A NEW HOLY FAMILY COMMUNITY IN SPAIN

A NEW HOLY FAMILY COMMUNITY IN AN AREA OF HIGH IMMIGRATION

THE REGION OF NIJAR IN ALMERIA

The region of Nijar, made up of three villages, is one of the most extensive in Spain.  There is a population of about 30.000 inhabitants registered and to that number one can add several thousand people who are not registered.  About ten thousand of the 30.000 registered persons are non-Spanish.  Thirty-six percent of the population come from 55 different countries including Morocco, Lithuania, Rumania, the Ukraine, Mali,
Latin America…

Ninety percent of the population depend for their livelihood on food production except for the costal towns and the town of
Nijar, which are dedicated to tourism.

The population has grown in the space of 10 years from 10.000 to 30.000 inhabitants mainly because of a huge influx of migrants especially from
North Africa.

The material and psychological needs of these people have not been met by the existing structures.  A big majority of those who arrive are cut off from their own roots and the local population is made up of people who have emigrated from other places in the Province and from the eastern part of
Andalusia. 

THE MOST URGENT NEEDS 

Pastoral and charitable aid

The sisters ‘Mercedarias de la Caridad’ at San Isidro have worked with immigrants; they have day workshops, Spanish classes, distribution of food, clothing, furniture and they welcome them and offer them different types of accompaniment.

At Campohermoso, there are the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of Castres.  They have been present in this village for 30 years and they have set up a charitable work with the people of the parish.  Because of the age of the sisters and lack of personnel, their work has been reduced to welcoming people, home visits, distribution of clothes and food.

The villages of Pueblo Blanco and Atochares are situated near to
San Isidro and they have a large number of immigrants.  Nothing has been organised to receive or welcome them.  In urgent cases, they have to go to
San Isidro to ask for what they need.

 

Pastoral and spiritual aid

 

There are among the immigrants, a number of Christians, Catholics who are asking to be accompanied in their faith and who knock at the doors of the Church seeking education in their Christian faith.

 

A number of steps have already been taken to meet their needs.  More needs to be done but there is a shortage of helpers.

 

The ‘Mercedarias de la Caridad’ accompany a group of Christians at
San Isidro. 

 

A White Father from Roquetas accompanies groups of Christians from the sub Sahara at
San Isidro and Campohermoso.  He attends them once a week.

 

The Sisters of the Immaculate Conception from Castres with the priest from Campohermoso began working with a group of Christians from the sub
Sahara but they were not able to continue.  About 1500 Lithuanians and a good number of Africans have been members of the parish for some years.  The Ukrainians belong to the Greek Orthodox rite and are accompanied by a priest from their own country and Church.

 

There is also a big number of African immigrants who have arrived without papers and are not registered.  This is their first contact with the peninsula.

 

Holy Family Presence

After several visits to the area, dialogue with the Bishop, the priests and the other religious communities, we moved to the area on the 1st March 2008.  There is a small community of three sisters: Maria Paz Alzcorbe, Isabel Martinez de Ilarduia and Mercedes Martinez.  For the moment they will live in the
village of
Campohermoso and their address is:

C/  Higuera,  12;  04110 –CAMPOHERMO -Almería-

Their mission is to live following the example of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, creating communion in collaboration with others, humbly offering our small contribution in order to alleviate the many needs at every level in this region.