Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Agenzia Fides) - “I believe this Seminar has been a wonderful opportunity for all concerned” Fides was told by Bishop José di Jesús Quintero Díaz, Vicar Apostolic of Leticia, Colombia, one of 98 bishops in Rome to take part in a Study-Seminar for recently appointed bishops organised by the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. The Seminar concludes tomorrow, Saturday 23 with Mass in St Peter’s and an audience with the Pope at Castel Gandolfo. “This has been an opportunity to be close to the heart of the Church to experience our catholicity and universality. We have spent this time with bishops from all over the world Africa, Asia, Latin America, missionary bishops from N. America. I thank the Lord - the bishop said - for this enriching seminar with so much input. I am grateful to the cardinals, archbishop and bishops who have spent time with us and offered us their help. The conferences they gave were most useful for the task which awaits us in the diocese or vicariate. I would also underline the importance of community life in these three weeks, united around the Eucharist, the centre of our meeting. I am grateful for the welcome we were given by the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, first of all Cardinal Iván Días and all the other people who assisted us. We are very happy and we hope that all we have received will bear much fruit in our daily service in the local Churches".
Bishop José di Jesús Quintero is Vicar Apostolic of Leticia, in the Amazon region of Colombia, where he has been since 2001. “We work especially with indigenous communities. There are about 24 different ethnic groups, five large ones, the rest very small. One of our main concerns is to be close to these communities". The Vicariate has 12 parishes, 2 mission centres and 15 missionary priests, 5 priests from another diocese in Colombia who have come to help in this area and 5 locally born priests. There is a community of Capuchin Religious. Bishop José said a major priority is formation for catechists. “We rely on about 230 catechists, simple people mostly members of indigenous communities. They have a formation meeting twice a year in the respective pastoral areas. We realise the importance of sound formation for catechists for the good of the whole community. Some communities are 1,000 km away from the centre and priests cannot be everywhere". Another priority, the bishop said, is to protect the ecosystem "mainly by protecting the natural resource of water, trying to limit deforestation. This is an obligation for us here in the Amazon region. With God’s help we hope to reach these objectives so that the life of our indigenous brothers and sisters may be filled with love, hope and joy" the bishop concluded. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 22/9/2006; Righe 37 - Parole 540)
