Missionaries in the Amazon's Rainforests
ACN supports lay missionaries all over the world. One area where this support is particularly needed is in the Vicariate of San José del Amazonas in northern Peru. The work of vicariate’s 59 lay missionaries is vital to the life of the local Church.
By ACN Staff
Parish Inmaculada Concepcio in Pevas. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)
The Vicariate of San José del Amazonas in Peru is about the size of Ireland and Portugal combined. The vicariate is located in the north of Peru, close to the border with Colombia and Brazil. A very high proportion of the population here are indigenous people who live in small settlements scattered throughout the rainforests. State services, such as healthcare and education, are practically non-existent.
Lay missionaries with local communities. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)
The vicariate only has 14 priests to minister to the scattered population, with the Church often having to turn to the vicariate’s 59 lay missionaries to help with ministering to the local people. The missionaries come from a variety of countries, such as Mexico, Poland, Canada, Colombia, Spain, Brazil and India. The missionaries have been working in this part of Peru for over 25 years and have been receiving support and help from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) for much of this time.
The lay missionaries help the vicariate operate a leprosy centre, 16 healthcare centres, a hospital, 16 outposts, 4 schools, 2 boarding schools and 2 centres for people with disabilities. The lay missionaries also go and visit some of the more outlying isolated communities. Due to the shortage of priests, the lay missionaries often lead local communities in the Liturgy of the Word, train catechists, educate children, work with families and outreach to indigenous communities.
One of the missionaries ACN helps support is Gabriel Grégoire from Canada. At this time of COVID he helps with cleaning and disinfecting the vicariate’s facilities. He also leads the congregation in responses to the liturgy and leads the Liturgy of the Word when there are no priests present. He also helps with the vicariate’s finances, is involved with the Legion of Mary and helps with the sick and prays with them. Another Canadian missionary is Alain Lacroix, who helps run a workshop and maintains vehicles for the vicariate.
Antonio Romero and Mónica Adriana with their three children. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)
The lay missionaries also include families like Antonio Romero and his wife Mónica Adriana and their three children. The family is from Mexico and move to Peru to help the vicariate. Antonio explains that their work has changed because of COVID-19 and the local community faces many challenges:
“There are the calls for support and counsel at the death of a family member, the sickness of others, knowing there is no medication, not even paracetamol or medical alcohol; the shortages of food, the fact that oxygen, which was once pure and free in the rainforest, we now have to buy at a cost of over 3500 soles for 10 m³ so there are people with a family member dying who can find no one to lend, hire or sell them an oxygen cylinder... and then afterwards trying to get it filled – which is another endless saga…”
Another missionary helped by ACN is Dominik Szkatula from Poland, who has been in Peru since 1982. Her experience as a lay missionary has taught her that everyone has a role in Christ’s Church:
Dominik Szkatula. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)
“I know from my own experience that we can all play an active part in the saving mission of Christ. I consider myself to be extremely fortunate, because living in Amazonia you can live closer to God, and by working with the simple and humble people living here, you can actually touch Him.”
ACN has committed to continue to offer support to the lay missionaries in the vicariate. The local bishop sent a letter to ACN asking for the support to continue. He explains that this support is vital to the mission of the local Church, as the local people do not have the means to support the missionaries’ activities. If you would like to help ACN support the Church’s mission in countries like Peru please consider making a donation. Also please join us in prayer for the continued success of the mission work in the Vicariate of San José del Amazonas.