Fund the Building of Two Village Chapels in Bolivia
Tuesday, September 27, 2016

The Parish of St. Peter and St. Paul in Coroico includes not only the area of the town itself but also the surrounding villages 145 of them. Now there is a plan to build additional chapels. This will strengthen the presence of the Church and enable more children to have access to the sacraments.

Coroico is a small town in the west of Bolivia, some 60 miles from the capital La Paz and at an altitude of well over 6,000 feet, in a rural region with a subtropical climate. The main crops here are coffee and cocoa, and to a lesser extent also maize, pineapples and other crops, while poultry and pig rearing are key sources of economic activity.

The Parish of St. Peter and St. Paul in Coroico includes not only the area of the town itself but also the surrounding villages – 145 of them in fact. Roughly 80% of the inhabitants in the area are Catholics, and they are ministered to by four priests, fifty lay catechists and one deacon.

Now there is a plan to build additional chapels in two of the surrounding villages. This will strengthen the visible presence of the Church so that people can identify more closely with it and strengthen their own faith life. It will also enable more children to have access to the sacraments.

One of these villages is Marquiriwi, with close to 600 people, approximately 30 miles from the parish center. A priest comes here regularly to celebrate Holy Mass and administer the sacraments. The other village is Chiquiña, with about 400 inhabitants, 12 miles from Coroico. There are three Protestant structures here, but not a single Catholic church. Holy Mass, prayer meetings and catechetical instruction have to take place either in the social center or outside in the open air – a situation that is unacceptable in the long term and risks undermining the perception of the Catholic faith in many people’s minds.

ACN is helping for the construction of both chapels, with a contribution of $20,500.

Will you join in funding the building of these two new village chapels for the faithful in Bolivia?

Progress: 6% Raised: $ 1160     Goal: $ 20500

Code: 211-01-19

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