microsoft 32 bit word app on the catalina system

You don't.

Catalina does not support 32 bit applications.

Office 2011 and earlier are 32 bit. They will not run on Catalina.

Office 2016 will run on Catalina with the appropriate updates from Microsoft.

Office 2019 and Office 365 will run on Catalina.

Either upgrade office, downgrade macOS, or find an alternative office suite that meets your needs.

32-bit apps won't run on Catalina.

If you have an early version of Office for Mac 2016, you can update it at no charge. See: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/office365/troubleshoot/administration/office-2016-for-mac-64-bit-upgrade

If you have Office for Mac 2011 or earlier, you can either subscribe to Office 365 or you can make a one-time purchase. See: https://products.office.com/en-us/buy/compare-microsoft-office-products-for-mac?ms.officeurl=mac-compare-redir

Or the free Microsoft Office on the web: https://products.office.com/en-us/frhttps://www.libreoffice.org/

Or Google Docs: https://www.google.com/docs/about/

Other options include using the free and very good Libre Office https://www.libreoffice.org/

or Apple's Pages and Numbers