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He Listened to Us is a memoir by Maya community leader Juan Ajtzip in Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala, focusing on his relationship with Blessed Stanley Rother, who was martyred there in 1981. Rother, a missionary priest from Oklahoma, has been declared a martyr for the faith and was beatified by Pope Francis in 2017. He lived among the Tz'utujil Maya people of Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala, from 1968 until his assassination on July 28, 1981. Guided by his deep sense of pastoral vocation, Rother defended the dignity of the Tz'utujil after centuries of racism and repression, inspiring Maya community leaders to launch their own social initiatives. In this memoir, Juan Ajtzip, who worked closely with Rother, offers the first account of his impact in a Mayan voice. The result is a memory of Rother, embedded in a memoir of Juan's own life, embedded within the "Atiteca" community.
Juan Ajtzip
Juan Ajtzip is a preschool teacher and community organizer. He was the first Mayan director of La Voz de Atitlán, a radio station founded by a missionary team from Oklahoma. He held this position for twenty-four years. In this capacity he collaborated directly with Blessed Father Stanley Rother. He also served as secretary of the church reconstruction committee. He was active as a catechist and president of Catholic Action, serving in leadership roles in both groups during the 1980s and 1990s.
Gerald W. Schlabach
Translated by
Gerald W. Schlabach (PhD, University of Notre Dame) is professor of theology and director of the Justice and Peace Studies program at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is the founder and director of Bridgefolk, a movement of Mennonites and Roman Catholics who come together to celebrate each other's traditions, explore each other's practices, and honor each other's contribution to the mission of Christ's church. He is also the author or editor of several books.
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