemorating the 32^nd anniversary of the martyrdom of Archbishop Oscar Romero at the University of Central America (UCA), the same place where six Jesuits, their housekeeper and her daughter were murdered on November 16, 1989. The congregation consisted of brothers and sisters in Christ from all over the world! As Mass came to a close and the ten or so priests lined up to process out of the church, suddenly a tiny little body with blonde hair appeared at Padre's side.

Six-year-old Alejandra, one of Padre's “adopted” children, had run up to his side and grabbed his hand. Whereas most priests I know in the States would almost certainly have gently prodded the little girl to return to her seat, Padre, ever in the image of Christ, warmly held little Alejandra's hand and walked with her into the sacristy right along with all of the other priests. Not that asking her to return to her seat would have been improper or un-Christ-like, certainly, but, as I witnessed Padre's grand gentility and accepting nature, never before had Jesus's voice rung so clearly in my head saying, "Let the children come to me." - Matthew 19:14