And Now We Are In Jerusalem: A Journey with Fr. Jesus

Palm Cross from Mass today.

"And now we are in Jerusalem," said Fr. Ed at mass this morning. The children preparing for first communion had just finished waving their palms and singing a special Palm Sunday song for the congregation and were returning to their seats. His words struck me. Yes, we have now arrived in Jerusalem after a long journey with Jesus to get here. The singing has ended and Holy Week has begun.

I recently completed my own journey with Jesus.

His full name is Fr. Jesus Alberto Franco, and he is a Redemptorist Priest from Colombia. Like our Lord, there are people who want to kill him. They want to kill him because his love of the Gospel and the hope it offers to the poor is a threat to powerful people in his country.

Fr. Alberto does some snow graffiti on our trusty chariot.

Fr. Alberto is the executive secretary of Justicia y Paz, a partner of Development and Peace. I was with him from March 17-March 24 as we traveled from one speaking engagement to another throughout the Central Ontario region. It was an honour to spend time with this humble and passionate man who has received death threats and had bullets fired at him.

Justicia y Paz has helped to create humanitarian zones in Colombia to help protect those who have suffered the most in a long and bloody conflict there - the people without guns. These are the indigenous, the afro-colombians, and the campesinos who live from the land. They have been displaced to make way for powerful economic interests which include the development of huge african oil palm plantations and cattle ranches. Slowly, Justicia y Paz has been helping them to receive justice and to take back the land they have lost.

Fr. Alberto shares a meal and some wisdom with the Hispanic community of Toronto - March 23rd

As we journey through Holy Week, I hope to share more stories from his visit here on the Muse. The fast I have been on for D&P (Thanks to my daughter Amy and her $15 donation I just passed the $4000 mark!) should have left me without much energy as we traveled from place to place together. Instead, I was full of energy all the time. You see, Fr. Alberto was an inspiration to me and I drew energy each day from being in his presence and listening to his message.

I asked Fr. Alberto if we should refrain from talking about his visit on-line for his safety. On the contrary, he wanted news of his tour to be spread far and wide in cyberspace. Such international exposure actually helps to protect him just as much as the security escort that the inter-american human rights commission has ordered him to travel with for his own protection.

So just as Jesus was announced to the powers that be in that Holy City by ordinary people waving palms and singing songs of joy, so to do I announce that Fr. Jesus Alberto Franco was here in Canada. To those that would want to kill him, know that his message has been heard by Canadians and that he has our support.