The parishes of Good Shepherd and St Augustine are proud to sponsor the Diocese of Mitú, a people poor in wealth but rich in faith, situated in the heart of the Amazon River Basin in Colombia. As sponsor parishes, Good Shepherd and St Augustine will pledge monthly funds to help raise up the community of Mitú, including the development of a new church, designed to serve 3,000 parishioners.

Father Larry and Father Victor, together with the parish councils, recently signed a charter with Bishop Medardo of Mitú pledging three years of support for the diocese.
 

The Apostolic Vicariate of Mitú is located in the eastern part of Colombia, in the Department of Vaupés, in the Amazon region. There are 44,000 inhabitants: 17,000 in the municipal seat 27,000 in settlements on the banks of the rivers The ethnic and cultural diversity is reflected in a population composed of Afros, mestizos, and indigenous people, consisting of 26 ethnic groups with 24 different language families, each with a deep regard for their values, ancestral customs, culture and autonomy.





Mitú is widely regarded as one of the poorest jurisdictions in the Catholic Church. Pope Francis acknowledged in 2017 that the Catholic Church is the only institution that has come to the Amazon and stayed. It is the lifeblood of the indigenous people. The people of Mitú receive little to no outside support. The government is corrupt and recently removed all benefits to the church. The UN is not intervening and several corporations who claim they were investing support merely took advantage of the people and pillaged their resources. Their land and homes are being destroyed by these corporations. The people have few resources. The waters are not good for fishing, there is rampant disease, poor health facilities, and cyanide even has to be extracted from plants to make them safe to eat. The priority is to feed the children, who often have little to eat. They also struggle to find, train, and retain teachers. 

The Catholic Church in Colombia has blessed the people of Good Shepherd with several priests and seminarians, including Father Daniel, Father Victor, and Father Juan. This is a great opportunity for Good Shepherd to give back. Father Juan and Father Larry have established a strong relationship with Bishop Medardo, who leads Mitú. We have a direct connection that is free from government corruption and administrative overhead. 100% of all we provide will go directly to the people, and Bishop Medardo will provide us with a say as to how this money is spent.
   

As we begin our partnership with the diocese of Mitu and Bishop Medardo, we are looking for members of both parishes to help oversee and discuss ways we can support them, including the possibility of mission trips. If you are interested in being a part of the committee, please call the Good Shepherd rectory and leave your contact information. You can also see either of the PPC Chairpersons Colleen Curis or Jason Cote.