U.S. Bishops Announce Grants To Latin America

WASHINGTON —The U.S. Conference of CatholicBishops (USCCB) Subcommittee on the Church in Latin America announced June 20 theapproval of over $5.2 million ingrant funding for 121 projects to aid the pastoral and reconstruction work ofthe Catholic Church in 20 countries throughout Latin America.

“Theseprojects are important in assisting the Church in Latin America continue thework of proclaiming the Gospel throughout the region,” said Archbishop José H.Gomez of Los Angeles, chair of the subcommittee. “Projects designed to implement the NewEvangelization are showing results among the faithful. Almost $2 million was awarded to pastoral projects.” Proposalswere approved during the subcommittee’s meeting in Atlanta, June 11.

Inaddition to the pastoral projects funded throughout the region, $3.3 million wasgranted to continue helping theChurch in Haiti rebuild after the 2010 earthquake. Two important reconstructionprojects received funding: the construction of a multi-purpose building in theDiocese of Jacmel, and the structural reinforcement of the co-cathedral ofMiragoane. “The base-isolation reinforcement of the co-cathedral in Miragoaneis touted as a cutting-edge technology in Haiti, and will not only preventdeaths in a future earthquake but will also help save the historic cathedral,”said Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski, a member of the subcommittee and chairman ofthe USCCB’s Haiti Advisory Group. “We are now seeing concrete fruits of ourefforts to assist the Church in Haiti rebuild.”

Funding to assist the formation of religious, seminariansand clergy totaled almost $650,000 dollars, or about 33.4 percent of thepastoral funds awarded. These grants will assist in the education of more than1,100 women and men as they prepare for ministry.

TheSubcommittee on the Church in Latin America oversees the Collection for theChurch in Latin America as part of the USCCB Committee on National Collections.It is responsible for the USCCB grant-making program to support the Church inLatin America and the Caribbean. An additional round of grantapplications will be considered in November. The Subcommittee gives an average of$6.5 million each year to pastoral programs in the region and oversees aportion of the 2010 collection proceeds for earthquake relief in Haiti. It hasawarded over $8.4 million in funds to assist with church reconstructionprojects in Haiti.

Moreinformation on the Collection for the Church in Latin America and the projectsit funds can be found at https://www.usccb.org search for “Church LatinAmerica.”

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Keywords: Latin America, evangelization, clergy, lay formation,Collection for the Church in Latin America, Haiti reconstruction, ArchbishopJosé Gomez, Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

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