Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Santiago (Agenzia Fides) - The earthquake which shook Chile in February this year, struck mainly in one of the poorest parts of the country. The buildings which suffered most damaged included about twenty centres known as Hogar de Cristo, the country's largest non profit organisation, founded in 1944 by Jesuit Fr. Alberto Hurtado (canonised in 2005) and run by the Society of Jesus. "Being on the spot we were among the first to collect urgently needed food, clothing and blankets", said Hogar de Cristo director Fr. Agustín Moreira. With a staff of 4,000 plus 8,000 volunteers assisting 60,000 people every day, Hogar de Cristo used its vast network of contacts to distribute the aid collected. Once the emergency stage was over and the management of the situation had been taken over the government, Hogar de Cristo launched a second stage, a campaign to rebuild and extend its activity in the area. The campaign is expected to cost about 20 million dollars. "We offer micro-credit loans so people can organise themselves in groups of 8/10 persons. When the first loan is paid back we offer a second one, a third and so forth. This helps them to gradually free themselves of the shackles of poverty. We are the only organisation which lends money to the poor on such a large scale ", Fr. Moreira explained.
As every year, the month of August in Chile will be celebrated as a Month of Solidarity in memory of Saint Alberto Hurtado, who died 1952 on 18 August, commemorated every year as National Solidarity Day. Hogar de Cristo, together with other ecclesial organisations, encourages communities to promote initiatives of solidarity to help the poorest and most excluded members of society. The most urgent necessities include the area of primary instruction, people living in the streets and community centres in earthquake affected areas. This year's initiatives during Solidarity Month including study seminars, concerts, awareness building programmes and pilgrimages (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 24/7/2010)
