CLINICA SAN EUGENIO DEDICATED IN TIJUANA

August 30, 2003, was a "dream-come-true" day for Fr. Bob Callahan, OMI.  On that day, the Clinica San Eugenio was dedicated at the La Morita "colonia" on the outskirts of Tijuana, BC, Mexico.  Fr. Bob was the founder of the San Eugenio Parish next to the clinic.  Now retired in nearby San Diego, he crossed the border to preside at the festive Mass and dedication, followed by a meal.

The three-story building houses a women's cooperative, a computer lab and classrooms for English studies; a clinic, and a convent for the Franciscan sisters who are in charge of the clinic.  There are also suites for visiting dentists and physicians.

The clinic is just one part of the Catholic Church's presence in the densely populated area whose numbers swelled in the past 10 years with the establishment of "maquiladoras."

"Maquiladoras" are manufacturing enterprises that have moved into border towns in Mexico by large companies, not only in North America but also from other nations.  The factories are moved from developed nations into poorer ones where worker safety regulations are minimal, pressure from unions is scarce, and wages are often exploitatively low (sometimes less than a dollar per hour).. 

La Morita is still very much a "shanty town," with many of the residents living in makeshift homes constructed from garage doors and the walls of mobile homes.  Most of the streets are unpaved.  When torrential rains come, just getting across the street is a major issue.

Currently four Oblates live in the parish center begun by Fr. Bob: Fr. Pablo Wilhelm, OMI, is the pastor.  He is ably assisted by fellow Oblates, Fr. Dan Crahen, Fr. John Curran, and Brother Peter Vasquez.  There are also several communities of sisters who work closely with the Oblates in the various parish ministries that includes a number of "outpost" chapels.

Funding for the new clinic came from generous sources on both sides of the US-Mexican border.

CLICK ON THUMBNAILS FOR SOME VIEWS OF THE DEDICATION

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANDY WIER