Las centinelas de la fe: aportes de la mujer a la fe católica y la construcción de paz en El Catatumbo

Abstract

The role of women in the Bajo Catatumbo region, which covers much of the northern part of the department of Norte de Santander, is the central theme of this paper, since “the dignity of women and their vocation, a constant subject of human and Christian reflection, has taken on particular importance in recent years.” (John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Mulieris Dignitatem, 1988). Women have been present not only in the construction of the history of this territory, but also in the consolidation of its culture and traditions, assuming a leading role thanks to their leadership and effort, as well as in the consolidation of the Catholic faith in the midst of a landscape characterized by armed conflict, political power struggles, land control by illegal groups, injustice, and poverty. The objective of this work is to analyze the contributions that women have made in this complex social context. To this end, the question: In what specific ways have women contributed to the experience, transmission, and preservation of the Catholic faith in Catatumbo, and how has this contribution impacted community resilience and peacebuilding? will allow us to address the role of women from the perspective of resilience, commitment, cooperation, and hope that characterizes women in this region.