ESMERALDAS, APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE OF. - The mission of E. comprises the province of the same name located in the northern part of the Republic of Ecuador. It was erected as an apostolic prefecture in 1945 with part of the territory of the diocese of Portoviejo and entrusted to the Discalced Carmelites of the Spanish province of Burgos.

Until that date only one or two priests had worked at the evangelization of that area: the fruits were not abundant and the works of missionary apostolate had no development. In 1948 the Carmelites brought the number of priests to 7 and sent there some lay brothers. A community of Sisters of Providence directs two Catholic girls' colleges, the only ones existing in the whole region, and helps the missionaries in teaching catechism to the people. The number of inhabitants is about 75,000, for the most part Indians, scattered over an area of 16,000 sq. km. They are naturally good and do not resist the evangelizing work of the missionaries: for the most part they are baptized but do not practice the Catholic religion because of sloth of spirit and the difficulty of going to church, since there are no roads.

Bibliography4 works

BIBL.: AAS, 38 (1946), pp. 338-39; Archivio di Propaganda Fide, Prospectus status missionalis (1948), pos. prot. n. 2093/48; Id., pos. prot. n. 2093/45; MC, p. 105.

Antonio Mazza

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Esmeraldas, Apostolic Prefecture of

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