“How can we be Church where there is not yet a Church?” New missionary presence in Ghinnir, in East Bale

The Villaregia Missionary Community has moved to Ghinnir in the East Bale region of Ethiopia to establish a new missionary presence. This relocation follows seven years of work in Robe and a period of discernment regarding how to serve a territory where the Catholic Church has a very limited presence.

The community began visiting East Bale more frequently in 2023, focusing on raising awareness about early marriage and female genital mutilation. Missionary Teresa Zullo stated that the move to Ghinnir allows the group to move beyond traveling to remote villages and instead focus on building a presence in areas where the Church is not yet established.

The community's work in the region follows an invitation from Father Angelo Antolini, the Prefect of the Apostolic Prefecture of Robe.