Organizing Takes Flight in Colombia

“The Church should not shut itself inside the temple. It must go into the streets to provide assistance, human development, and advocacy. I invited COFOA because we need a method to develop Christians who are more engaged in public advocacy.”
– Monsignor Juan Carlos Barreto, Bishop of Soacha Diocese, Bogota, Colombia

These words were shared at a diocesan-wide gathering of clergy and lay leaders from 52 parishes, where COFOA organizers Miguel Hernández and José Amaya were introduced. They visited parishes and communities to explore organizing in Bogotá.

Clergy and lay leaders shared stories of political corruption, social marginalization, and urgent local needs—from food insecurity and inadequate schooling to unemployment and community safety. Many neighborhoods must purchase water weekly to survive.

Pastors from three parishes identified nine communities ready to begin organizing. Local leader David Vazco has been hired and will spend two months in El Salvador for intensive training in leadership development and organizing methodology before returning to Bogotá to build leadership teams and launch organizing efforts.

The need, interest, and welcome point to significant opportunities for growth in Colombia and beyond. Fr. Charly Oliveros, who works with the Latin American Catholic Bishops Conference, invited COFOA to upcoming regional gatherings in 2026, to continue spreading the message of grassroots bottom-up change