A Vocation of Mercy

Deacon José Torres, who serves at St. Joseph Parish in west-central Spokane, has come a long way from his childhood home. Born in El Salvador, Deacon Torres left home in his early 20s during the civil war in El Salvador. Looking to move away from the violence of his country, he traveled through Guatemala and Mexico working various jobs along the way to the United States. This ranged from working in construction in Chiapas state to a mechanic shop in Mexico City.

José came to the United States in 1989. He worked for several years in Los Angeles in construction. While José was living in Los Angeles, he met his wife Margarita.

In 1994, José came to Spokane at the encouragement of a relative who was already in Spokane and began working with a janitorial company. Upon his arrival in Spokane, José got his first surprise. While he was waiting to be picked up at the Greyhound station, someone
called immigration! After briefly speaking with the immigration officer, he was on his way.

During those first years in Spokane, José and his family became very involved with their Parish of St. Joseph’s and the Hispanic community there. He volunteered, assisted where his pastor needed him. In 2001, he lost his job and began to look for work again. Margarita was working at St. Joseph’s Family Center at that time and a co-worker suggested that he apply with Catholic Charities. This rather providential suggestion landed José at the House of Charity men’s shelter working with the homeless as both the janitor and directly interacting
with the homeless population.

Due to José’s work at the House of Charity and volunteering in his parish, his pastor and friend Deacon Chalo Martinez encouraged him to apply to the diaconate program. Both José and Margarita thought about it and talked with their older sons. Margarita said, “We are a close-knit family and we had to make sure they could help us with the other kids. At first, they were scared the classes would be every weekend. But they agreed to help.” Off to class they went, with their older sons helping watch the others at home. When the Torres family  began the diaconate program, they had six children, whose support they counted on. It seems clear that, for José and Margarita, the diaconate is a vocation that requires the commitment of the whole family, even as it grows. Deacon José and Margarita welcomed two more children during formation and after his ordination.

Deacon José says of the call to the diaconate, “When you are invited, you think, ‘How does this person who is inviting me think I am qualified for the diaconate?’ It is something serious and it is very hard because you have to think the call is not something for joking, for taking lightly.

“Is God calling me, why not? I can’t say no,” said Deacon José.

Between his work at the House of Charity as a janitor, overseer of “José’s crew,” a mix of  shelter resident volunteers and court-ordered “volunteers,” and his ministry as a deacon, the Year of Mercy has been relevant to many parts of his life. “The Year of Mercy calls everyone to have mercy for the vulnerable or seniors, or those who need help. People ask for justice and want to fight for justice. Sometimes, people say they will not forgive because
they have insulted me, have damaged me. But this is not mercy. But Jesus asks us to love others how we love ourselves and how God loves us. So where is the mercy? We know that God has mercy, but He tells us to love others how I loved you. So if I understand how God has loved me with perfect love, how do I love another perfectly too? We have limits. But we are human beings, we need love. Everyone needs love, but not the love of the world — the love of God.”

Deacon José busies himself with a job that involves serving others, assisting with ministry at his parish and being a father to his eight children. At the House of Charity, the clients are asked to follow basic rules of the house, and policies are set for the employees to draw
boundaries between what staff can and cannot do for reasons of safety and mission. But
the staff and volunteers always try to help. “At the shelter sometimes, you want to do something more, but sometimes you need to respect another line,” said Deacon José. For him, the balance also involves his ministry as a deacon, “You are working there, but your ministry is there too so you need to be more flexible about compassion.”

Part of his daily efforts at the House of Charity is organizing “José’s crew.” Deacon José says that he tries never to kick people off his crew or ask them to leave the shelter. “If someone is causing trouble in my area, I say, ‘Sorry amigo, every time you want to come volunteer you need to come in a good mood.’” Deacon José’s positive demeanor and intentionality with
his volunteers seem to brighten the day of those who work with him.

Deacon José doesn’t often talk  with the residents of the shelter about his ministry and most know him simply as José. He focuses on helping the clients of the shelter through a compassionate ministry. Often, being present to the clients, whose homelessness renders them invisible to so many others, makes all the difference.