Visit of the Superior General to the International Mission of El Alto – Bolivia
The mission is located in an arid and cold mountainous terrain, serving 56 communities in Mocomoco and 31 in Italaque. All of them are scattered and access is difficult. In many of these communities, young people are leaving for new opportunities and the elderly remain. Only the population of Mocomoco and some of its communities is experiencing a return thanks to trade that has been implemented in recent years.
Building faith communities always has been the main pastoral challenge with visits to communities and work with catechists.
It is imperative to celebrate the Eucharist and to form people for the sacraments. The pastoral work is diversified: biblical circles, pre-sacramental courses, formation of catechists, pastoral work with families, preparation for feasts, formation of children and young people in groups. There are also programs that promote education, nutrition, health, and social services.
During their visit to the mission of El Alto (between 2600 and 4300 meters above sea level), Fathers Tomaž Mavrič, CM, Superior General, and Aarón Gutiérrez, CM, Assistant General, met on Thursday, 8 March, with Fathers Diego Plá Aranda, CM, and Cyrille de Nanteuil, CM, the missionaries present there and then with the Bishop of El Alto, Monsignor Eugenio Scarpellini. They celebrated the Eucharist with the community in Italaque in memory of Father Franc Pavlic, CM, who left this mission orphaned 13 years ago to depart for the mission of heaven. Later, they met with the pastoral teams of Italaque and Mocomoco to learn the Mission more thoroughly.
On Friday, the 9th, they participated in a pedagogical workshop on Resilience, the ability to overcome situations of social disadvantage, taught by Violeta Rodriguez, Director of the self-promotion project Sayt’asim (“Get up” in Aymara), to the 72 Aymara teachers of the three most important schools in the parish of Italaque. Then, they visited the Punama dressmaking workshop, which operates with the support of the same parish, and went to Ingas to celebrate Mass. On Saturday, the 10th, on having gone down to Huarcamarca, they participated in a biblical circle in Saphía, with a group committed to the renovation of the parish house there and in the production of rosehip. On Sunday, the 11th, they met again with the confreres to face the future of the mission.
During the Superior General’s visit to the mission of El Alto, which consists of two parishes, San Miguel in Italaque and San Pedro in Mocomoco, he called on the parish communities where he was able to experience the faithful’s great welcome. He saw the women’s craft project and the solar tents of the food security project. The San Vicente Athletic Football School was inaugurated where the children of the football school danced and performed native dances. Truly, the Superior General got to know this international mission of El Alto, its geography, and its people.
By Diego Plá Aranda, CM and Cyrille de Nanteuil, CM
