My Brother's Keeper

You have seen them before . . . young men in white habits moving and living and working and praying among the poorest of the poor. You have seen their founder, Fr. Richard Ho Lung, and others on EWTN, the international Catholic television network. And you have recognized that they are doing the Lord's work; their dedication to Gospel poverty and God's poor is the type of radical response to Christ's call that touches the heart, and perhaps the conscience, of so many of us. In these pages, get to know these young men of God. Learn what inspires them. Empathize with their struggles. Be moved by their compassion and their deep abiding faith in God. And be inspired by their example as was the author, Carmen Vigo.

A frequent visitor to and volunteer with the Missionaries of the Poor in Jamaica, Vigo has here collected interviews with some of the Brothers which allow you, the reader, a glimpse into their world: a world in which great suffering and loss are redeemed by even greater love and gain, gain for Christ. The spiritual call to which Fr. Ho Lung responded years ago, the call which inspired him to leave academia for work with the poor, continues to go forth, attracting those who hear it and have the faith to “be not afraid,” to say “Yes!” to God, and to boldly contradict the brother of the prodigal son by humbly proclaiming to a wounded world: “I am my brother's keeper.”

Carmen Vigo was born and raised in Spain. She now lives in California. She has an undergraduate degree in nuclear physics from the University of Madrid, Spain, and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of London, Royal College of Surgeons of England. She is the mother of three children and the author of numerous scientific papers and patents. She has made several trips to Jamaica since 2014 to attend a retreat with Father Richard Ho Lung and volunteer with the Missionaries of the Poor.

Monica Yoshida worked closely with her mother, Carmen Vigo, editing this book. She graduated from the University of San Diego with a B.A. in English and Psychology. Upon graduation, she pursued a professional classical ballet career, dancing in Spain and the United States. She also followed her interest in healthcare, working as a CNA/Counselor at Lucille Packard Children's Hospital and as a Nurse Tech at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital. She now resides in San Diego with her husband and newborn daughter.