A Support Vehicle for a Vocations Apostolate and Seminarians in Brazil

Close to 340,000 people in the Diocese of Teixera de Freitas-Caravelas, located in the northeast of Brazil in the federal state of Bahia, are Catholic, accounting for almost 80% of the total population. However, there are only 35 priests – far too few for the number of faithful. The diocese has stepped up its efforts to support of vocations, and currently 31 young men are studying at the Saint John Paul II seminary in the neighboring Archdiocese of São Salvador da Bahia. They live in the student hostel built by their own diocese in the city of São Salvador, but study at the university there, together with the seminarians of the Archdiocese of Salvador. 

A vehicle is a necessity for purchasing basic necessities and for transporting the seminarians from Salvador da Bahia to the parishes in their own diocese. However the old vehicle they used broke down often and was not very safe for driving the long journeys on the notoriously dangerous Bahia Highway. Bishop Jailton de Oliveira Lino was constantly fearful for the lives of his priests and seminarians when they were traveling on this highway, but Aid to the Church in Need supporters helped to ease his fears. 

Bishop Lino made an urgent appeal to ACN for help, and, thanks to the generosity of our benefactors, we did not disappoint him. We were able to contribute $24,700 to enable the diocese to purchase a new and stronger vehicle. It is not only cheaper to run and maintain but also more robust than the old one, and so now the journeys on the dangerous roads will be a little safer in future. 

From all the seminarians and the bishop, heartfelt thanks to all who have helped!

Aid to the Church in Need commits to invest your funds where they will have the greatest impact for the Church that we serve. Funds donated to Aid to the Church in Need’s projects will be used towards the greatest need in our programs to help keep the Faith alive.

Code: 212-04-29