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Bogotá, Colombia
The Community of St Paul is present in the Archdiocese of Bogotá, where Fr Martí Colom, a member of the CSP, is currently parish priest of La Resurrección, a parish situated in the south of the city, within the Episcopal Vicariate of St Paul. The parish territory of La Resurrección comprises three working-class neighbourhoods (El Pesebre, Granjas de San Pablo and La Resurrección), with a total population of approximately 15,000. These are working-class neighbourhoods, affected by a number of unavoidable social problems, such as crime, the rise in drug use amongst young people, poverty, limited employment opportunities, overcrowding in some homes, the poor condition of many dwellings, the neglect of some elderly people, and the presence in the area of migrants from Venezuela, who often have very limited resources and constitute a highly vulnerable section of the population, amongst other issues.
PASTORAL WORK
The CSP’s pastoral work in Bogotá involves looking after the parish of La Resurrección, which has a main church and two chapels where the sacraments are regularly celebrated, as well as a remarkable variety of pastoral groups: catechesis, family ministry, social ministry, youth ministry, Eucharistic ministers, prayer groups, Bible study groups, etc.
GARAVITO HOUSE
As regards its work in human development, in 2018 the CSP established the Casa Garavito Centre in the El Pesebre neighbourhood, a community development centre offering a range of services: dressmaking courses for women, extra tuition for children, English lessons, guitar lessons, general knowledge classes for older adults, and psychological counselling for those who need it. Casa Garavito also coordinates a scholarship programme that helps young people from these neighbourhoods to attend university and thus prepare themselves professionally for the future.
HEALTH PROGRAMMES
In the field of healthcare, the CSP has set up a psychological support service, a dental surgery and a small parish pharmacy in these neighbourhoods, and also provides the services of a nurse who visits patients in their homes.
Vulnerable families are also regularly supported with food donations and assistance with rent, utility bills and other necessities.
Vulnerable families are also regularly supported with food donations and assistance with rent, utility bills and other necessities.
PROGRAMMES FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE AND PEOPLE WITH DRUG DEPENDENCE
The “Ruta del Aguapanela” takes place every month to provide assistance to homeless people living on the streets of the neighbourhoods that make up the La Resurrección parish. In addition, a Solidarity Breakfast is organised once a month, during which those who wish to do so are also given the opportunity to have a shower and change their clothes.
