| Isaiah 61:1
August 19, 2012
St. Alberto Hurtado, S.J.
Dear Friends, We may think of saints as living in the distant past and far away. St. Alberto Hurtado shows us that saints can be close to us in time if not in terms of distance. He was born in Chile in 1901 and died prematurely of cancer on August 18, 1952, just sixty years ago, and slightly over fifty years of age. He is called, “The Saint of the Streets” for his care and concern for the children, the homeless, the jobless and the aged in Santiago, Chile. We have photos of him and his children, photos of the battered truck he used to bring food to the people. Moved by the love of Christ, he wrote, “Every poor man, every vagrant, every beggar is Christ carrying His cross.” In addition to his work for the poor, he founded a retreat house, started a Catholic magazine, and worked with the trade unions for the rights of laborers. Indeed, a saint for our times, with a contagious joy, energy, and enthusiasm. Canonized in 2005, St. Alberto Hurtado, pray for us. |
| Lord God, in St. Albert Hurtado You have given us a magnificent sign of Your love. Through His intercession, grant that, always faithful to Your will, we may love You with all the sentiments of Your Son and thus ceaselessly promote Your kingdom of justice, love and peace. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen Rev. Peter Schineller, S.J., CMMB Board of Directors |
