October 14, 2017

Local priest serves in Missionary Society of St. James the Apostle  

REGIONAL
By Father John Salatino, Special to iObserve

 

SPRINGFIELD — I first heard about the St. James Society when I entered St. John’s Seminary in Boston in 1989. My undergraduate degree in Spanish was from Westfield State College. While at Westfield, I spent a semester at the National University of Mexico in Mexico City and came back fluent in Spanish. 

Because I was able to speak Spanish, the seminary assigned me to St. Paul Parish in Dorchester; that was a multicultural parish. The pastor was Father Bill Francis, who was Cardinal Cushing’s nephew. Father Bill had done two stints in Peru. He had kept in touch with many of the priests working there. There were always St. James priests on their way to or from South America, stopping in at St. Paul’s.

They all spoke glowingly of the work that was being done in the missions and highly recommended it. In 1993, St. James invited a group from the seminary to visit Bolivia for a couple of weeks to see and experience the work that they do. I was able to go on that trip and was impressed with the mission, and thought, “Maybe someday.”

Most of my priesthood after ordination involved working with the Hispanic community. My first assignment was at St. Patrick’s in Chicopee. I was there only a year when I was sent to St. Mary’s in Westfield, where I was for just shy of nine years. St. Mary’s is one of the largest parishes in the diocese, with a primary school and the last of the parish high schools. It also has a vibrant Hispanic community. I very much enjoyed my time Westfield.

From there I ended up being pastor of my home parish of St. Mark’s in Pittsfield. Not only was I assigned to St. Mark’s, I was also the only Spanish-speaking priest in Berkshire County. When I was growing up, there were just a handful of Hispanics in the Berkshires; now there are over 10,000. I thoroughly enjoyed being back in the Berkshires and I had the honor of being pastor of St. Mark’s when we celebrated the parish centennial in 2013.

After over a dozen years at St. Mark’s, and realizing that I wasn’t getting any younger, I figured now was the time to join St. James. For two years, I had the pleasure of working with Sister Juana Maria Hernandez and Sister Rosa Torres, Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. The sisters, who are from Mexico, are here in our diocese working with the Hispanic communities. They had previously worked in other Latin American countries and Sister Rosa even spent some time working in China. They both encouraged me to make the leap. 

I was also influenced by the late Father Bill Eckart, who assisted at St. Mark’s for a number of years during his retirement. He was a priest for the Diocese of Camden, N.J., and spent seven years as a missionary in Brazil earlier in his priesthood. 

They all spoke about the unique feeling of satisfaction they received by being missionaries. After prayer, discernment, and speaking with Bishop Rozanski, I was given permission to join St. James.

It was not easy leaving a great parish like St. Mark’s and the Hispanic community in the Berkshires, not to mention family, friends and relatives, but I knew if I waited any longer it was not going to happen. 

My decision to leave was made easier when I learned that Father Dave Aufiero would be named to take my place at St. Mark’s. Father Dave was parochial vicar at St. Mark’s from 2013-2015, right after he was ordained to the priesthood. Knowing that Father Dave would be made administrator, I was assured that the parish would be in good hands. 

My commitment to St. James is for five years. After that, I will be returning to our diocese. Each year, I have a six-week vacation so I can come back home for a good long visit.

Life as a St. James Society missionary priest

The headquarters for the Missionary Society of St. James is our Center House. The center is a retreat center that can hold up to 80 guests. The 10 St. James priests who are here in Lima are each given a room. We come in on Sunday nights and go back to the parishes by Wednesday morning. The house is in the Barranco neighborhood of Lima. “Barranco” means cliff, and our house is on a cliff overlooking the Pacific. Here it’s quiet and clean. It’s nice to come in from the parish and recharge.

Following are photos of the neighborhood I live in; some of the chapels and the park where we hold Mass; our soup kitchen for children; an Easter Vigil Mass; a confirmation liturgy; a first Communion; and some of the people in our part of the city.

(Editor’s note: Donations for Father Salatino’s parish in Peru can be sent in care of Father John Salatino to The St. James Society, 24 Clark St., Boston, MA 02109.)