AMERICA/CHILE - Families without work and without food because of the pandemic: initiatives of the Chilean dioceses

Santiago (Agenzia Fides) - The pandemic has affected everyone, in particular hundreds of Chilean families who have been left without work or resources to meet basic needs. For this reason, the diocese of Iquique, through Social Pastoral Care - Caritas, has launched the "Five loaves and two fish" campaign, to raise funds to be used for the purchase of products for the basic needs of the most vulnerable families. The parcels will contain food for a group of four, enough for 30 days. When we speak of "the most vulnerable" explains Rosa Marschhause, coordinator of the Social Pastoral Care - Caritas of Iquique, "we mean the elderly, families with children, pregnant women and people with underlying diseases. The help will consist of food, medicines and all that we can offer, depending on the help and contributions we receive".
The Social Pastoral Care - Caritas of the Diocese of Santa María de Los Ángeles has also launched a solidarity campaign entitled "Only Charity will save the world". This initiative was born in response to the needs of families in the Bio Bio area, who have been affected in various ways by the current health emergency situation in Covid-19. "There are many families that feel the effects of this pandemic - Caritas writes in its note sent to Fides -, not only in the field of health, but also in working conditions, given that they cannot meet basic needs such as food and clothing. Added to this is the drama experienced by some families due to the fires that destroyed several houses".
The diocese of Los Angeles therefore urges the whole community and people of goodwill to join this campaign, making their contribution in non-perishable foods, personal hygiene products, winter clothing, mattresses, bed linen, articles for the house or financial contributions, which will be destined to families in need.
The diocese of San José de Temuco, in collaboration with the Spiritual Accompaniment Unit of the Hernán Henríquez Aravena Regional Hospital, provides a Center for Spiritual Listening, over the telephone or video call, to which priests, pastors, deacons and volunteers answer. The initiative, marked by the slogan "We are isolated, not alone, nor abandoned", was born because, as the note released by the diocese explains, "in this period of pandemic, attention to listening, accompaniment and spiritual strengthening of many patients, health workers and families, who fight in one way or another against this virus is even more important".
"We want this Listening Center to be a meeting place, as well as a source of living water, where we can be witnesses of hope, we want to be in solidarity, we want to offer our backs so that people feel supported, so that they can overcome this time of pandemic, of so much pain", observed Fr. Juan Andrés Basly, vicar general of the diocese of San José de Temuco. (SL) (Agenzia Fides, 7/5/2020)

Share:

coronavirus

---

---

caritas

---

---

local churches

---

---