A report from a leading Catholic charity concludes that the Church in Guatemala is at risk of sliding into obscurity amid a dramatic rise in Evangelical sects which stop at nothing to win converts.
A delegation from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the Catholic charity for persecuted and other suffering Christians, found that Guatemala is now nearly 50 percent Evangelical, with new Church groups springing up all over the country. In their report, issued after a 17-day journey traveling 1,865 miles across 10 of the country’s 14 dioceses, the ACN delegation state that radical sects stand accused of bribing poverty-stricken people to join up, promising them food, medicine and jobs in exchange.
The document goes on to show how some Evangelical leaders are specifically targeting the Catholic Church for potential recruits, attacking key teachings such as the importance of the Pope and the Blessed Virgin Mary as well as dramatizing clergy scandals. The dossier reports that winning recruits from the Catholic Church has proved effective, especially over the past eight years since the charity’s last major fact-finding trip to the country.
Assessing the delegation’s finding, the report states that the Catholic Church risks losing its centuries-old establishment status and disappearing into obscurity unless swift action is taken to stem the exodus of faithful to other Christian denominations.
Outlining the report, ACN Latin America projects coordinator Xavier Legorreta said, “We were shocked by the sheer number of new Evangelical churches that we saw during the trip – they seemed to have mushroomed all over the place.”
While acknowledging that Guatemala has traditionally had one of Latin America’s strongest Evangelical communities, Legorreta stressed his surprise at the speed of their advance. The report describes how, on a 30 mile drive through the north of the country, the delegation saw 10 Evangelical chapels or churches and only four Catholic ones.
The document shows how some sect leaders entering an especially poor district make promises to give away food and clothes on the condition that people start to attend church services. The report indicates that this happens especially at times when the people are most vulnerable, such as after a hurricane or some other natural disaster.
The document states: “It seems that what attracts people to sects is not so much a matter of faith but a matter of economics. It is the promise of getting rich quick….They think the pastor – who often has little or no religious training – can give them money, provide a roof over their head and all manner of support.”
Underlining that the sects often receive major backing from wealthy organizations outside the country, the document goes on to highlight the scale of a massive Evangelical publicity campaigns, with signs and posters appearing across the region. Mr. Legorreta said, “Undoubtedly, the Evangelical leaders have made serious in-roads into the consciousness of the people. Their message is very simple and clear. People find it very hard to resist….Everywhere, Evangelical Christianity is being promoted – on television, radio, billboards – even on the front of pharmacies in the main streets.”
In response, ACN is helping the bishops with a plan – now under discussion – for the Catholic Bible to be printed and distributed throughout the country. “The Guatemalan bishops are extremely conscious of the problem of the Evangelical churches,” said Mr. Legorreta. What we said to them again and again was: ‘We are ready and waiting to help.’” He added, “The Catholic Church recognizes the need to respond by presenting our faith clearly and using all the means available. Bible formation is absolutely key to this – not only in Guatemala but all over the continent.”
In line with Papal priorities for the Latin American continental mission, ACN is supporting the Latin American Bishops’ Conference (CELAM) with Bibles and other catechesis material as a safeguard against evangelization by sects.
