Serving by communicating: the mission that transformed the life of Susy Campoverde

Susy Campoverde, a marketing expert who knows the business world well, traded corporate strategies for parishes, discovering an unexpected vocation.

At times, Susy herself is amazed at the definition of her current role: “I am surprised when one of the priests I collaborate with introduces me as ‘the one in charge of communication, the one who keeps us up to date with events, activities and, above all, special parties’.”. Although the presbyters say it with affection, she feels the weight of those words. 

For Susy, ecclesial communication is not technical, it is theological: “In the Church, to communicate well is to serve well: a period, a comma, a word, a photo or a video can bring a heart closer to God..., or leave it indifferent.”. 

A daughter's return home

Susy's conversion story has a maternal trigger. Her journey began fourteen years ago, driven by the desire for good for her eldest daughter. “I was working very hard and, although I loved her with my soul, I felt that I was not giving her something essential: a space to grow spiritually, to know God.”, He recalls with sincerity about those years of intense work activity.

That restlessness awakened in her echoes of her own childhood in Guayaquil. Memory took her back to Guayalar, an institution linked to the work of Opus Dei. Susy recalls with nostalgia that “There we received talks, meditations, circles and we were invited to retreats where there was always a warmth of home that marked my heart”.”. It was that sensation of feeling “loved, accompanied, guided” what she longed for her daughter.

Although marriage and adult life had driven her away from the “unintentionally”, The search for training for her daughter became her own Damascus road. Wanting to give the child “that environment where one can find God naturally”.”, she ended up finding it herself. 

A routine anchored in prayer

Far from being a mere clerk, Susy lives her work from a spiritual point of view. Her day starts with a clear priority:“I get up, offer my day and do some prayer time at home, before the movement of family and work begins.”. He is categorical in affirming the importance of this moment: “That prayer, short or long depending on the day, is what sustains me.”.

Its work in the various parishes with which it collaborates goes beyond “take pictures or prepare communication material”. Its objective is to “to live with the community, to listen, to accompany and to feel closely the parish life”.”. For her, the sacraments and prayer are not an addition, but the foundation: “Those moments -prayer at home, Mass, living together with the community. are my daily anchor. They remind me that my job is not just a set of tasks, but a mission.”.

Communicating is transmitting life

His vision of institutional communication in the Church is profound: “Parish communication is a delicate bridge. It's not just about informing; it's about transmitting life.”.

This awareness is what leads her to a holy perfectionism. “A well-written message can encourage; an image can awaken faith.”, she assures. In direct contact, Susy avoids the limelight. “I don't give great advice or pretend to direct anyone's spiritual path.”, he clarifies. His method is simpler: “I simply work with affection and approach people from the everyday.”. He has discovered that evangelization does not always require great speeches, for “God acts above all in those simple gestures, in the closeness and respect with which we treat others.”.

There is an anecdote that Susy treasures and that perfectly illustrates her mission. In her parish, she is often asked to lead the rosary, something that she does “with affection and also with a bit of modesty”.”. One day, an elderly lady approached him at the end of Mass, took his hand gently and said: “How beautiful how she carries the rosary..., I have learned to pray it with her”.”.

That comment was a revelation. “I was deeply moved by his words.”, Susy confesses. “I never imagined that leading the rosary could touch someone's heart. For me it was a simple, almost everyday act; but for her it had been an open door to get closer to God.”.