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The Beginning: For the people of the parish of Saint Thomas in Chiche, Guatemala, prayer, persistence and patience pays off. The story begins in the early 1990’s. An education committee in Chiche had been formed. They noticed that there were many children in the streets who did not seem to be going to school. A survey was done and over 250 children were not in school. Their parents said their children would attend school if they had the opportunity. The only school in town was at capacity and refused additional students when the quota was met – regardless of the number who would not receive any education. The committee requested the Guatemalan government build another school in the town but the government repeatedly turned down their requests.
Not giving up, the school committee and parents in St. Thomas Parish started to work. A vacant area, equivalent to a city block, was located and could be used for the site of the school. Fe y Alegria, an international Spanish based Jesuit organization assisting with education in developing countries, was contacted and they agreed to help. Architectural plans for a school were drawn and a contractor was hired to build the cement block school. It consisted of three rows of buildings, each having three classrooms. An administration wing, for the principal’s office, teachers’ meeting room, storage room and janitorial room, flanked the classrooms. In the spring/summer of 2001, Our Lady of Guadalupe School began construction. This was the culmination of prayer, persistence and patience.
But then the dream was threatened! After the buildings were completed, the teachers hired and the students enrolled, the school board was told that the government would not assist with the salaries of the teachers as promised. As a result, Fe y Alegria said that they would also withdraw their support. The school committee was devastated with this development since the community did not have the financial resources to pay the teachers’ salaries.
Being persistent and not wanting the dream to escape, Rosie, a school board member, knew that a Catholic lay mission organization, Sending Out Servants, was visiting in a near-by parish. She presented the plight of the school to them and asked them if they could help.
SOS relayed this predicament to Father Fran Pistorius, the pastor of St. Ignatius. He agreed with the recommendation of the pastoral council to underwrite teachers salaries, but only for a year. If the parish responded to the needs of the school, the support would be on-going. A Mission Outreach Committee was formed to organize and assist with the raising of funds and a letter of commitment was sent to Father Julio, pastor of the parish at that time.
Soon afterwards, Father Julio was called back to his home country of Venezuela, and Father Sebastian, the new pastor, was invited to St. Ignatius to talk with the parish about the progress of the school. Father Sebastian told the committee that he was bi-lingual, and everyone was so excited, thinking he spoke English. He’s bi-lingual as he said – but in Spanish and his first language, the Mayan language of Quiche.

The Visit: Father Sebastian proved to be a wonderful person and the fund raiser went well with his winning ways, shy smile and personal caring. Coming to Houston was the beginning of many firsts for Father Sebastian – the first time he left Guatemala; flew on a plane; rode on a ferry; walked on a beach; waded in the Gulf; went to a lake; rode in a boat and fished.
Since 2001 Father Sebastian has been making yearly trips to our parish in November to thank everyone for making a parochial education a reality for the children of the Chiche. He would also extend greetings from Chiche and request the continuation of funds for another year of operation. Their committee, teachers, students, families of Chiche and St. Thomas Parish realize that their school has succeeded because of the financial generosity of the parishioners of St. Ignatius Loyola.

The School: Our parish’s response to the school has been overwhelming. The student enrollment was more than anticipated; the school’s policy is offer the opportunity of an education and not to turn anyone away. The teacher’s meeting room, principal’s office and the equipment rooms had to be used as classrooms. The principal’s office was moved to a storage room.
There are approximately 35 students in each classroom of the lower grades with two rooms for each first and second grade. The classes become smaller in the upper grades; the families need the assistance of the older children to help sustain the family.

April 2008: Father Sebastian, who has visited our parish annually for the past 6 years, will be transferred from St. Tomas parish (the parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe School), effective April 15. He will become pastor in a tiny village of Chel, about 4 hours north of Santa Cruz del Quiche, nearer to the Mexican border. This parish is very remote, with unnamed roads into the area.
Father Sebastian sends his most sincere appreciation to St. Ignatius for the help and support shown to him and the school over the last 6 years. He is very sad to be moving, but assures us that the new pastor will continue the work at the school that St. Ignatius has made possible over the years. He will be replaced by one of his seminary classmates, Father Mateo.
Mily, the first principal of the school who visited in November 2007 with Father Sebastian, also expressed her appreciation to the people of St. Ignatius. In a letter she said the following: “I thank God infinitely for giving me the marvelous gift of your (St. Ignatius) friendship. With you I have discovered the significance of being brothers and sisters in Christ, members of one community. I will love all of you forever with a great, profound and sincere love. Every time I go to Communion I think of you and ask that God bless all of you in your life, in your family, and in your work.”