Mission Statement

Through the love of God we are all made one family in Christ. The mission of the companion diocese relationship is to strengthen those bonds of unity.

As companion dioceses, we covenant to walk together on our common journey, learning from each other as we share our spiritual, human, and material resources at all levels.

As companions on the journey, we will encourage and pray for one another and inspire each other in the work we are given to do as Christ's agents in the world about us.

• Companion Diocese Committee
• About the Ministry

Guatemala & Pennsylvania

Companions in Ministry since 1996

The Episcopal Diocese of Guatemala covers the entire country. It consists of 8000 members in about 38 congregations, with approximately thirty clergy and forty lay readers. The Bishop is the Rt. Rev. Armando Guerra-Soria. The Diocese of Guatemala and the Diocese of Pennsylvania voted in autumn, 1995, to begin in 1996 a three-year Companion Relationship, which was renewed in 1998 for 1999-2001.

Guatemalais the northernmost country of Central America, close in size to that of Ohio (42,042 square miles) with a total population of about ten million. About 45% of the population are of MayanIndian descent and follow traditional Indian ways including speaking Indian languages. The other 55% follow Spanish-American ways and speak Spanish.