To the Band of Brothers: Jesuit Infirmary

I just got back from Santo Domingo. I was there for a few days for a series of meetings. I was free one afternoon, so I drove to Manresa Loyola, near the Port of Haina, where the Jesuits of the Caribbean Province have their infirmary. This is where Jesuits who need medical attention go, and where the older guys spend the last years of their lives. For those of us who don’t need either, it is a good place to visit. It is an opportunity to soak in the many years of experience of men who have dedicated their lives to serving Jesus and his Church. The wisdom seems to just flow from these men.

My first visit was to Fr. Nelson García. I first met him when I was a senior at Belen. He was Provincial, superior of the province, and was visiting his men in Miami. As I walked through the central patio, I saw him standing with Fr. Marcelino García, who served as President of our school. Fr. Nelson’s frame was imposing. He stood at 6 feet and a couple of inches. Bright white hair, what I remember most was that he walked with a noticeable limp. Years later, I found out he hobbled after a car accident in the Dominican Republic that shattered his hip. One botched surgery later, he was basically reduced to practically dragging his leg.

Fr. Nelson was a born leader. From early in his Jesuit career, he had been pegged for leadership positions. At different points in his life, he served as the director of all three schools in the Dominican Republic, as provincial of the province, and as director of the Agrupación Católica Universitaria in Miami. In the last few years of his active life, he humbly served as a spiritual director here at Belen Jesuit. Now, at 91 years of age and 73 years as a Jesuit, he lives quietly, comfortably tucked away in the infirmary.

Right next door to him is Brother Florentino Hernández. Born in a small village of San Francisco de Macorís in the Dominican Republic, he entered the Jesuits in 1958. Unlike Fr. Nelson, Br. Florentino’s vocation was to humbly serve as a brother in whatever capacity the Society of Jesus needed. With only a brief stint in Colombia, most of his time was spent in various places throughout his homeland. He served as a tailor, cook, caretaker of keys and property. Br. Florentino impacted others through his life of intense prayer and dedicated service. In the evenings, if you ever wanted to see him, you would find him listening to “Tres Patines” on the radio or watching Dominican baseball on television.

Both these men teach us an important lesson about service in the Church and, especially, in the Society of Jesus. Their vocations speak to the words of St. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians when he claims, “There are many parts, yet one body” (v.20). He goes on to say, “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I do not need you,’ nor again the head to the feet, ‘I do not need you’” (v.21). All of us, all of them, play a significant and necessary role in the life of the Church. Each, with their special gifts, contributes significantly to the building of the Kingdom Jesus so readily preaches in the gospels. 

And while the lives of these two men are radically different and their roles in the Church have taken significantly different paths, they both shared with me the same thoughts about this last stage of their lives. Both men, towards the end of my conversation with them, expressed with smiles on their faces their readiness to die. They were clearly aware of their situation and were at great peace in knowing there was only one place they hoped to be missioned after their time in the infirmary. They both know that at the end of the day, the ultimate goal is heaven. Their lives, their vocations, and their service are simply a means to an end. The end is eternal life and they both expressed great joy in knowing it was drawing near. No fear, no angst, just joy.

I confess, more than any retreat I have been on, more than any single moment of prayer, that visit to the Jesuit infirmary was a shot in the arm of consolation and peace. It revitalized my own vocation. It helped put in perspective my life as a Jesuit and, more importantly, as a disciple of Jesus. It was a reminder that it is all about the endgame. No matter what my role in the Church, my prayer and service are about working towards helping build the Kingdom promised to us as a gift by Jesus Christ. It is not about earning the gift, but about not losing it.

Auspice Maria