Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Ayaviri (Fides Service) - The Territorial Prelature of Ayaviri is situated in the southern high plains of Peru. It covers three provinces of the northern department of Puno: Melgar, Carabaya and Sandia and has an area of 32,000sq km. The very poor people are mostly subsistence farmers. The Prelate of Ayaviri is Bishop Kay Schmalhausen appointed a year ago. On the occasion of his first anniversary as Bishop of the Prelature he celebrated a special Mass on 23 April in San Francisco cathedral in Ayaviri. For the occasion Fides asked the Bishop about the situation and his pastoral priorities in the Prelature.
Could you tells us about the characteristics of the Prelature of Ayaviri which will certainly affect your apostolic work?
The Prelature's geography and climate is varied because the height varies from 500mt to 5,000mt above sea level and the climate ranges from ice cold dry climate in the highlands to hot humid weather, and a variation in temperatures ranging from 35 to 40 degrees Celsius to 20 degrees below freezing. There are v few asphalt roads and this affects the economy of our villages, inhabited mainly by subsistence farmers, quite isolated one from the other. We know that about 70% per cent of the people live in extreme poverty. Despite this they are deeply religious, most are Catholics and their simple religiosity is deeply rooted.
What sort of pastoral attention do your people require?
The majority of the people, let's say 90%, are Quechua and I am happy to say that they are still profoundly religious. This is characteristic of the people of the Andes; and it is expressed in a popular religiosity marked with celebrations, religious processions which date back to the times of first evangelisation and some of which have continued for centuries. A religiosity which actually has much need of progressive maturation and purification, but whose inalterable essence lies in its simplicity, which bears remarkable beauty and spiritual richness. I am convinced that with proper care this popular religiosity will produce spiritual richness and vitality and serve as authentic apostolic and pastoral leaven.
What are the principal challenges and problems in the Prelature?
Generally speaking we have a series of difficulties and challenges. To provide pastoral care for a population of 250,000 souls we rely on 32 parishes and only 18 priests and 7 religious communities. The first challenge is therefore to respond to the immense pastoral needs of our lay faithful. We need holy priests with a truly missionary spirit ready to undertake the task of evangelisation; we need generous religious communities anxious to carry the Word of God, catechesis and the sacraments to people in all four corners of our Prelature. It is truly moving to see our simple humble people waiting impatiently, longingly for the arrival of the priest or sister.
The second challenge is poverty which we cannot ignore. I refer to the material and moral poverty of a country afflicted by deep lacerating divisions. I think Christian charity impels us to meet the great needs we see in the areas of healthcare, education, food, homes etc. It is the Lord who urges us on; I am convinced that beside concrete help, as Church we have an important role: restore national unity; I urge the institutions, the government to co-ordinate their activity to eradicate poverty and promote solidarity and sustainable development.
What pastoral work have you already achieved and what are your pastoral plans for the future?
After visiting most of the territory I have seen that there is much to be done for example I would invite priests and religious communities to come to help us in this mission; in fact recently the Lord blessed us with three religious communities and two priests. There is also need of sound human, intellectual and spiritual formation for seminarians, our future clergy. We are grateful to God that we have started the year with a good number of them.
With regard to pastoral priorities besides urgent attention to sacramental life I think our main concerns must be our families and our young people because families should be domestic churches and Upper Rooms of life and love and young people are the hope and future of the Church. I think of these two realities from my own personal experience. But also because here too the family is seriously threatened and is in danger of becoming ever weaker; our young people look at the future with fear and insecurity, and need the strength which comes from deep faith and authentic Christian life.
Lastly I would recall the importance of the Liturgy which is also a channel for evangelisation of the culture another major concern to keep in mind. When it is celebrated with all due dignity and splendour, the Liturgy elevates man. And this I think makes it a key element in our pastoral work.
Are there sill popular customs which clash with the Christian faith and if so how can this problem be solved?
It must be acknowledged that our Andes region culture still contains ancestral and animist beliefs and cults of pagan origin. There are religious expressions which still need to be purified and cases of superimposition of what is Christian and what is pagan. Here great care must be taken because these are complex and sensitive issues. This is another priority emergency which calls for catechesis and deeper formation in the faith. Of course in questions of faith and customs not everything can be harmonised. Vatican II and the Teaching of the Church in this sense speak of a double movement or effort: positive integration of genuinely human elements of culture and customs but purification of elements incompatible with the Christian faith and with the lofty calling and destiny of mankind. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 7/5/2007)
