You will have an opportunity to hear an impassioned and intimate talk by Gustavo Nystrom on Wednesday, February 3 at 7:00 P.M. in the chapel at St. Elizabeth Seton Church.
Gus will describe the main events of his recent trip to El Salvador where 100 sisters, Gus and four other men observed the 35th anniversary of the killing of three American sisters and a lay mission woman by militia men sponsored by the U.S. government. The group also visited key Salvadoran spots associated with the murder of Monsenor (Archbishop) Romero, six professors at the Jesuit University (called UCA), two cleaning women at UCA and, during the course of the war, tens of thousands of farmers.
After his companions headed back to the U.S. Gus spent two more weeks visiting Nicaragua and Panama, meeting memorable young people and visiting friends, as he will describe in colorful detail.
Gus was born in Cuba where he lived to age 12. A year after the start of the Castro Revolution his parents brought Gus to the U.S.
After finishing graduate school Gus became very involved with the Catholic peace organization Pax Christi and joined a group that, in the 1980s during the Contra War, traveled throughout Nicaragua talking to governmental, political and church leaders from both the left and the right. Gus got to know people who had suffered the grim realities of that war, such as those who had been injured by landmines or had children who had been kidnapped and killed. Gus became close friends with Miguel D'Scotto, who was the Foreign Minister within the Sandinista government.
In the years since then Gus has continued to have contacts with the people of Central America. He now works in support of immigration reform for the Oakland Diocese.
Don't miss a very emotional and informative evening!
