Aid to the Church in Need: Columbia: Renovation of the Parish house in the Buenaventura Diocese

Columbia: Renovation of the Parish house in the Buenaventura Diocese

Posted by Project of the Week on 3/8/2009, 11:35 am
Board Administrator

COLOMBIA

Conversion of the priest's house in the parish of Nuestro Señor de los Milagros

The diocese of Buenaventura is one of the most dangerous places in Colombia. It has a population of 350,000 souls, served by 16 parishes. In all there are 257 rivers in this region – ideal transport routes for the drug smugglers – and the port in the town of Buenaventura is the place from which much of the drugs are smuggled overseas. The FARC Guerillas, one of the main groups behind the drugs trafficking, profit from the poverty and the poor infrastructure, and are able to put the ordinary people, who have virtually no other means of earning their living, under immense pressure. Unemployment is extremely high and violence is all-pervading. Of the 40 policemen murdered recently in Colombia, no fewer than eight were from Buenaventura. Bishop Héctor Epalza Quintero has received many death threats as a result of his preaching against the Guerilla groups. But he does not allow that to deter him. He believes that the Church must be on the side of the ordinary people and help above all the weakest and most vulnerable. But there is also another problem, in the shape of the sects. As in so many other places around the world, they are attempting to woo away the Catholic faithful with their false promises.

Two years ago the parish of Our Lord of Miracles (Nuestro Señor de los Milagros) was established in Buenaventura. Two young priests, Padre Alexander und Padre Jairo, are now trying daily, with love, devotion and patience, to work "miracles". They had to start from absolutely nothing, and everything had first to be established – both in material and in spiritual terms. There are still so many things lacking, and the people are so poor that they can scarcely support themselves, but they are uniting their forces to gradually improve the situation in their parish.

At the moment the biggest problem is the fact that the existing parish house still needs more work done on it so that it can fully serve its purpose. It is meant to be a place where not only the priests can live but where there is also room to accommodate guests. And additionally, the two Fathers have organised a midday lunch club, where from Monday to Friday 60 poor children from the neighbourhood can get a meal. The Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has promised these two committed and hard-working priests a contribution of $5,000 to help complete this work.

To help this cause please contact the Australian office of ACN on (02) 9679-1929. e-mail: info@aidtochurch.org or write to Aid to the Church in Need PO Box 6245 Blacktown DC NSW 2148. Web: www.aidtochurch.org

Father Alexander

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Aid to the Church in Need PO Box 6245 Blacktown DC NSW 2148 ABN: 62 418 911 594
Ph/Fax (02) 9679-1929 e-mail: info@aidtochurch.org web: www.aidtochurch.org