Three Viatorians — one from Spain and two from Colombia — are the latest to stay in Arlington Heights in order to improve their proficiency in English. Br. John Avellaneda, CSV, of Tunja, Colombia; Br. Metxu Salazar, CSV, of Spain and Fr. Edgar Suarez, CSV, of Bogotá are commuting each day to nearby Dominican University for intensive English classes, as part of their immersion experience.
Fr. Suarez, second from right, currently serves on the Provincial Council.
Each one has their own reason to master the language. Br. John Avellaneda started his classes last fall. He is taking time away from his role as Coordinator of the Pastoral Program at Colegio San Viator in Tunja, Colombia, which is a bilingual school.
Fr. Edgar Suarez, a native of Bogotá, was named as the incoming pastor of St. Viator Catholic Community in Las Vegas. He has spent the bulk of his ministry in Bogotá, both in education and pastoral ministry. Most recently, he was the founding pastor of San Viator Parish in Bogotá, leading its congregation from worshipping in a temporary tent through the building of their new church.
“In the classes, it’s not just speaking the language,” Fr. Suarez says. “We’re also working on writing, listening, vocabulary and pronunciation.”
Br. John Avellaneda, second from left, professed his first vows in 2019 to Fr. Dan Hall, then Provincial.
The newest student to enroll in English classes is Br. Metxu Salazar. He arrived in late June and started classes this week. He is a native of the Basque Country in northern Spain and currently is a primary teacher at Colegio San José in the city of Basauri, which is located in the Basque Country.
Prior to returning to Spain, Br. Metxu was a teacher at Catholic University of Honduras and most recently he served as Headmaster at a school in Lima, Peru. While working in Honduras, Br. Metxu lived with Fr. Victor Camara, CSV, who was just elected Vicar General of the worldwide Viatorian Community.
“I want to improve my level of English in an environment of linguistic immersion,” Br. Metxu says, “that will help me make that small leap that is needed to be more fluent and that is not possible in my country of origin. I am a Basque philologist and therefore, language learning is an area that has attracted me since I was young.”
Br. Metxu Salazar
By living in Arlington Heights, these three Viatorians are immersed in English as they live with other Viatorians and get to know their confreres in the Province of Chicago.
“People are very kind,” Br. Metxu says. “When you have a problem, all you have to do is ask and they are happy to help. I am very happy here.”