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Slain churchwomen honored

This black granite memorial wall lists the names of about 25,000 of the 75,000 people who were killled or disappeared during the war in El Salvador. The names are listed according to year of death. The names of the four American churchwomen are among those listed. Photos by Theresa Keller, FSPA

Last December, 13 GATE (Global Awareness Through Experience) participants were part of the U.S. delegation that commemorated the 25th anniversary of the killing of four churchwomen in El Salvador.

The churchwomen, two Maryknoll Sisters: Maura Clarke and Ita Ford, along with Ursuline Sister Dorothy Kazel and Jean Donovan, a lay missioner, were raped and shot Dec. 2, 1980, by members of the Salvadoran military.

The commemoration honored the women's ministry with the poor and oppressed of El Salvador but also focused a spotlight on the current plight of the people and on U.S. policies in Central America.

The GATE group, led by Marie Des Jarlais, FSPA, and Jan Gregorcich, SSND, included three other FSPA members. Speaking about the four women who were slain, Sister Marie commented that they did not have to stay in El Salvador, but they chose to stay with the people. She notes that their names are etched in the same wall with the names of thousands of Salvadorans who were killed, tortured or disappeared, "This is how totally the Salvadoran people accepted the four churchwomen."

She adds, "The four churchwomen were living examples of the power of nonviolence. They chose the way of Jesus . . . do not harm another, be compassionate and share with the poor. This has its price."

Four FSPA members: Sisters Alice Rohn, Marianna Ableidinger, Antona Schedlo and Charlotte Seubert, were ministering in El Salvador in 1980. Sister Marianna was part of the GATE group attending the commemoration. Sister Antona still ministers in El Salvador as a pastoral administrator.

GATE leads groups to El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico and Eastern Europe, offering the opportunity to learn from the poor as well as from people who are making a difference in underprivileged countries.

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