Father John Francis Brandes visited San Lucas Tolimán for the first time at the end of 1986 while on sabbatical and studying Spanish in Antigua, Guatemala. After a second visit to the community in 1990, he became involved with fundraising for the mission. His interest in
San Lucas built, and in 1993 he received permission to move to the community.

     John Francis says he came to live in San Lucas for two main reasons: to slow down, and to be small.

     Life was going by too fast in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, where he was most recently pastor for seven years at Saint Williams in Fridley. He appreciated, and still appreciates today, that the pace of life here is slower, that people have time and make time for each other, and that it is important for them to stop and talk on the streets, seemingly regardless of schedules and appointments.

     In addition to slowing down, he came to be small. ("Not that I was ever big in the first place....") To scarcely know the language of the people, to never really know or be inside of the culture, to have no authority, to be non-essential to the community, "to be tall, skinny, old, and bald (a rare combination for the Maya);" this, for John Francis, is to be small.

     Among his first impressions of the people here was that, although each community in the area is very different in terms of Spanish knowledge, place of origin, dress, and particular traditions, there is a commonality to them in terms of their spirituality. They are a very spiritual people, adapting Catholic worship with ancient Mayan customs, including the use of candles, gestures, incense, and firecrackers. These last two fill the air with smoke and deafening explosions during Masses and other celebrations.

     An especially telling sign of the deep connection between indigenous customs and Catholic Christian faith is that the Mayan priests are also faithful Catholics.

     John Francis speaks of three elements to a successful mission: sacramental and spiritual care (catechesis, Mass, sacraments); socioeconomic development; and helping people change oppressive systems. He has been impressed by the parish’s high ranking in the second of these, the socioeconomic development of the people of the communities that make up the parish of San Lucas. He considers this mission unique in Guatemala in this aspect of its service.

     The community has not changed much since he settled here, but his own knowledge of how life is lived here has deepened (though he stresses that there is still much he does not know). Throughout these last five years, he has developed a deep appreciation for the people, their culture, their spirituality, and their customs. They are spiritually beautiful, but they are also as human and as sinful as anyone else.

     After celebrating Mass with a community, his heart is filled with gratitude and love for God, thankful for the people and for the opportunity to be with them.

     He is impressed with the amount of laughter in the streets and in the market. The people seem to be happy in spite of their limited resources and their need to work hard. They are a frustrated people, ready to explode if provoked (especially if provoked as a community), yet they live a paradoxical joy and peace.

     John Francis is officially retired, but that has not kept him from being very active in the life of the parish and its surrounding areas. He is on the parish staff, and much of his service is liturgical, leading worship in the many communities requesting his presence. He spends his "free" time praying, preparing homilies, writing to benefactors of the parish, building relationships with people in town, bringing food to families in need, working with bringing variety to the liturgies, looking at how to utilize information from a religious census he took of the town in order to improve the parish’s service to the people, and being of service in any way he can. In addition to serving Guatemalans, he also serves the volunteer community through a weekly faith-sharing gathering and through religious instruction on Catholic faith to those who are interested.

     Whenever thanked for his service, he always responds, "Para servirle," which means, "To serve you."

     He is active, yet he continually asserts that he is here for himself, to slow down and to be small. He enjoys the breathtaking scenery, the near-ideal climate, and the work that he does. He has received a lot of consolation out of faith-sharing with the volunteers, which he started for his own sake to develop a sense of community. The volunteers benefit greatly from these weekly gatherings, though he thinks they are a part of his own selfishness.

     A bonus to living and serving in San Lucas is that, "Back home I’m a hero." Friends in Minnesota often envision his house as a grass hut and his food as tortillas and beans. He lives in a nice house, and he eats very well at the parish dining room.

     Looking at the future of the parish, John Francis’ hope is that the people continue to live their faith and spirituality. He hopes for a dramatic increase in attendance and active participation in Sunday Mass. He hopes for the development of small Christian communities for those who are not already actively attached to the church or to one of its current subgroups. He also hopes for a detoxification center in conjunction with the new clinic, where members of Alcoholics Anonymous can spend time with patients in need of their service.

     He hopes that the poor and happy do not become rich and unhappy. It would be sad if the people lost their characteristic simple joy should they have all their economic dreams realized. "This is a hard thing to say; these people need and deserve a whole lot more then they’ve got." It is hard to say, but the influence of Mexican television programs and commercials can easily bring them a brand of materialism that is counterproductive to their spirituality

     His only personal hope for himself is for his Spanish to keep improving.

     John Francis wants people "back home" to know that the people here have a great, personal love relationship with God, Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and the saints. He wants them to know that their faith is deeply important to them and that they work at spirituality more than they work at theology. He wants them to know that they do this without sacrificing their love and service to neighbor.

     He is here in San Lucas Tolimán to be small and to slow down. It is a nice idea, but it is a bit difficult for him to be successful at it. His service with the people brings him much respect; he is not the least bit small in the eyes of the people who encounter his gentle willingness to do whatever he can para servirle. This largeness of heart keeps his presence in high demand, so Father John Francis Brandes may not be slowing down any time soon.