This award is a recognition that the Catholic Church bestows to persons, communities or institutions that have contributed significantly to its development. This year, two bishops, three dioceses, one religious congregation and a layman received the said award. One of the three dioceses is the Prelature of Chota, which the Augustinian Recollects have been serving since its erection.
The ceremony took place at the auditorium of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, which was presided by Msgr. Salvador Piñeiro Calderón, Archbishop of Ayacucho and President of the Episcopal Conference. Msgr. Fortunato Pablo Urcey, Bishop of the Prelature of Chota received the medal together with his two Augustinian Recollect predecessors. He first thanked God for the award as he called to mind Psalm 117, which he quoted extensively in his recent Pastoral Letter: Give thanks to the Lord for he is good.
Likewise, he thanked the religious of the Order of Augustinian Recollects, who have worked in the Prelature since 1940, in circumstances which were much more difficult than today, most specially in terms of the means of communication. He also extended his gratitude to the diocesan priests, religious and all pastoral workers. He also took the opportunity to invite all the bishops of the Episcopal Conference to the main celebration that will took place in Chota on April 14. He ended by asking for prayers to carry out what Saint Augustine called “the honor and the burden” of the episcopate.
Together with the three Augustinian Recollect bishops, was Fray Jose Miguel Lerena, Prior of the Theologate of Saint Rita in Lima, as he represented the Province of Saint Joseph. Next to him were Sisters Pompeya Portal and Viki Barreda of the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who both have worked in Chota.
50 years in Chota
The Prelature of Chota, in Cajamarca, was erected on April 7, 1963 and was entrusted since its erection to the Augustinian Recollects, more particularly to the Province of Saint Joseph. The 50th anniversary of its erection coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Vatican II Council and the post-conciliar renewal. This Andean diocese is an excellent example of such renewal.
This prelature, within the confines of the Provinces of Chota and Cutervo, has already reached a certain level of maturity. It has a population of 360,000, spread across the Andean territory of 6,800 m2. At present, the Prelature has 39 diocesan and 6 religious priests (5 of whom are Augustinian Recollects), 4 permanent deacons and 9 female religious communities.
Its most noticeable feature is the abundance and maturity of catechists, whose number has reached 2,000 as of today. Since 1973, they have been receiving an intense and continuous formation, which allows them to truly support the local Church. In fact, abundant priestly and religious vocations in Chota come from families of their own catechists.