From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   How Burdens must be Borne to win Eternal Life  [II]   
      
   Labor with all your might. Work faithfully in My vineyard;(Matt. 20:7)   
   I myself will be your reward. (Gen. 15:1) Write, study, worship, be   
   penitent, keep silence and pray. Meet all your troubles like a man:   
   eternal life is worth all this and yet greater conflicts. Peace will   
   come at a time known only to the Lord. It will not be day or night as   
   we know it, (Rev. 22:5) but everlasting light, boundless glory,   
   abiding peace and sure rest. You will not say then, 'Who will free me   
   from this mortal body?; (Rom 7:4) nor cry, 'Alas, how long is my   
   exile!' (Ps. 120:5) for the power of death will be utterly broken,   
   (Isa. 25:8) and full salvation assured. No anxiety will remain, but   
   only blessed joy in the fair and lovely fellowship of the Saints.   
   --Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Bk 3 Ch 47   
      
   <<>><<>><<>>   
   August 10th - Saint Alberto Hurtado-Cruchaga   
      
   Alberto Hurtado Cruchaga was born on 22 January 1901 in Viña del Mar,   
   Chile. With his father’s death in 1905, when Alberto was only 4, the   
   family found itself in financial difficulties, forcing his mother to   
   start selling off land owned by the family. Thanks to a scholarship,   
   Alberto was able to study from 1909-17 at the highly respected Jesuit   
   school of St. Ignacio in Santiago. From 1918 to 1923, he attended the   
   Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile as a law student and doing   
   his thesis on labour law.   
      
   However, rather than becoming a lawyer, Alberto entered the Jesuit   
   novitiate in 1923. He was sent to Barcelona in Spain for his   
   philosophy and theology studies. In 1932 he was banished together with   
   Spanish classmates, and completed his theology studies in Leuven   
   (Louvain), Belgium from 1932 to 1934. He was ordained priest there on   
   24 August 1933. While pursuing his theological studies, he also worked   
   on a doctorate in Psychology and Pedagogy at the Catholic University   
   of Leuven.   
      
   From the early days of his studies in labour law and even before   
   becoming a Jesuit, Hurtado was keen on tackling social issues and   
   problems. Before returning to Chile, he visited social and educational   
   centres in Germany, France, Belgium and The Netherlands.   
      
   After returning to Chile in 1936, Alberto turned to serving the poor   
   of Chile, concentrating on disadvantaged children, teenagers and young   
   adults. He was a teacher of religion and formed future teachers in the   
   Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. He was also active in   
   spiritual direction and gave retreats according to the Spiritual   
   Exercises, helping people in the process to discover their vocation in   
   the service of Christ.   
      
   Mindful of his own origins and the help his family received in times   
   of difficulty led Hurtado to become very active in social issues. He   
   set up an organisation called Hogar de Cristo (Christ’s Home). His   
   shelters took in children in need of food and shelter, whether they   
   were abandoned or not. He bought an old green van and checked out the   
   streets at night on the lookout for young people who could be helped.   
   His special charisma drew many helpers and benefactors and the   
   movement was highly successful. In time, the shelters multiplied all   
   over the country. It is estimated that between 1945 and 1951 more than   
   850,000 children received help from the movement.   
      
   In 1947, Hurtado entered the labour movement to give support to   
   Chilean workers. Inspired by the social teaching of the Catholic   
   Church, he set up the Chilean Trade Union Association, whose aim was   
   to train union leaders in Christian values. To this end, he wrote the   
   three books: “Social Humanism” (1947), “The Christian Social Order”   
   (1947) and “Trade Unions” (1950). To spread the social teaching of the   
   Church and help Christians reflect and act on the serious social   
   problems faced by the country in 1951 he founded a periodical called   
   Mensaje (Message). He himself published numerous articles and books on   
   labour issues seen from the side of the Catholic faith. His attractive   
   personality and consistently optimistic and joyful attitudes attracted   
   people of all kinds -- young and old, intellectuals and workers alike.   
      
   In 1952, after being rushed to hospital in great pain, he was   
   diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. His last days were monitored by the   
   national press and, even before his death, he had become a national   
   hero. True to his nature, he gracefully accepted the inevitable. He   
   died in Santiago on 18 August 1952 just 51 years old.   
      
   Alberto Hurtado was beatified on 16 October 1994 by Pope John Paul II   
   and canonised by Pope Benedict XVI on 23 October 23, 2005. He was one   
   of the first to be elevated to sainthood during the papacy of Pope   
   Benedict XVI and is the second Chilean saint, after Saint Teresa of   
   the Andes.   
      
   An indication of his enduring popularity was the presence on the   
   Piazza San Pietro, on the day of his canonisation, of a very large   
   contingent of Chileans, led by President Ricardo Lagos and a number of   
   high ranking Chilean politicians who had been Alberto Hurtado’s   
   students.   
      
   The Hogar de Cristo he founded still exists and, through its fight for   
   social justice, it has become one of the biggest charity groups in   
   Chile.   
      
   Alberto Hurtado is remembered as deeply spiritual and untiring in his   
   work for workers and the young, combining intellectual reflection and   
   practical action.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Many things seem good and yet are not, because they be not done with a   
   good mind and intention; and therefore our Saviour saith in the   
   Gospel, "If thy eye has naught, all thy body shall be dark." For when   
   the intention is wicked, all the work that follows is naught, although   
   it seemed to be never so good.   
   --St. Gregory the Great   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   Whose coming is according to the working of Satan, in all power and   
   signs and lying wonders: And in all seduction of iniquity to them that   
   perish: because they receive not the love of the truth, that they   
   might be saved. Therefore God shall send them the operation of error,   
   to believe lying: That all may be judged who have not believed the   
   truth but have consented to iniquity.  [2 Thessalonians 2:9-12] DRB   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Hymn: Deus, tuorum militum   
      
   O God, of those that fought Thy fight,   
   Portion, and prize, and crown of light,   
   Break every bond of sin and shame   
   As now we praise Thy Martyr's name.   
      
   He recked not of the world's allure,   
   But sin and pomp of sin forswore:   
   Knew all their gall, and passed them by,   
   And reached the throne prepared on high.   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)