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Father Joseph Walijewski
By Humberto Urrunaga M.

Father Joe, founder and Director (retired), from Casa Hogar Juan Pablo II of Lurin, left us on April 11 to go to the House of The Lord. Nothing seemed to warn us on March 15 when, on his 82nd birthday, he showed a lot of energy laughing and even dancing to the tune of his favorite rancheros. Neither was he telling us that something was wrong with him on Palm Sunday, April 9th, when he officiated over the services at Casa Hogar. A malicious undetected walking pneumonia was too much for him to fight off.

But let me first regress a little bit. He came to Peru from the Archdioceses of Lacrosse Wisconsin well over 30 years ago. First, he went to Santa Cruz, Bolivia where he founded the first parish in that locale: la Parroquia de la Santa Cruz. In fact, they celebrated 50 years last February and Father Joe and other church dignitaries were invited to attend. After Bolivia, he came to Peru where, at the invitation Monsignor Bambarén, he started to build the first parish of Villa El Salvador, Cristo El Salvador, and then the Chapel of Saint Joseph, also in Villa El Salvador. 21 years ago, after seeing how many poor abandoned children were on the streets, he decided to open a shelter for them. When Pope John Paul II came to Peru, he visited Villa El Salvador and met Father Joe who, not to let this opportunity go by, told him about his project to open a new and larger shelter for abandoned children. The Pope was very sympathetic to his cause and donated enough money for him to start his ambitious project, and Casa Hogar Juan Pablo II in Lurin was born. Years later, he bought some land in Oxapampa where the adolescent boys went to finish their schooling and learn some agricultural trades. His last project was to open a home for the elderly, Asilo San José in Chontabamba, using facilities that were no longer needed by Casa Hogar.

This affable, good-looking and good-natured man who always had a smile in his face was the priest, adopted father, brother, friend, confident, and the hope for many young and old people who came across his path. All of us are feeling his loss very deeply. However, it was fitting that the Lord called him during Holy Week so he could be with Him at Easter time, in full glory.

Father Joe many times would tell me: “I am just a pencil in the hands of the Lord; whenever He needs me in some other place, either here or next to Him, I'll always have my bags ready.”

Father Sebastián, the director of Casa Hogar Juan Pablo II, has been trying to fit into the big shoes that his predecessor left him six years ago, and has done so well, bringing innovations in the program using the methodology from Boys' Town in Omaha, Nebraska - a tremendously successful and proven program.

All “his” children - as Father Joe called them - are mourning his loss as well as all of us who had the great privilege to know him and work with him. He has our full commitment to keep on working right along Father Sebastián for those children he loved so much. His memory will be with us forever.

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