Help continues for our sister diocese in Sicuani

Your generosity to the Mission Appeal Campaign provides support to the people in our sister Diocese of Sicuani in southern Peru. Over the years, your donations have helped the faithful.

The Diocese of Sicuani comprises four of the poorest provinces of Peru. Its population is scattered throughout mountainous terrain with few paved roads. Nearly 95% of the people in Peru are baptized Catholics, but due to isolation, lack of clergy and religious, and great distances between parishes and peasant communities, many people have a mixture of Christianity and ancient Andean religious beliefs and
customs.
There is no industry other than farming, and the people live in extreme poverty due to drought, flooding, poor farming techniques and lack of machinery. Much of the population is illiterate; the educational system is inadequate and doesn’t serve large
portions of the population. There is also little access to medical care.

Recently, there came word that financial assistance was possible through a grant to help build a chapel in the mountain community of Acco Acco Phalla. The residents of the community were excited because they had no place of worship in their community. Word of the grant approval never came.

“Part of the volunteer contribution was to be the making of the adobes for the church by the community,” Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Sister Ancilla Maloney, a missionary serving Sicuani, wrote to the Diocese of Greensburg Mission Office. “The people were so excited they all went to work and over the past June and July have made over 5,000 adobes.”

Sister Ancilla wrote that the rain season will begin at the end of October or mid-November, and work on the church would need to begin soon.

Through your generosity, the Missions Office of the Diocese of Greensburg was able to provide the money for the cost of the cement for the foundation so that the work can begin before the rain starts falling.

Your small act of kindness enables us to allow those in Acco Acco Phalla the opportunity to gather in community for worship and, most importantly, hear and share in the love of Christ. To help the Diocese of Sicuani, Peru, please mail all donations to:

Diocese of Greensburg
Diocesan Mission Office
723 E. Pittsburgh St., Greensburg, PA 15601.

Please make checks payable to the “Diocese of Greensburg Mission Office.” All funds will be processed through secure channels to Sicuani, Peru. Only monetary help is accepted due to Sicuani’s difficult terrain and road system.