August 1st,

At the beginning of Solidarity month, Chile

An invitation to go out to meet and help those who need it most!

This month we celebrate an enormous Chilean figure from the 20th century, Alberto Hurtado (San Alberto Hurtado). An apostle of the social justice left us a massive legacy and taught us in multiple fields that go far beyond Chilean borders, with views on social rights ahead of time.

In his last letter days before he passed away on August 18th, 1952, he wrote a wish that is a foundational pillar for Hogar de Cristo since 1944: “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…”.

It was the beginning!

On a rainy and cold night in Oct 1944, Fr Alberto Hurtado encountered a homeless in the street; he was ill and wet. The unexpected meeting moved him to tears because there was no proper place to which he could bring him.

Some days later, on Oct 16th, 1944, speaking at a women’s retreat, he spontaneously brought this incident to the Ladies: “..Christ wanders through our streets in the person of so many poor and ill, those deprived of even a wretched domicile. Christ is huddling underneath the bridges in the person of so many children who have no one to call father, who lack the kiss of a mother upon the forehead….. Christ has no home. Do we not wish to give Him ours?…”

It was such force of his testimony that strongly impacted all women attending the retreat who immediately started donating to organize it. It gave form to what would become one of his multiple great legacies, Hogar de Cristo, shortly to fulfill 77 years of transforming lives to build a more just and dignified Chile.

www.hogardecristousa.org