Berto Gándara

Father Roberto Gándara–Berto, for short–has lived in nine countries; he speaks three languages (and working on the fourth,) has tested the waters of Catholicism and Episcopalianism, and has been a part of at least eight non-profit organizations. He is representative of many different communities, both physical and intangible. Puerto Rico-born Gándara began his life of service with a nine-year stint as a missionary along the Haitian-Dominican border. He was working in some of the country’s poorest communities, yet it was there he encountered some of the most generous souls he had encountered. Young boys would run up to Berto on the dusty street and ask him if they could shine his shoes. When he told them he himself had no money, the kids would scamper off and hurry back with fried dough for Gándara to eat. And, while Berto enjoyed his snack, the boys would polish his shoes nonetheless.

A particularly moving moment that Gándara shared with me happened on his second to last day, his “going away party.” A woman that he had spent a lot of time with following the death of her husband came up to him to shake his hand. When Berto looked down, he saw that she had slipped a five peso coin into his grasp. “This is to help with your travels to France,” she had told him. At first he was embarrassed, ashamed to accept money from someone he was supposed to help. But, it occurred to Gándara that while he was there to do good work for the “needy,” perhaps he was being helped, too. “Many times, with volunteering,” he told me, “you gain more than what you give.” Then he paused for a second and smiled. “I still keep that $5 peso on my altar to this day, to remember where I am, and the woman that helped me get here.”

Taking with him the memory of her and all those who had shown him kindness during his work, Gándara journeyed to Europe, where he would spend the next three years. He traversed Belgium, France, Austria, Italy, and Madrid to earn his bachelor’s degree in philosophy and master’s in theology before returning to Puerto Rico. From his time abroad, he learned to embrace feeling overwhelmed, bask in misplacement, and trust that it will all work out one day. For a minute, we derailed our conversation to agree that travel is one of the most important ways to shape a soul and develop inner strength. Berto told me about how much kinder the Parisian locals grew once he honed in his French accent and his struggles as a Spanish speaker who was “too cocky to learn proper Italian.” Through all the tears and all the missteps, he grew.

In 2005, Gándara moved to New York City to serve as a minister at the Church of the Intercession and study at the Manhattan School of Photography. When a non-profit organization reached out in hopes of using his parish for art classes, Gándara said yes, and inquired if he could do them one better. Using old cameras from his father-in-law’s used camera store, Berto began teaching photography to North Harlem middle schoolers. He taught them how to see the world through their own lens–both literal and metaphorical,–how to use a camera to understand the world around them, and the power of photojournalism. 

His mentoring career continued following his 2014 move to Orcas Island, Washington. Gándara and his husband were offered positions at the Emmanuel Episcopal Parish; Gándara as the rector, and his spouse as assistant priest. During his–fleetingly–spare time, Berto volunteered at the public elementary and middle school with an afterschool homework program and an English as a second language group. Gándara has spent much time volunteering to assist the heavily condensed Latino population on Orcas Island. Following the 2016 election, he started a church program that arranged legal support for those at risk of deportation. Hispanic parents were able to seek answers to questions about paperwork, separation from children, medical records, and other documentation. He continues to work with the public school, grades K-12, to translate for Spanish-speaking parents during teacher conferences and school board meetings and the Orcas Community Resource Center to coordinate customer care for hispanohablantes.

Gándara spent five years on the board of the Orcas Island Community Foundation (OICF,) which supports the 110+ non-profit organizations on the island. The group fundraised over $1 million during the pandemic for food, resources, musicians during vaccines, road fixtures, and rental assistance. Following his OICF term, Gándara joined his local food bank team during a period of transition. The food bank experimented with food deliveries, menu tickets, and outdoor markets for students. Gándara himself implemented translation programs and nutrition lessons for Latino families. When asked about the impact these changes have had, Berto replied, “The food bank feels less like charity and more like a grocery store [now.]” OICF’s executive director Hilary Canty commented, “Our volunteers [like Gándara] understand that volunteering is a giving of oneself; they are the reason our caring [island] community can continue as is.” 

Most recently, Gándara joined Art for Orcas Kids (A-OK,) which provides weekly art lessons for kids K-5. Similar to his work in Harlem, Berto loves the power of art to help kids discover the community around them. 

Once we had wrapped up our interview, Gándara and I stood for a moment in the grassy labyrinth outside of his church. “That is why I love Rilke’s quote… life [really] is a series of widening circles,” he told me. “You can choose to live life small or try to branch out and grow. Much like the labyrinth, you may not feel like you are getting to the center, [but whatever path you choose,] you’ll always find your way.”

Discover more information about the organizations that Berto has helped below.

Emmanuel Episcopal Parish: https://orcasepiscopal.org

Orcas Community Resource Center: https://orcascrc.org

Instagram: @orcascommunityresourcecenter

Orcas Island Community Foundation: https://oicf.us

Instagram: @oicommunityfoundation

Orcas Island Food Bank: https://orcasislandfoodbank.org

Art for Orcas Kids 

Instagram: @aokartfororcaskids