José S. Landaverde facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
José Sigfredo Landaverde
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Landaverde (left) in 2007
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| Died | 12/11/2022 |
| Occupation | Community organizer, activist and priest; former pastor |
José Sigfredo Landaverde was a dedicated community organizer, an activist who worked for change, and a priest at Our Lady of Guadalupe Anglican Church. This church is in the Little Village neighborhood of South Side Chicago, which has many Mexican families. He also used to be a leader at an organization called the Latino Union.
Contents
Early Life and Activism
José Landaverde was born into a family that didn't have much money in a place called La Reina, Chalatenango, El Salvador. When he was young, he had to join a group called the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front. At 17, he was arrested by the military and treated harshly because he was helping to organize poor people. He then left El Salvador, traveling through Guatemala and Mexico, before finally reaching the United States. Here, he was given special permission to stay as a political refugee.
When he saw what he felt were unfair situations for Latinos in the United States, especially for immigrants without papers, day laborers, and those working for temporary agencies, he decided to act. He started working with local groups to help these communities. His strong leadership led him to help start the Latino Union in May 2000 in Chicago, Illinois.
Education and Faith Journey
José Landaverde was inspired by his mother, who was a catechist (someone who teaches about faith). He was also deeply moved by the story of Archbishop Óscar Arnulfo Romero, a religious leader who was killed for his beliefs. Because of this, Landaverde studied at Catholic Theological Union. Later, he continued his studies at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, where he earned a master's in Divinity. This degree is for people who want to become religious leaders.
Serving as a Pastor
While he was finishing his master's degree, the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church asked him to become a pastor. In July 2003, he started leading the Amor De Dios United Methodist Church. One of Landaverde's main goals was to bring different Christian groups closer together. He wanted to bridge the gap between the Roman Catholicism common in Little Village and Protestantism. He was inspired by John Wesley, who founded the Methodist Church.
One of his ideas that caused a lot of discussion was bringing an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe into the church. This image is a very important symbol of faith and national pride in Mexico. Some people in the Methodist Church supported this, but others strongly disagreed. This even made headlines in newspapers and magazines like Time. Landaverde believed Mary was the first follower of Jesus. He also remembered John Wesley's view of her as a "pure and unspotted virgin." So, he didn't listen to the concerns of some Methodists. Eventually, the church leader, Superintendent Donald F. Guest, approved the practice, but some people still didn't like it.
During his time as pastor, Amor De Dios United Methodist Church often struggled with money. Sometimes, Landaverde was even encouraged to give his own paycheck to the church. He felt unhappy with the larger church organization, believing they didn't support poorer churches enough. His frustration grew when some Methodists criticized his ideas, saying they were too "radical" or too much like Roman Catholic beliefs. The lack of support and money from the church made it hard for him to do many of his local community projects. In 2006, he decided to leave his position at the Methodist Church. He left a trusted church member, Ramiro Rodríguez, in charge.
Becoming an Anglican Priest
In the same year, Landaverde joined the Diocese of Quincy of the Anglican Church of North America. However, his license to be a priest was later taken away because of disagreements about church rules and beliefs. In the summer of 2007, he found a bar that had closed down in Little Village. He worked to change it into a Spanish-speaking Anglican Catholic mission in Illinois.
Community Work and Advocacy
Landaverde was well-known for his work in organizing communities, especially for the rights of immigrants and workers. He was one of the first to make the "new sanctuary movement" popular in Illinois. This movement helps immigrants who are at risk of being deported. He provided shelter for immigrants, including Elvira Arellano in 2004. She later found refuge in Adalberto United Methodist Church in August 2006. He also worked with day laborers from Home Depot. In 2005, he sent trucks full of supplies to New Orleans after a big storm. In Christmas of 2007, he donated toys and supplies to Tabasco, México.
