The Viatorians arrived in Jutiapa, Honduras, on January 10, 1998. At that time, Bishop Angel Garachana of the Diocese of San Pedro Sula opened the doors wide for us, and we took charge of the Nuestra Señora del Tránsito Parish. This mission encompasses the entire Municipality of Jutiapa, with its more than 80 villages, hamlets, and communities on the northern Caribbean coast of Honduras—the place where God's Providence led us.
The founding team, sent by the Province of Spain to pave the way for this beautiful Viatorian mission in Central America, consisted of Fr. José Ramón Zudaire († November 22, 2007), Br. Arturo Lobo, and the young religious Víctor Cámara.
Various events and commitments have shaped our community's journey in Jutiapa, transforming it into a significant and prophetic presence—a seed of the Kingdom of God with a strong Viatorian identity:
The impact of Hurricane Mitch in October 1998.
The creation of SERSO Honduras on November 28, 1998, just one month later, to work on social projects.
The volunteer program launched in 2001 for those seeking a mission and solidarity experience alongside the community.
The steadfast concern for the education of children and youth in our environment from the very beginning.
The formation and accompaniment of committed laity in our local communities: Delegates of the Word, catechists, and youth.
The invitation to those closest and most committed to the parish to know and become part of the Viatorian Community.
The openness to new commitments based on the needs and realities of the country.
Walking closely with the local Church in an intense path of communion, participation, and mission.
The process of creating an original educational work since 2014.
The effort to launch a communication project through Radio Viator at various times.
The difficult and complex realities faced by our beloved Honduran people through grave social, political, and environmental crises.
Today, we are a Viatorian Community that has been walking together since October 25, 2008, composed of 26 associate Viatorians and 5 religious Viatorians. We are Viatorians—men and women, single, married, and celibate—walking toward God through our commitments in relation to the Viatorian charism (Viatorian Community Charter).
We are a community with a Honduran face, committed and rooted in the closest reality of our municipality of Jutiapa and its villages. We face a high poverty rate that has worsened in recent years, triggering a strong migratory flow toward the United States and other countries, where the famous migrant caravans toward the North originated.
As a Viatorian community, we strive to be faithful to the elements that identify our charism: Viatorian spiritual life, mission, community life, and formation. We feel like "co-heirs and co-responsible for the development of the Viatorian charism" (Viatorian Community Charter) through our personal and communal experiences.
We develop our missionary work and services in various areas:
Evangelization: Through the Nuestra Señora del Tránsito parish platform, serving the entire municipality of Jutiapa in coordination with the National Pastoral of Honduras and the Diocese of La Ceiba. We highlight the great commitment of the laity: Delegates of the Word, catechists, basic ecclesial community animators, youth, liturgy, family pastoral, and social pastoral.
Social Pastoral: We emphasize this work to respond to the social realities surrounding us, recognizing the great support received through SERSO in areas such as: health, education, gender equality, housing, care and defense of the "Common Home," water and sanitation. We also promote the organization of citizens into networks, active democracy, accompaniment of youth and women's networks to influence local authorities, defense of human rights and life, legal and psychological care in cases of violence, awareness, and communication.
Education: Several members work in formal and non-formal education in the villages of Jutiapa and Balfate, managing the San Viator Educational Center project and the Maestro en Casa (Teacher at Home) program.
Ecclesiology and Synodality: We embrace the guidance of the Latin American and Caribbean Church and the impulse of Pope Francis, and now Pope Leo XIV, toward a new way of being Church as the People of God living in synodality. A Church that listens to the cries of the most impoverished, involves all baptized in the mission, accompanies social struggles for justice, and denounces the abuses of power that affect the most vulnerable.
We are called to radiate the Viatorian charism more intensely, making known the Venerable Fr. Louis Querbes, his work, and the Viatorian community in Honduras.
As Fr. Querbes well knew, "God will provide." And in Honduras, we say: "God will provide... and He provides..."
Adored and Loved be Jesus.
Viatorian Community of Honduras.
