Life in the Villas


Rob Dogal, front left, works alongside other seminarians.
by Rob Dogal and Charles Rennekamp

 During the month of February, we had the opportunity to travel to Buenos Aires, Argentina to follow in the footsteps of Pope Francis.  Challenged by Pope Francis’ call for us to be missionary disciples, we traveled with our seminarian brothers from New York to meet the poor and forgotten in the Pope’s hometown.  During our trip we visited the poor neighborhoods, called villas, where many of the city’s immigrants and marginalized peoples live.

We spent a few days at Virgen Inmaculada parish, located in one of the numerous villas of Buenos Aires.  There we met Fr. Pedro and Fr. Gaston. These two priests welcomed us into their community beginning with the first Mass we attended until our difficult goodbye after the final Mass.  The people at this parish shared with us their profound sense of community. We especially experienced this sense of community during the sign of peace at Mass.  Each member of the community embraced one another and likewise embraced each of us. Peace was shared with family and stranger alike.

With our limited knowledge of Spanish, we were afraid that the language barrier would make communication difficult between us and the residents of the villas.  However, we found a common means of communication through sports. Soccer was one way we were all able to bond, laugh, and understand one another without any words needing to be said.  We also came together as a community during the celebration of daily Mass.  At Mass, we were seated next to recovering drug addicts, widows, orphans, and those struggling to provide for their families. Although most of these people remain forgotten by society, they are never forgotten by God.

Seminarians with the children of Virgen Immaculada 
Like the signs of peace exchanged at Mass, the peoples of the villas also freely shared their stories and struggles.  Through it all, they displayed a great love and faith which left us, as missionaries, receiving much more than we were giving.  As Christians, we are missionaries who bring Christ wherever we go, but we must also expect to find Christ already there.  Jesus Christ and his Church are truly alive with the Spirit. This same Spirit that burns brightly in the Church can also be seen in our Holy Father, Pope Francis. We pray that this Spirit is able to reach the Church everywhere and spread the same joy that we found in the people of Buenos Aires.

This trip to Argentina has strengthened our desire to live out our Christian vocation as missionary disciples. We now feel compelled to challenge you to become missionary disciples.  You do not need to travel to a far-away land to do this.  Instead, all you need to do is go and find your neighbors in need and share with them the love of Christ.  Pope Francis has said, “All of us, each day, are presented with the option of being Good Samaritans or indifferent passerby.” Let us now go and be Christ for others!
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Charles Rennekamp
Rob Dogal
Charles Rennekamp is completing his fourth and final year of collegiate study at the Cathedral Seminary House of Studies in Douglaston, NY. He plans to graduate with a degree in philosophy in May, 2015. Charles is from Lake Ariel and his home parish is St. Thomas More.

Rob Dogal entered Cathedral Seminary House of Studies in Douglaston in the fall of 2014 to begin his Pre-Theology studies. Rob is from Kingston and graduated from Mount St. Mary's University in 2013. His home parish is St. Ignatius of Loyola in Kingston.