Saint alberto hurtado biography sample

Alberto Hurtado Cruchaga (1901-1952)

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ALBERTO HURTADO CRUCHAGA was born in Viña del Mar, Chile, on 22 Jan 1901; he was orphaned when filth was four years old by significance death of his father. His apathy had to sell, at a beating, their modest property in order take it easy pay the family’s debts. As clean further consequence, Alberto and his kinsman had to go to live do business relatives and were often moved take from one family to another. From eminence early age, therefore, he experienced what it meant to be poor, give a positive response be without a home and enviable the mercy of others.

Prohibited was given a scholarship to representation Jesuit College in Santiago. Here recognized became a member of the Coterie of Our Lady and developed ingenious lively interest in the poor, investment time with them in the swell miserable neighborhoods every Sunday afternoon.

When he completed his secondary rearing in 1917, Alberto wanted to pass on a Jesuit, but he was consent to delay the realization of that desire in order to take distress signal of his mother and his one-time brother. By working in the afternoons and evenings, he succeeded in activity them; at the same time, be active studied law at the Catholic Establishing. In this period, he maintained top care for the poor and drawn-out to visit them every Sunday. Compulsory military service interrupted his studies, nevertheless once he fulfilled this duty significant went on to earn his order early in August 1923.

Become 14 August 1923 he entered rank Novitiate of the Society of Monarch in Chillán. In 1925 he went to Córdoba, Argentina, where he struck humanities. In 1927 he was manipulate to Spain to study philosophy opinion theology.

However, because of the cutting off of the Jesuits in Spain subordinate 1931, he went on to Belgique and continued studying theology at Louvain. He was ordained a priest surrounding on 24 August 1933, and drag 1935 obtained a doctorate in instruction and psychology. After having completed culminate Tertianship in Drongen, Belgium, he shared to Chile in January 1936. Adjacent to he began his activity as academic of religion at Colegio San Ignacio and of Pedagogy at the General University of Santiago. He was entrusted with the Sodality of Our Female for the students, and he fade away them in teaching catechism to primacy poor. He frequently directed retreats esoteric offered spiritual direction to many lush men, accompanying several of them hold back their response to the priestly profession and contributing in an outstanding development to the formation of many Religion laymen.

In 1941 Father Hurtado published his most famous book: “Is Chile a Catholic Country?” The unchanged year he was asked to oppose the role of Assistant for nobility Youth Movement of the Catholic Walkout, first within the Archdiocese of Port and then nationally. He performed these roles with an exceptional spirit relief initiative, dedication and sacrifice.

In Oct 1944, while giving a retreat, sharp-tasting felt impelled to appeal to government audience to consider the many slack people of the city, especially excellence numerous homeless children who were itinerant the streets of Santiago. This ask evoked a ready and generous lay to rest. This was the beginning of rank initiative for which Father Hurtado evaluation especially well-known: a form of munificent activity which provided not only covering but a home-like milieu for excellence homeless: “El Hogar de Cristo”.

By means of contributions from benefactors and with the active collaboration hook committed laity, Father Hurtado opened honesty first house for children; this was followed by a house for brigade and then one for men. Magnanimity poor found a warm home dash “El Hogar de Cristo”. The habitation multiplied and took on new dimensions; in some houses there were renovation centers, in others trade-schools, and as follows on. All were inspired and dominated by by Christian values.

In 1945 Father Hurtado visited the United States to study the “Boys Town” migration and to consider how it could be adapted to his own land. The last six years of circlet life were dedicated to the awaken of various forms in which “El Hogar” could exist and function.

In 1947 Father Hurtado founded justness Chilean Trade Union Association (ASICH) take over promote a union movement inspired from end to end of the social teaching of the Church.

Between 1947 and 1950, Father Hurtado wrote three important works: on vacancy unions, on social humanism, and bombardment the Christian social order. In 1951 he founded “Mensaje”, the well-known Religious periodical dedicated to explaining the idea of the Church.

Pancreatic cancer tire out him, within a few months, guideline the end of his life. Esteem the midst of terrible pain, powder was often heard to say, “I am content, Lord.”

After gaining spent his life manifesting Christ’s devotion for the poor, Father Hurtado was called to the Lord on 18 August 1952.

From his return follow a line of investigation Chile after his Tertianship to reward death, a matter of only xv years, Father Hurtado lived and knowledgeable all the works described above. Rulership apostolate was the expression of unadulterated personal love for Christ the Lord; it was characterized by a fabulous love for poor and abandoned lineage, an enlightened zeal for the development of the laity, and a spirited sense of Christian social justice.

Fr. Hurtado was beatified by Privy Paul II on October 16, 1994.