‘It’s beautiful because they are living the mission with so little’

The desert of southern California is home to the Coachella Valley, one of the most productive agricultural areas of the United States.

The Diocese of San Bernardino serves this area and the people who dwell in it, including the thousands of farmworkers who cultivate and pick the local crops such as citrus fruits, dates and grapes.

Many farmworkers in this area are indigenous Purépecha people. They come from Mexico and have their own language and customs. Sadly, they are often treated as outcasts because of their unique culture.

Many families live in small trailer homes in the valley. Although they work hard, they often struggle to make ends meet.  

Sisters Aida Sansor and María Teresa Pacheco, members of the Missionary Guadalupanas of the Holy Spirit, were brought on by the diocese four years ago to reach the thousands of Purépecha living in the region.

The sisters engage these faith-filled people by participating in their special feasts, devotions and community life. Simply put, the sisters seek to be in communion with the Purépecha people in both their joys and struggles.  

Together, the sisters and the Purépecha have advocated for improved infrastructure like streetlights and a new park for children. While these developments are appreciated, many people of North Shore believe that their community needs a church more than anything else. 

Many lack transportation to attend Mass at the nearest Catholic church in Mecca, California. Therefore, community members began gathering outdoors for prayer in a nearby grocery store parking lot, which can be problematic when temperatures reach up to 120 degrees.  

Their dream of having a church grew stronger after the late Father Francisco Valdovinos, a religious priest of the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity and pastor in Mecca, started visiting their community and bringing them the Eucharist.  

In 2019 the North Shore community and the Diocese of San Bernardino first shared with Catholic Extension Society their desire to have a church. They wanted somewhere their community could come together not only to worship but also to create an environment in which their children can grow in faith, values and Purépecha traditions. 

At that moment, Catholic Extension Society’s parish partner, St. Paul of the Cross Church in Park Ridge, Illinois, brought the North Shore community’s dream to parishioners, asking for support through a Lenten appeal.  

Thanks to the support of Adrienne Timm, director of social service ministry at the parish, and Dr. Erika Mickleburgh, principal of the parish’s school, St. Paul of the Cross Church has become an expert in turning dreams into reality. 

In prior years they collaborated with Catholic Extension Society to successfully help restore Our Lady of the Rosary, a 240-year-old church in Puerto Rico that took a direct hit from Hurricane Maria. In 2019, the pastor and parishioners welcomed Adrienne Timm and Dr. Erika Mickleburgh to visit the repaired church on a Catholic Extension Society trip.

And, the following year, St. Paul of the Cross helped build a new Catholic church in a “persistent poverty county”—a county that has had poverty rates of 20 percent or greater for at least 30 years—in central Arkansas.  

This past year, the newly assigned pastor of St. Paul of the Cross Church, Father James Wallace, saw firsthand the level of poverty that exists in Extension-supported communities, as well as the intensity of people’s faith amid their struggles.

Father Wallace traveled with Catholic Extension Society to Puerto Rico in October 2021 to learn about our hurricane and earthquake recovery efforts among 1,000 damaged parishes on the island.

“Meeting with the local priests and community leaders was very inspiring because of their sense of mission,” Father Wallace said. “They are willing to go out to their flock. It’s beautiful because they are living the mission with so little.”  

Financial help from parishes like St. Paul of the Cross can go a long way in these poor communities that have so few financial resources but incredible determination.  

Determination has been the theme of the story in the North Shore community as well. They tragically lost their pastor, Father Valdovinos, to COVID-19 in 2021.

Father Valdovinos named the new church San Juan Diego Mission before his passing but never saw it built.  

Thanks to the efforts of the Diocese of San Bernardino, Sisters Aida and María Teresa, the late Father Valdovinos and St. Paul of the Cross, the North Shore community acquired an empty storefront this past year as a temporary gathering space, which they now fill to capacity.

This is one step closer to their ultimate dream of having a church of their own—a dream that all parties involved continue to pursue.  

The North Shore community is grateful to Catholic Extension Society’s parish partner, St. Paul of the Cross Church, for supporting their dream to build a proper place to celebrate Mass and to live the mission of the Church to the fullest. 

Catholic Extension Society’s Parish Partnerships program continues to grow, seeking new opportunities to build relationships with parishes around the country who are looking to help their fellow Catholics in the poorest parts of the United States.

We’re looking for new parish partners right now. If you would like to get your parish involved, reach out to Natalie Donatello at (312) 795–6057, ndonatello@catholicextension.org or complete the form below.