Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Agenzia Fides) - "We work with indigenous groups open to inculturation": with these words His Exc. Mgr. Medardo Gesù Henao del Rio, MXY, Bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Mitu, in the Colombian Amazon in South America, summarizes his missionary commitment in an interview with Fides Agency in Rome, where he participated in the Seminar organized by the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. "Speaking of the Apostolic Vicariate of Mitu, means speaking of a Church which has just celebrated the centenary of evangelization - says the Bishop -.
In the beginning there was only a group of Montfortan Dutch priests who were committed to evangelizing the area and encounterd many difficulties due to the presence of indigenous peoples, who are also present today: 25 indigenous groups, each with their own language and their cultural identity. The work of evangelization of the first Montfortan Missionaries continued until 1949, when the Apostolic Prefecture was created".
"That of Mitu is a Church with many indigenous groups who are open to the inculturation of the Gospel, but we must also repeat - reiterates the Bishop - that this is also the result of missionary work carried out previously.
Recently a group of Montfortan Fathers visited the area and saw the fruits that their brethren had sown many years ago".
Looking at the current situation, Mgr. Medardo Gesù Henao del Rio points out that the main problem is to have aid, subsidies for human promotion because even the central government of Colombia does not provide grants for the area, as it believes it would be easier to transfer the 40,000 indigenous people who live there elsewhere rather than give development to the area. "We, as Pastors, however, continue to accompany this population, and we do it with joy, because this is what the Gospel asks us" says the Apostolic Vicar.
The Apostolic Vicariate of Mitu has a population of 29,400 inhabitants, spread in an area of 54,135 sq km. The baptized are approximately 23,300. Currently there are 16 priests, 11 Xaverian Missionaries of Yarumal, 2 missionaries of the national community of Santa Laura and three diocesan priests, 2 of whom are indigenous. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 30/09/2014)
