Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Santiago (Agenzia Fides) - At least one thousand students at Catholic Universities all over Chile took part in the first edition of a week long national project "trabajopais" programme: “working to build a better Chile from 16 - 23 July organised by the national office for Catholic University Pastoral Care. The programme was an opportunity for the students to put knowledge and experience at the service of the more needy citizens to build a better Chile, a people ‘more caring, more active, more united’.
Young people have an important role in building society and the programme was an opportunity to meet the material and spiritual needs of many people in Chile. What was interesting about the programme is that material work of building was motivated by an openly declared Catholic education and identity.
One thousand Catholic university students worked in 20 different towns and cities repairing and improving public squares, social centres, sports grounds, places of worship etc. They also gave lessons and instruction according to the local needs. Meetings were organised locally to underline the importance to work for the common good and also care for every human person. The programme also included moments of prayer and reflection to remembers the meaning and significance of the work in hand.
The programme was aimed towards improving the localities and helping the volunteers to mature. Locally it aimed to help relieve poverty by means of community work; improve living conditions and teaching people to help themselves in order to escape from poverty. For the student volunteers involved it was an opportunity to: put their knowledge and experience at the service of Chile; be “Catholics” in concrete action to help others; develop a spirit of solidarity not limited to the time at university but carried forward in a profession, or the family; to see their country as it is and choose and exercise a profession of use and open to the needs of the nation.
"We must live Christ’s Love not only at home but in all our relations with everyone" Bishop Carlos Pellegrin Barrera of Chillán told students working on the programme in his diocese, congratulating and encouraging them on their choice of a path of solidarity. He said they were the proof that young Chileans are not as the media portrays them: "Not all our young people are victims of alcohol and drugs. You are part of a thousand young people presently giving up part of their holiday time to share with others what they are and what they have ". (RG) (Agenzia Fides 24/7/2006; righe 37, parole 504) Info:http://www.trabajopais.cl
