The first blog for the Pio House was titled “Wonderin' Bout the Wind” where I spoke of how the winds of the Holy Spirit had carried me back to Benque. And I’m extremely grateful they did. This past year back in Benque with the Pio House has been a true work of the Holy Spirit that I can take no credit for. So many pieces flowed together, some smoothly, and others quite the opposite, to form this house for young men in Benque to grow, pray, serve, learn, suffer and rejoice together. In the first post we emphasized the image of the Holy Spirit as wind, well this year the Holy Spirit was still our driving force, but this time it was by fire.
“The dove descending breaks the air
With flame of incandescent terror
Of which the tongues declare
The one discharge from sin and error.
The only hope, or else despair
Lies in the choice of pyre or pyre-
To be redeemed from fire by fire.
Who then devised the torment? Love.
Love is the unfamiliar Name
Behind the hands that wove
The intolerable shirt of flame
Which human power cannot remove.
We only live, only suspire
Consumed by either fire or fire.”
― T.S. Eliot, Four Quartets
I found this Poem in my spiritual director Fr. Tony’s book “Pray or Die” and I was captivated by it. Looking at fire from an earthly standpoint it is almost paradoxical as it can often be used to destroy but is also almost essential to life. Fire is used to keep warm in the winter, to cook food, to light the darkness, etc. It can also burn down forests, homes and whatever comes in its way when uncontrolled. This paradox is similar on a spiritual level as hell is often depicted with scorching fires, but so too is the third person of the trinity, the Holy Spirit.
While sitting at a campfire in the beautiful Mountain Pine Ridge waiting for my coffee to percolate, thinking of the imagery of the Holy Spirit, I thought of how wind and fire complement each other. If you’ve ever started a fire you know when there’s small burning embers all you need is some sort of wind to kindle a fire. Going into my first year in Belize I had some burning embers of faith through my parents faithful upbringing, a great Catholic education from my high school, and solid friends who kept me accountable in my faith. But after the whirlwind of the past two years a fire was kindled which truly forged me and the men of the Pio House.
This image of a forge is the most accurate one I can think of for this past year. To forge an object the blacksmith must heat the metal to extreme temperatures and repeatedly beat the object with a hammer. There were many moments in setting up and running the house that I felt like I was taking a beating but, just like a sword in the hands of a blacksmith, I surrendered myself to the hands of God and reminded myself that each blow we take is only to make us better versions of ourselves.
Iron needs to be heated to 2,500℉ to be forged. That’s hot. All of us experience this sort of heat throughout our lives in various ways as we strive to become the sharpest version of ourselves. An additional way iron is sharpened, and us, is by more iron, or other people; “As iron sharpens iron, So one person sharpens another.'' -Proverbs 27:17. Through all the fires and forging we truly grew as brothers in Christ through the brotherhood and community of the Pio House. Through weekly family dinners, hosting guests such as the SOLT sisters and priests, serving the local Benque community together, early morning runs and John Eldredge’s video series, porch rosaries, overnight adorations at the house, and especially the simpler things in living together in community, we truly sharpened each other to be better instruments of the Holy Spirit.
I’m extremely blessed for the opportunity I’ve had to be a part of the Pio House and am even more excited for its future and to see where the winds guide it and how the fires forge it. My time staying in the house has come to an end as I’m moving back to the States to start pursuing a career and a relationship with Naomi, who was a great missionary teacher and amazing friend the past two years in Benque. As hard as it is to leave, I know it’s best for my future and ultimately the future of the house as it’s not my project but the Holy Spirit’s. We’re blessed to have a very virtuous and faithful young man, and great friend of mine, stepping into the role of overseeing the Pio House, Salvador Iglesias Jr.
Sal has been a missionary with SOLT the past two years but is now ready to start working towards a career and continue a life of mission and service by running the Pio House. Sal was right by my side when I was dreaming of the Pio House and he spent a lot of time in the house this past year with guys, so he already knows the mission, and he’s all in! He was born and raised in Benque as well which is a huge plus because, although I love it and learned a lot, he’s grown up in this community and culture (his Spanish is also a little better than mine). I’m extremely excited for Sal and what he’s going to do with the house! I’m excited for y’all to get to know him more as he’ll be taking over the blog to keep y’all posted on the growth of the house.
I’m extremely grateful for the past two years in Benque and will miss the community dearly. I’m blessed for the growth and opportunities I’ve had through this experience and I can’t thank y’all enough for following this journey and supporting the Pio House through donations and prayers. I explained how the winds of the Holy Spirit carried me to Benque in my first blog, well they are now carrying me away, and only God knows the fire these winds will ignite. Whatever it may be, I pray the fire of the Pio House burns on.
Morning coffee in the mountains
Marvin with our sheep and St. Padre Pio with his
Marvin with our sheep again!
Our sheep served a few good months for us as a lawn mower but our grass was dead and she was tasty
Energy here is unmatchable
Johnny!
The princesses of the Pio House
Good bonding time with the Godkids
Cards and coffee at the house with Sal and Tessa
I'd take Nigel's chicken over KFC any day
Cowboy hats for sale in Guatemala
"Knights of Immaculata" being knighted by Fr. Mike at a retreat in Mountain Pine Ridge
Got caught squeezing in one of my 5 minute power naps
Found this glass at a thrift store in Guatemala! Nice to have a little piece of KC at the house
Overnight adoration at the Pio House. A true blessing to have His presence in our house
Goodbyes are always hard and I had a lot of them my last week in Benque. Here's my goodbye to Nina. Good dog
Aaron joined to bring me to the airport. Been on some crazy adventures with this man and I know we'll have more
Got to see this man become Fr. Joe at his ordination in Corpus Christi, TX
Naomi!
It's not about the house but the guys who live here. Blessed to have lived here with the young men who occupied it and excited for its future. God bless Marvin, Andre, Nigel, Zaiden, Joey, Riccardo, Salvador and any future members.
God bless the Pio House,
God bless Benque
"Pray, Hope, and Don't Worry"
-St. Padre Pio, pray for us!
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