Just a few weeks ago, Maria Elena Arana, Campaign Coordinator at Cafod for 30 years, was lobbying the UN Climate talks in Glasgow alongside Claudelice Silva dos Santos, a land defender from Pará, in the Brazilian Amazon, who has braved death threats to challenge illegal logging. She had already announced her plans to retire. On 2 December, current and past staff, Justice and Peace workers and international Cafod partners gathered at a hybrid in-person and virtual leaving party at Cafod’s London offices to give her an affectionate and tearful send off. Cafod’s director, Christine Allen, saluted Maria Elena’s “amazing energy and drive over those 30 years”.

Born in Chihuahua, Mexico and brought up in New York, Maria Elena met her English husband Robert on a demonstration in front of the White House and moved to London. In 1991, she was interviewed by Julian Filochowski, then Cafod’s director, for the post of Campaign Coordinator. Before raising his glass at last week’s party, he said: “Maria Elena exudes hope, energy, and positivity. Pope Francis would recognise her as the missionary disciple he wants us all to be. Viva Maria Elena!”