Subsistence aid for 30 religious sisters
The Diocese of Cajazeiras lies in the northeast of Brazil, widely regarded as one of the poorest regions in the country. It is a region afflicted by severe droughts, and the people of this very rural area are for the most part very poor.
Not surprisingly, the diocese also faces major challenges, mainly due to the shortage of priests. On average, each priest has to minister to 7,000 Catholic faithful, who also happen to be scattered over vast areas. With an area of just over 14,500 km², the diocese is roughly half the size of Belgium, yet it has just 80 priests to minister to all the people here.
Consequently, the work of the religious sisters is a great blessing. Altogether, there are 30 sisters from seven different congregations working in the diocese. They pray with the faithful, instruct them in preparation for the sacraments, visit the sick and elderly, organize youth work and the vocations apostolate, run Bible courses, give catechetical instruction and train lay catechists, and also accompany families facing difficult situations, including addiction.
Bishop Francisco de Sales Alencar Batista, who wrote to us requesting help for the sisters before he was transferred to another diocese, explained: “The sisters are very much present, and on a number of different pastoral fronts, especially during these difficult times when the lives of the people are heavily restricted. The sisters are a tremendous help, since they listen to the people and care especially for those on the margins of society and those who have been excluded from it.”
We would like to support the life and ministry of these 30 religious sisters in the Diocese of Cajazeiras, so that they may continue their precious apostolate. We have promised them $12,600 for this year.
