I am sister Maricarmen Aguirre, I am currently the person in charge of the Cristeta community in San Sebastian, Spain. This is a community of elderly sisters whose reality brings to light our fragility and limitations. The sisters, who have carried out a multitude of tasks throughout their lives, are now in a situation where they can do almost nothing. We run the risk of becoming saddened by this, because we confuse the Mission with activities.
I see the need to accompany them in this final stage of life, in a spiritual journey that leads us to deepen our charism as Helpers. To turn our gaze of thanksgiving to all that we have experienced, discovering God’s providential presence throughout our lives, in all our paths, and that even now, He brings forth life from what seems insignificant, giving us great hope.
What motivates us is being open to whatever comes our way at any given moment, cultivating hospitality and family spirit, seeing not only faults but rather valorizing what is good in each of us, appreciating the small gestures of kindness from our sisters and also from the staff who help us. We offer our limitations and deepen the contemplative aspect of prayer. The poor are always present in our prayers, as are those who suffer the consequences of war, injustice, climate change… We also want to accompany our young sisters in the novitiates of Nairobi and Cergy with our prayers in a special way.
Even though I don’t have much time because I take care of our sisters, my 11 years of experience as a volunteer at Botafuegos Prison in Algeciras led me to join the prison ministry in San Sebastián. Among the activities I do is accompanying people who have not committed very serious crimes, and some judges allow them to do community service (TBC) instead of going to prison. If they did not have this opportunity, they would be in prison, and when prisoners enter prison, the break with the outside world produces a process of depersonalisation and social maladjustment, which makes it difficult for them to integrate when they are released.
The activity they carry out is cleaning the Church of Saint Ignatius, which is our parish. The welcome they receive, the respect and gratitude shown to them by the women and a few men who take care of maintenance, means that they come back happy with their work. In my relationship with them, even though I ask nothing about their crimes or their lives, when they feel confident, they need to be listened to. When I see their lives with so many difficulties and shortcomings, I ask myself Pope Francis’ question: ‘Why them and not me?’ ‘What would I have done in these circumstances?’ It is a mystery that brings me close to them and fills my heart with gratitude for all that I have received. It carries me with the power of the Spirit of Jesus to connect with what they need: sincere, understanding and respectful listening, someone to help them open the windows of hope and awaken human feelings and values, so that they can finally come to terms with themselves, with God, with their families and with society.