AMERICA/ECUADOR - Bishop of Zamora is “working for unity in the community”

Rome (Agenzia Fides) – In a pause in the proceedings of the Seminar organized by the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples for Bishops ordained in the last two years, which is taking place in Rome (see Fides 09/06/2010), Fides asked Bishop Walter Jehovah Heras Segarra, OFM, Apostolic Vicar of Zamora, Ecuador, to illustrate the situation of the diocese entrusted to him. Here is his testimony.
"The situation of Zamora is very difficult, as we are in a mining area that during its development caused a division in the population. The area has two large mines, one of gold and one of copper. The management of the first was entrusted to a large company that has caused many problems for locals, by not respecting the environment and taking advantage of its employees. This company, knowing that there were many criticisms of its management, at some point began to grant certain privileges to its employees, however, creating discontent among the population and ensuring that families and friends of these employees 'privileged' sided in favor of the mining company. The situation became more complicated when those defending the environment were the inhabitants of the less privileged areas in the Andes of Ecuador, who belong to a different ethnicity. Today, the area is divided between a small group that exploits local resources to enhance foreign investment and the vast majority of poor people who cannot work. Moreover, the environment continues to be contaminated and no one can stop the process.
The Church has, as its first task, to try to unite these people, who are confused and are looking for a clear answer from missionaries. I can say that I was not even a Bishop yet and they came to ask me what side I was on... As you can imagine, the situation is not easy.
However, the Church's mission in society is lived out with a great sense of duty. In my Vicariate, our pastoral priorities are these three issues: health, education, and the elderly. To assist many people in the area, there is a clinic run very well by Austrians. They invite specialists from Europe to help promote 'health days' and offer assistance to large numbers of people who come specifically for medical consultations. The ministry with the elderly, or as we say the 'more adult,' who are a very large group in our area, takes place in every parish and there are various activities.
There is also a very active pastoral care of migrants, from the following specific groups: for example, the Colombian group, which is not only a large group but is from the Afro Latin ethnic group, so we have a Colombian priest who is from the same ethnic group and ministers to them. Then, we have two priests of Siona background (Ecuadorian native ethnicity) who work with the Siona, which feel very abandoned by the authorities. Thank God, we have a good number of priests working in the area, especially the Fidei Donum priests who work in various parishes of the Vicariate and implement a very well-structured missionary work.
Another area of our ministry that is growing and produces much fruit is the radio. Ecuador is developing slowly, but with a certain success in the field of communications. Even the Vicariate was able to work in this field with the radio station 'La Voz de Zamora,' a Catholic radio station opened in 1968 which for now exchanges programs with the National Catholic Radio Network of Ecuador and most recently, with Vatican Radio via satellite connection." (CE) (Agenzia Fides 18/09/2010)