Fr Alberto Hurtado,
Today, August 18,
We celebrate his feast and 70 years of legacy.
 
Some people live with such a superior force that, once passed, leaves a permanent milestone in their nation. It is the case of Fr Alberto Hurtado SJ, one of Chile’s most inspirational and influential people of the 20th century. An Apostol of Social Justice worked in an astonishing array of activities and fields. He left an everlasting legacy in multiple works far beyond Chilean borders and the edge of time.
 
In his last letter, days before he passed away on August 18, 1952, he wrote a wish that it is a foundational pillar for Hogar de Cristo and a beacon of hope and opportunities for the poorest of the poor in Chile.
 
“..As the needs and miseries of the poor show themselves, find ways to help them as you would do with the Master,” “…I entrust you all to care those the least of our brothers, in the name of God..”
 
How did the Hogar de Cristo get its start?
A transformative encounter did change everything!!
 
It was a rainy, cold night in Santiago, Chile, in October 1944 when unexpectedly, Fr Alberto Hurtado encountered a homeless, sick, shivering with a high fever. The accidental meeting moved him to tears because there was no shelter to bring the homeless person. Fr Hurtado always believed that Christ lives in others, especially showed in those suffering and more disadvantaged.
Later, on October 16, 1944, speaking at a women’s retreat, he spontaneously brought this incident to the ladies. The force of his inspirational speech so strongly impacted all women attending the retreat, who quickly started donating to organize it. It gave form to what would become one of his most significant and best-known apostolic works, the Hogar de Cristo, founded by him on October 19, 1944, in Chile.
 
Hogar de Cristo will soon be celebrating their 78 years of transforming vulnerable lives, offering tools & opportunities to build a more just & dignified Chile.
 

DONATE HERE TO CAUSES THAT TRANSFORM LIVES 

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