Home > Augustinian Missions > Church at Work in Peru > Augustinians Return to San José Obrero

Augustinian Missionaries founded San José Obrero (St. Joseph the Worker) Parish, Chulucanas, Peru, in 1968. Because of a shortage of available personnel, the Augustinians reluctantly withdrew from ministry at San José Obrero in 2002. Blessed with newly ordained Priests, the Augustinians were able five years later to return to minister at the parish. Here is the story of their return to San José Obrero.

Augustinians Return to San José Obrero

San José Obrero (St. Joseph the Worker) Church in Chulucanas, Peru was packed with a standing-room-only crowd March 24, 2007. They were celebrating the return of the Augustinians to their parish.

Interior of San José Obrero Church, Chulucanas, Peru. Note the gap between top of wall and ceiling. It provides light and ventilation, and allows the heat to escape.Located in the desert near the Equator, Chulucanas frequently experiences intense heat.

Five years earlier, Augustinian Friars of the Vicariate of St. John of Sahagún of Chulucanas had to leave the parish. At that time, there were fewer missionaries from North America. And, with a growing number of Peruvian Augustinian seminarians, it was necessary to provide personnel to fortify the programs of formation. It had become impossible to maintain an Augustinian presence in three parishes within the Diocese of Chulucanas. After evaluating all three parishes where Augustinians ministered, the decision was made to withdraw from San José Obrero, since it had the strongest and best formed lay leadership. Because the Diocese did not have a full-time Priest whom it could assign to San José Obrero, a religious sister was named Administrator of the parish. She found Priests to celebrate Eucharist and provide other sacramental ministries. A year later, two Diocesan Priests were assigned to serve the parish.

As they turned the pastoral care of the parish over to the Diocese, however, the Augustinians promised to return within five years, if possible.

The reasons for returning now are significant: First, Augustinian Bishop Daniel Turley, O.S.A. believes that an Augustinian presence in Chulucanas, the largest town of the Diocese, is important. Secondly, San José Obrero is the only parish in the Diocese that was founded by Augustinians. Finally, during the previous year, four young Peruvian Friars were ordained Priests. Their ordinations made an expansion of ministries possible.

To thank the Diocesan Priests who served the parish, a Day of Gratitude was celebrated March 14, 2007. The priests symbolically turned the parish over to Bishop Turley as he thanked them for their ministry.

Pastoral care of San José Obrero was officially transferred to the Augustinians on March 24, 2007. This date was chosen because it is the anniversary of the death of John J. McKniff, O.S.A. Father McKniff ministered for several years in northern Peru.

In his remarks, Bishop Turley recalled that Father McKniff is known for his special love for the poor and solidarity with those who are abandoned and marginalized by society. Father McKniff represents qualities that the Augustinians want to continue in their ministry at San José Obrero.

Regional Vicar John Lydon, O.S.A. expressed the willingness of the Augustinian Vicariate to return to the parish and to continue its misison of collaborating in the evangelization of the Diocese. He presented to Bishop Turley two young Peruvian Augustinian Priests who now minister in the parish. They are Wilder Vásquez Saldaña, O.S.A. and Hugo Erazo Rojas, O.S.A. Arturo Purcaro, O.S.A., who serves as Pastor, arrived at the San José Obrero community a few months later.

Bishop Turley asked Father Vásquez and Father Erazo to testify as to their willingness to continue the mission of the Augustinian legacy of the parish. They both expressed their desire to do this. The Bishop confirmed them in their role as pastoral ministers of the People of God.

Lively music, hand-clapping and loud voices during the celebration of Mass lifted the spirits of those present and added to the festive atmosphere.

After Mass, Augustinian Seculars from the parish provided sandwiches. This group, founded by Father McKniff in 1987, is the first group of Augustinian Seculars to have been established in the Diocese of Chulucanas.

And so, in a spirit of solidarity and service, the Augustinians returned to San José Obrero Parish with an openness to the greater needs of the Church and the fulfillment of the missionary spirit that is at the heart of the Augustinian Vicariate of St. John of Sahagún of Chulucanas and its identity.

Learn More about the Augustinian Missions in Peru

• The Church at Work in Northern Peru

         » Making Much with Little
               Grassroots Pastoral Plan in the Catholic Diocese of Chulucanas, Peru

         » Social and Economic Development
               Helping the poor to help themselves in Northern Peru

         » The Bishop Visits
               Pastoral visits in Peru are a time of special blessing

         » Pastoral Journeys in Pacaipampa
               Travelling to remote Peruvian mountain villages to bring Christ to the people

• Children of Peru

         » Children of Peru: The Working Child
               Peruvian children must work to help their family make ends meet

         » Children of Peru: The Child at School
               The life of a young student in the mountains of Peru

         » Heart to Heart Project
               Helping poor Peruvian children to remain in school