A Pastoral Center for a Parish in Brazil
The parish of Boqueirão belongs to the Diocese of Campina Grande in an impoverished part of northern Brazil. It is about 60 years old and is dedicated to Nossa Senhora do Desterro, or Our Lady of the Flight – a reference to the flight into Egypt by Our Lady and Saint Joseph with Christ, to escape King Herod’s executioners. Within the town of Boqueirão itself, and in all the surrounding area, there is a lively devotion to the Mother of God.
The parish itself includes 40 villages and outstations, most of them in the outlying rural areas. The long distances and unmade roads are a major challenge for pastoral outreach here. Father João Igor Pereira Aves de Sales has only been in charge of the parish since July 2023. He has spent the first few months of his ministry here traveling throughout the region, visiting every community in order to form for himself a picture of the situation and listen to the cares and concerns of the local people.
The good news for Father João is that this parish is lively and dynamic, with great potential for development. The bad news is that the parish has very few resources and a lack of space for the pastoral initiatives he was planning to introduce. For example, there are 20 catechism groups, but in order for them to meet, he has to make do with improvised solutions, or else borrow rooms in the local schools. And there is no suitable place for the regular soup kitchen, which provides meals to 50 of the poorest families each week. But he still wants to introduce programs for children, young people, and adults. He wants to introduce a prayer apostolate and strengthen the parish’s commitment to the needy.
What he needs is a pastoral center, where these events and activities can be held. His parishioners have already started fundraising, but they are so poor. Despite their enthusiasm, it is just not enough. And so Father João has turned to us for help. We are hoping to support him with $34,783 for the construction of this center, which will undoubtedly lend new wings to his evangelization work. Can you help us?
Code: 212-01-19
