Missionary Training
The Franciscan Sisters have maintained a constant presence in Latin America since 1960. Sister Joan Gerads, who has been working as a missionary in Latin America for over 30 years, founded Parish Neighborhood Renewal Ministry (Ministerio Formador de Comunidades Eclesiales de Base), a program that has since trained over 1,000 people as missionaries to go from parish to parish to help form “Base Church Communities.” Casa Hermano Sol y Hermana Luna, located in Cumbaya, Ecuador, is the education center that trains missionaries in spiritual direction and the development of Base Church Communities. The program is far-reaching in that it serves the countries of Chile, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru and Columbia. Often these Base Church Communities strengthen the entire community and provide the foundation for growth and progress. The goals of the Base Church Communities include evangelizing and spreading the Good News which will help strengthen the Catholic Church in Latin America. |