10 Mopeds for Pastoral Work in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India

Thanks to you, our supporters, priests in the Andaman and Nicobar islands in the Indian Ocean now are able to more easily reach their parishioners. Today the total population on these islands is approximately 380,000 people – one third of whom live in the capital, Port Blair. 

The Catholic Diocese of Port Blair has approximately 34,000 Catholics, almost all of whom are Nicobarese. The 16 parishes of the diocese are scattered across several islands, and there are over 500 small Christian communities. To travel between islands the priests need boats, of course, while on the islands themselves, the few roads are long and difficult to negotiate. Almost none of the parishes has a car, and the old bicycles and mopeds that are commonly used take a heavy battering from the rough roads and do not last long. 

Last year the diocesan administrator asked ACN for help to purchase 10 new mopeds for pastoral work. Thanks to the generosity of our benefactors, who contributed $9,700, the mopeds have now been purchased. Now the priests can once again reach the Catholic faithful in the scattered villages of the islands.

The ten priests who have benefited from these new mopeds have expressed their heartfelt gratitude, and the people are happy, too. 

Thanks to your help, the diocese can now intensify its youth outreach and generally reach out more easily and more often to the Catholic faithful.

Our heartfelt thanks to all our benefactors!

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: 317-08-29