A story about a Milwaukee-area priest who has been through much…

Most recently, last year, a hit-and-run accident that cost him a leg. But before that, a ministry in his native Mexico that placed him in the deepest poverty and among the worst criminals:

But after four years, his bishop and the head of police in Chihuahua ordered Perez to leave his parish because they could no longer guarantee his safety. It was October 1999. He was given a choice: study in Rome or do parish work in the U.S. He picked the latter. His first stop was a conference on Hispanic ministry in San Diego where he met Father Robert Mueller and Father Larry Dulek, of St. Anthony Parish in Milwaukee. They persuaded him to come to Wisconsin.

"I wanted to rest for a time after the years in the sierra and the stress in Namiquipa. I wanted to learn English. I didn’t want to go to a state with a large Hispanic population, like New Mexico or Arizona. But when I got to Milwaukee: Surprise!"

…

For two years, Perez assisted the large Spanish-speaking congregation at St. Anthony, then extended that help to three other south side parishes – St. Hyacinth, St. Stanislaus and St. Adalbert. In July 2004, he asked to lead St. Adalbert when no one else applied.

Father Thomas LeMieux, a retired central city pastor, became the part-time assistant and was asked by the archbishop to mentor Perez.

"But my reaction is, ‘Who is mentoring who?’ " said LeMieux, laughing.

The pews began filling up.

Many people, such as Manuel Salinas, parish council president, followed Perez to St. Adalbert from St. Anthony. So did Tano Sanchez, who had spent 28 years at St. Anthony.

"He has a magnetism," Sanchez says. "He’s very important to our community and people."

Today, 800 or more typically pack the Spanish-language Masses on Sunday, while the 10 a.m. Mass in English draws 40 to 50 people. The congregation has grown to 3,000, up about 800 from 2004.

Dorothy Skudlarczyk was baptized at St. Adalbert 83 years ago and never left. Her four children were also baptized there.

"I think Father Eleazar is doing a fantastic job," she says. "I was so worried that they would close down the church. Yes, the neighborhood has changed with the influx of the Latino community, but if the Latino community is going to take care of the church, I’m glad."