Page 34 - Catholic Extension Magazine Winter 2019

34 INSPIRE

Lumen Christi Finalist

othing could have FATHER FABIAN MARQUEZ |
prepared Father
Fabian Marquez DIOCESE OF EL PASO, TEXAS
for the mass
shooting on A pastor’s compassion
NAugust 3 in El
Paso. He never could have shines through the darkness
imagined that a gunman
would come to his home-
town and target Hispanics and
immigrants, the people he knows Center, a temporary shelter that Father Marquez asked the parish
so well, and randomly kill 22 peo- was housed in the Catholic Pas- volunteers, who serve regularly at
ple. It was unthinkable. toral Center in the Diocese of El the center, to buy a cake and a gift
But in those dark days in El Paso, Paso. A father arrived at the cen- for the boy. Together they ate and
he had to step up to lead and unite ter with three children in tow, sang “Las Mañanitas,” a traditional
his devastated parishioners and the pointed to his son and tearfully Latin American birthday song.
surrounding community. said, “I think it’s his birthday. It was a joyful moment in a very
He was summoned to comfort We’ve been traveling so long, I’m difficult journey for this migrant
the families who lost loved ones, not sure what day it is.” family, who had traveled some
and through his example, showed
the entire community how to
respond to this unspeakable hor-
ror with love, compassion and
hope. He showed them “El Paso
strong.” A recent New York Times
article described his deeply spiri-
tual response to the tragedy and his
ability to galvanize residents and
bring them together in solidarity.
El Paso residents — who imme-
diately responded to the tragedy
with an immense calm, strength
and forgiveness — are forever
scarred by this tragedy, but with
the guidance of Father Fabian and
other leaders, they are healing.
Father Marquez, pastor of El
Buen Pastor, a small mission par-
ish on the outskirts of El Paso, is
a dynamic and energetic leader
who has long been dedicated to
improving the lives of immigrants
and refugees.
One parishioner recalled how
Father Marquez recently helped
a family at the Diocesan Migrant