My Memories of Father José María Vélaz

By Antonio Bachs S.J. Fe y Alegría’s Ideology

8th MEETING. LIMA, 1977. This year’s meeting of Directors was in Peru, exactly in Ñaña near Lima to be exact. We were still on the subject of ideology and the Ideology of Fe y Alegría, marked by a “progressive” line.

At that meeting I had a strong argument with Vélaz. It was Thursday, December 29th, which was to be the last day of the meetings. At the end of the morning, was a “brainstorming” activity. But Vélaz didn’t want to touch the issue of ideologies. However, I proposed the need for an ideology within a popular line. At the start of the afternoon session, Vélaz violently hurled me for proposing this subject that created division. I got very frustrated, and I replied with a tough tone that he had no right to attack me as well. At the end of the afternoon we had the Mass. When it was time to give the sign of peace, Vélaz, at the other side of the chapel, approached me and apologized. Tears started streaming down my face.

The issue of ideology had always been violent one, since the 3rd Meeting in Cochabamba. Father Vélaz did not want to have a document in which a division of leftist political ideology could manifest. So that’s why I didn’t want to touch the subject of an ideology. However, in 1980 he realized that many countries already had their own ideas.

Throughout 1983, Vélaz freely allowed us to prepare the basis of an ideology document. So the preparatory commission was established, formed by Robert Caro, Iñaqui Marquínez, and someone else I can’t remember. Throughout the year we had several meetings in Lima, Bogotá, and, finally, in Merida. 15th MEETING. VENEZUELA , 1984. Vélaz had organized that assembly in San Javier del Valle de Mérida (Venezuela). He invited almost all the Directors of all Venezuelan Schools, which was the first time he had done that.

It seemed to me that Vélaz wanted to say goodbye to all of us who were his dear collaborators. The following year, José María died in Masparro. That meeting was also of great importance, because after 29 years of existence, Fe y Alegría was to have its fundamental charter, which is the IDEOLOGY. Logically most Venezuelans were present, but the document should have been international. Thus, it was decided that every country would send two delegates plus Vélaz and the Commission.

Vélaz left us completely free to do the drafting of the document. In two days we had passed an Ideology. In the end, Vélaz didn’t intervene, but he said a phrase that stuck with me and I wrote it down: “We have in our

hands the trunk of a great tree. It’s up to us to re-

cord in it a great image.” That’s how it was approved by Father Vélaz.

After the meeting, Fe y Alegría Venezuela had organized several trips. I was interested in a trip to Masparro. In Masparro, Vélaz accompanied me with affection and enthusiasm in this great project he was creating. I visited the room in which he wrote “The Masparro Letters.” Between San Javier del Valle and Masparro I could understand the “Testament of Father Vélaz.” That’s how I said goodbye to Father Vélaz.