Sister Parishes
Niño Jesús Parish, Manta, Ecuador, and St. John Neumann, Reston, VA
“We are one human family whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, wherever they may be.” (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops)
Niño Jesús and St. John Neumann—two Oblates of St. Francis de Sales parishes—became sister parishes in 2009 to help grow spiritually and promote Catholic Social Teaching.
The Niño Jesús Ministry—with the support of SJN parishioners—has helped to finance a number of projects in our sister parish over the years. They include:
- Scholarships for Niño Jesús children: Thanks to the generosity of parishioners, St. John Neumann provides scholarships for 193 during the April-January Ecuadorean school year. The scholarships pay for school supplies, uniforms, and shoes.
- Building a medical clinic: The clinic aims to provide Niño Jesús parishioners with affordable health care.
- Construction of a new kitchen and dining hall: The parish provides lunch for school children and the elderly.
- Construction of a children’s development center: The center incorporates the new kitchen and dining hall and includes a computer center and rooms for physical and occupational therapy, language instruction, and religious education.
- Building religious education classrooms and a neighborhood chapel for the Narcisa de Jesús Community — one of the many communities in the Niño Jesús Parish:The new chapel and classrooms, which are below the chapel, were completed in early 2020.
The Niño Jesús Ministry has used the proceeds from St. John Neumann’s annual car raffle to fund the construction projects discussed above.
