FRIAR SERVES AS PASTOR
and Fire Chaplain in Peru
By Frank Maurovich
Photos by Bro. Octavio Duran, OFM
Father Christopher Dunn, OFM, is pastor of a Franciscan parish on the outskirts of Lima and also a volunteer bombero, or fireman, in Firehouse 120 in the San Juan de Miraflores district of Lima, Peru’s capital city.
Serving as chaplain for the 60 members, all-volunteer unit, Fr. Chris is on duty at the firehouse every week for six hours, usually Thursdays and Sundays. He is always on call for special emergencies, like the explosion and fire in a propane gas distribution depot that trapped one employee who had to be rescued, wounded others and threatened the entire neighborhood until the bomberos from 120 doused the flames.
When the alarm goes off, the chaplain rides the medical van to make use of the medical expertise he gained as a former med student and volunteer with a medical emergency unit in upstate N.Y. For the past 15 years, Fr. Chris’ main ministry has been serving parishioners of Our Lady of Lourdes parish in the Mateo Pumacahua de Villa neighborhood. He is one of six Franciscan friars from Holy Name Province serving in Peru. Like Father Chris, Fathers Paul Breslin, OFM, Anthony Wilson, OFM, Carlos Sarmiento, OFM, and Brother Percy Osorio, OFM, the Peruvian formation student, serve in Lima’s pueblos jovenes (young towns), Father Mariano Gagnón, OFM, has served in the jungle with the indigenous Ashaninka people for over 40 years.
“When I came here after I was ordained (in 1982),” Fr. Chris says, “Mateo was a forgotten section of Lima–home to a growing number of squatters living in huts made of estera (woven straw mats) or cardboard with no water, no electricity, no sewage. The priest serving them was living in the corner of a garage. He seemed to model a Franciscan style of life, so I stayed.”
In the subsequent 25 years, the missionary from Utica, N.Y., has seen the place grow to more than 50,000 residents, ha
lf of whom are under 25 years old.
Fr. Chris was profoundly moved by a desire to do more after being present in NYC the day of 9/11 and after the August 2007 massive earthquake in Pisco (3 hours south of Lima). So when invited to pray with two volunteer firemen from his parish who were undergoing training, Chris decided to join them for the two-month training program plus another week of fire chaplain training in the States.
“Serving as chaplain,” Fr. Chris says, “helps the local community and puts me in solidarity with firefighters everywhere, who risk their lives to save the lives and property of others.”
Fr. Chris has joined an elite group of friars who have serve as fire chaplains and firemen, including Fathers Julian Deeken, OFM, Mychal Judge, OFM, John Piccione, OFM, Gregory Brennan, OFM, Christopher Keenan, OFM, John O’Connor, OFM, and Brothers, Christopher Coccia, OFM, and David Schlatter, OFM.
When the alarm goes off, the chaplain rides the medical van to make use of the medical expertise he gained as a former med student and volunteer with a medical emergency unit in upstate N.Y. For the past 15 years, Fr. Chris’ main ministry has been serving parishioners of Our Lady of Lourdes parish in the Mateo Pumacahua de Villa neighborhood. He is one of six Franciscan friars from Holy Name Province serving in Peru. Like Father Chris, Fathers Paul Breslin, OFM, Anthony Wilson, OFM, Carlos Sarmiento, OFM, and Brother Percy Osorio, OFM, the Peruvian formation student, serve in Lima’s pueblos jovenes (young towns), Father Mariano Gagnón, OFM, has served in the jungle with the indigenous Ashaninka people for over 40 years.
“When I came here after I was ordained (in 1982),” Fr. Chris says, “Mateo was a forgotten section of Lima–home to a growing number of squatters living in huts made of estera (woven straw mats) or cardboard with no water, no electricity, no sewage. The priest serving them was living in the corner of a garage. He seemed to model a Franciscan style of life, so I stayed.”
In the subsequent 25 years, the missionary from Utica, N.Y., has seen the place grow to more than 50,000 residents, ha
lf of whom are under 25 years old. Fr. Chris was profoundly moved by a desire to do more after being present in NYC the day of 9/11 and after the August 2007 massive earthquake in Pisco (3 hours south of Lima). So when invited to pray with two volunteer firemen from his parish who were undergoing training, Chris decided to join them for the two-month training program plus another week of fire chaplain training in the States.
“Serving as chaplain,” Fr. Chris says, “helps the local community and puts me in solidarity with firefighters everywhere, who risk their lives to save the lives and property of others.”
Fr. Chris has joined an elite group of friars who have serve as fire chaplains and firemen, including Fathers Julian Deeken, OFM, Mychal Judge, OFM, John Piccione, OFM, Gregory Brennan, OFM, Christopher Keenan, OFM, John O’Connor, OFM, and Brothers, Christopher Coccia, OFM, and David Schlatter, OFM.