SALESIAN RECEIVES NATIONAL RECOGNITION

by Julian Fox

San Pedro Carcha' (Guatemala) Nov 24:  Australian Salesian Fr. Tony
DeGroot, a member of the SDB missionary community in the Alta Verapaz
region of Guatemala, has received national recognition for his work with
rural education for the indigenous population of Guatemala.  His award,
a presidential education award and given for the first time in Guatemala
to a foreigner and a priest , recognizes the significant contribution
that Fr. Tony has made to education of the poor by the poor.  Father
Tony's work began a little over two decades ago when he was appointed to
the Parish of Raxruha, Alta Verapaz, as a newly ordained priest - he
celebrates his silver jubilee of ordination this year.  He quickly saw
the need for education in an area that was beset by civil war and
abandoned by the Government.  Young children were being dragooned into
either official military or guerilla groups.  At great personal risk
Father Tony stayed in the area and formed young catechists, one of whom
was murdered by guerillas (martyred, in fact) while attending to his
tasks.  In subsequent years of peace, this small work has developed into
the provision of teachers all trained in the Preventive System as well
as completing a three year teacher training course.  The modest
beginning now services six hundred villages with teachers, both
educators in the faith and general teachers for an area that is poorly
served still by Government.  The original work at Raxruha still boasts
three hundred students.  Meanwhile the focus of Father Tony's efforts
has moved to San Pedro Carcha', some hours away by four wheel drive.
There he has five hundred candidates in training as teachers.
Additionally, there is a significant group of indigenous young men who
have 'stayed with Fr. Tony', reminiscent of the beginnings of the
Salesian Society in the time of Don Bosco.  They are presently a
diocesan organization known as the Brothers of the Good Shepherd.
Several are studying philosophy and theology in preparation for
ordination.  Others now manage the Don Bosco Centre at Raxruha.  A
second Australian, Fr. Patrick Fox, has now joined the Alta Verapaz
mission as parish priest of Campur and general coordinator of youth
activities within the mission.