In a world of plenty, the needy cannot be forgotten

A missionary spirit opens hearts to helping those less fortunate in the world.

For Matt Rousso, former director of the Maryknoll Affiliate Gulf South chapter, that spirit extends decades, beginning when he was a priest, and continues today through his non-profit La Cadena de los Amigos (The Chain of Friends) that mainly helps a small village in eastern Guatemala.

On Oct. 21, Rousso and a host of diverse volunteers from his parish – St. Gabriel the Archangel – St. Augustine High School, seminarians from St. Joseph Seminary and friends and supporters of La Cadena hosted a food-packing event with Cross Catholic Outreach. 

Over a four-hour period, the volunteers packed 40,000 nutritious food bags filled with beans, rice, soy and other nutritious items.

“People can’t eat, and that makes me feel sad,” said St. Augustine freshman Toma Danagogo, as he added commodities to a food bag. “I feel like all people should have basic things in life like food.”

Jumped at the chance
When Lafayette seminarian Isaac Heyer, 19, heard seminarians were invited to help with a Cross Catholic event, he was quick to be one of 28 seminarians to volunteer. He was familiar with Cross Catholic’s worldwide hunger initiative from visiting priests who had spoken at his home parish in years past. 

“I think it’s cool to be selfless and be able to help out the community in parts of the world that are struggling to eat at least one meal (a day),” Heyer said, adding that helping in the community is part of the seminary’s human and pastoral formation. “We have so much abundance here, and they just don’t. They are trying to survive through the day.”

Rousso said La Cadena raised $13,500 to host the event at St. Gabriel Parish. He found open arms when he approached his St. Gabriel pastor, Father Tony Ricard, to collaborate on the event.

“Immediately, I thought it would be a great idea not only for high school students but also for parishioners to truly give back to others and realize how just a small bit of love could go such a long way,” Father Ricard said. “It’s a blessing to see the mix of people working together, to realize that we are all in this together.”

Guatemalan outreach
Over the years, La Cadena has distributed breakfast meals and potable water filters and built two community gardens in Esquipulas, Guatemala. Several of the adult volunteers on Oct. 21 had been on a recent La Cadena mission immersion trip to Guatemala and had seen the impact individuals can make. Rousso said he regularly works with St. Joseph Seminary to bring students to Guatemala. 

“Matt was inspirational in my life,” said Rick Treuting, who first encountered Rousso as a priest who showed great concern for everybody. 

Treuting said he witnessed faith coming alive as Rousso reached across denominational lines to get things done. “He always dignified every person I saw him talk to,” Treuting said. “He never put anybody down, and he showed the power of the laity.”

Treuting said he understands how personal Catholic devotions are important, but one-on-one interactions with others reap rewards in a different way.

“We’re going back (to Guatemala) for a week in November and will teach the people how to use water filters,” said Treuting, who will be bringing reusable filter kits to villagers, many of whom are experiencing malnutrition. “People are spending money to buy drinkable water.”

Bringing people together

Maryknoll affiliate Kim Nunez also knew of Rousso’s mission work, but it took a mission trip to understand La Cadena’s impact. Before COVID, she had gone to Guatemala four or five times.

“After I came back, I became a financial supporter and prayerful supporter,” the Gethsemane Lutheran Church member said. “It put real faces to the need, and the world forever shifted after that.”

Karen Henry is an active “L” crew member at St. Gabriel and often volunteers in whatever the parish needs done. She said this effort of providing a nutritious meal to lessen a family’s burdens in an impoverished area hit home.

“This one meal helps parents focus on something else,” Henry said. “Anything that can help someone take one of the necessary things off their plate to focus on something else is good.”

Matthew 25 – in which Jesus directs his followers to feed the hungry and provide drink to the thirsty – also hit home with volunteer and La Cadena board member Mary Ann Becnel, who drove from Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, to help out.

“When I hear about individuals in need, I try to help them out,” Becnel said.

She regularly works at a food pantry in Hancock County. “It’s part of my life,” she said.

Rousso can be reached at [email protected] to learn more about La Cadena de los Amigos.

[email protected]