31 Jan 2023
MSCs began ministering in the parish of San José de Chilibulo, in Quito, Ecuador, eight years ago. Today, the parish has a population of almost 42,000 people, with nine pastoral groups working to serve communities across the region.
The parish of San José de Chilibulo is a busy and constantly developing one, with several activities and programmes catering to different community groups. Parish catechesis runs every weekend from September to July, pastoral care groups for the elderly take place every day, and pastoral formation takes place once a month. Youth groups also provide holiday camps for children from low-income and vulnerable families, and MSCs work with the local Caritas group to provide regular social activities for local families.
As the parish continues to grow, parish priest Fr Marcelo Campoverde Arcentales MSC
has established the immediate need for two improvements
to the current facilities available to the local community:
a working parish kitchen, and the necessity of improving the outdoor space
outside the church and pastoral centre,
at a total cost of €11,500.
The need for a safe and hygienic cooking space is a priority, as the parish currently cater to several different community groups, such as cooking nutritious lunches for the elderly, providing meals for needy families, and preparing food for gatherings and celebrations. At the moment, they do not have adequate space to prepare food, and a dedicated parish kitchen would allow them to continue their work in serving the local population.
The parish is appealing for funds to repair the entrance area to the church and pastoral centre, replacing the current earthen floor with a cement covering. When it rains, the area becomes dangerously slippery, and is extremely difficult for the elderly or those with limited mobility to navigate. Several people have already fallen on the precarious ground, and so a safe surface is essential for the local community to be able to continue to visit in comfort and safety.