The initiative seeks to strengthen a Church that is close to the people, welcoming, and committed to caring for the people and communities of the Amazon, through a space dedicated to listening to, welcoming, and accompanying the diverse realities of the region.
With the aim of strengthening pastoral presence and support for communities in the Amazon region, the Apostolic Vicariate of Mitú is launching the “House of Life and Hope” project—a space designed to promote listening, welcoming, and caring for the people and communities of Vaupés.
The initiative stems from a decision by the bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Mitú, Monsignor Medardo de Jesús Henao, M.X.Y., under the direction of the Office of Care and with the support of the Prisa Mission, composed of consecrated lay volunteers who are joining this project in service to the local Church.
The House of Life and Hope will be located across from the Indigenous Teachers’ College, in a building belonging to the Vicariate that will undergo a major renovation to adapt it to the needs of this new pastoral service.
A Church That Listens, Welcomes, and Accompanies
This project represents a significant step toward building a Church that is attuned to the realities of Amazonian communities, one that recognizes the importance of creating safe spaces for encounter, dialogue, and accompaniment.
In a region characterized by its cultural, geographic, and social diversity, listening becomes a fundamental aspect of the evangelizing mission. Welcoming people’s voices, experiences, and needs helps strengthen community bonds and build paths of hope rooted in the concrete realities of the Vaupés.
The House of Life and Hope aims to be precisely that place where people find closeness, support, and a community willing to walk alongside them.
A project that begins with hope
Currently, the building requires renovations and remodeling to become this new space for community service. The Vicariate has shared images of its current condition and a rendering of how it is expected to look once the work is completed.
Through this project, the Church in the Vaupés continues to strengthen its commitment to walking alongside Amazonian communities, making listening and care concrete expressions of a pastoral presence that is close, fraternal, and at the service of life.
