AMERICA/COLOMBIA - Proclaiming the Gospel in an Amazonian context: the challenge for the Bishop of Puerto Leguizamo-Solano

Friday, 19 September 2014

Rome (Agenzia Fides) - "Although the reality is quite intercultural, the Catholic Church remains the only institution that enjoys credibility": these are the words expressed by His Exc. Mgr. Joaquin Humberto Pinzón Güiza, IMC, Bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate Puerto Leguizamo-Solano (Colombia), during a meeting with Fides Agency in Rome, where he is attending the Seminar for newly appointed Bishops organized by the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
"The Vicariate was erected recently, exactly on 21 February 2013, and on the same day I was appointed Bishop", says Mgr. Pinzón, who describes the reality in which he works: "There are three positive aspects that I think are vital. The first is the missionary legacy that I found, namely the missionary work left by the Capuchin Catalan missionaries, which was later continued by the Consolata Missionaries. They left us a wealth of structures and not only, which allowed us to create this new ecclesiastical jurisdiction. This is a legacy of inestimable missionary value! The second aspect to note is the good disposition of the people towards religion and towards the message of the Gospel that we propose. I have to say somehow in tune with this, that in the area the Catholic Church has a great deal of credibility, and continues to have it in that area, although it is very far from the capital of Colombia".
"The third aspect - concludes the Apostolic Vicar - is the ability to proclaim the Gospel in an Amazonian context, with all the importance that the Amazon territory. I want to specify that I am referring to the intercultural aspect, because there are many indigenous communities in this area that are still waiting to receive the Gospel, and this is a big challenge for us".
The Apostolic Vicariate of Puerto Leguizamo-Solano is located in the southern region of the Colombian Amazon and includes part of the departments of Putumayo, Caqueta' and Amazonas. It has an area of 64,000 square kilometers, a population of 46,000 inhabitants, of whom 36,000 are Catholics. There are 6 parishes, 7 religious priests and 8 nuns. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 19/09/2014)


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