Last night we heard an impromptu talk by our very own Fr. John Gavin, S.J. Fr. Gavin spoke about the life and theology of St. Alberto Hurtado, a Chilean Jesuit who lived from 1901 to 1952. Canonized in 2005 by Pope Benedict XVI, Alberto Hurtado, he is the patron of Chile, the poor, street children and social workers. There are several misconceptions perpetuated about him, ranging from the claim that he was a liberation theologian to that he held pre-Vatican II spiritual beliefs. These claims, however, are untrue; rather, Alberto Hurtado used traditional Catholic spirituality and theology in relation to contemporary issues of poverty and communism.
Hurtado's father died when he was young, and as such his family suffered from many financial troubles. He first encountered the Society of Jesus when he began to attend a Jesuit high school. He later attended the Catholic University in Santiago and became a civil lawyer. His legal career did not last long, however, and he soon entered a Jesuit novitiate, an experience which he described as ecstatic and heavenly. He later did studies in Spain and, after the civil war broke out, Belgium. He was ordained a priest in 1933. After earning a doctoral degree in education (interestingly enough studying the American educationalist John Dewey) he returned to Chile to teach at the Catholic University.
He also began to lead the youth branch of Catholic Action, a lay movement established by Pope Pius XI. Issues arose under his leadership, however, when the movement became involved in Chilean politics. Given the political turbulence of the time, combined with the overwhelming poverty afflicting the country, political involvement became a troublesome enterprise, and Fr. Hurtado was forced to resign form Catholic Action. He also received criticism for a book he wrote, Is Chile a Catholic Country?, in which he criticized the lack of Church presence among the poor and homeless.
Fr. Hurtado realized his true calling in October of 1944. While walking home one evening, he encountered a homeless man on the street. This encounter prompted him to deliver a homily to a women's spirituality group, in which he said that he saw Christ suffering in that man, and that Christ had no home. The next day, he was surprised to discover that the women had taken up a collection for that man, and told Fr. Hurtado to give the man a home.
This event revealed his calling, and he quickly set out to establish the Hogar de Cristo (Home of Christ) Foundation, which worked to provide not only shelter, but also education and formation for the poor and homeless of Chile. To this day Hogar de Cristo remains the largest Catholic charity in Chile, and has spread to several other South American countries (and Florida). In addition to this, Fr. Hurtado also established several Catholic Unions, and he wrote several works on the poor and Catholic teaching. He died of cancer at the age of 51, and was made a saint 53 years later.
Pertaining to his theological teaching, Fr. Gavin emphasized three points:
First, the Doctrine of Deification is central to Alberto Hurtado's teaching. Deification, or Theosis, is an ancient doctrine stating that humans become divine by becoming one with God. Christ's Incarnation serves as an analog to how the baptized Christian will enter into union with God, a return to grace and an entering into divine sonship. Deification is central to Hurtado's doctrine, which focuses upon the guiding of the human person to his supernatural end. In an excess of poverty or wealth, however, that course to that supernatural end is obstructed, because the former begets envy and anger, while the latter begets pride and an over-reliance upon the self. Rather, by a fostering of virtue, we are allowed to become more Christ-like. Still, deification and original sin also remind us that heaven is not meant to be found on earth, and no social program will ever entirely eliminate suffering due to humanity's fallen nature and need for grace.
Further, Hurtado's teaching incorporates the doctrine of the Mystical Body of Christ, famously promulgated by Pope Pius XII's encyclical Mystici Corporis Christi. All the baptized participate in the body of Christ, and all the clergy, religious and laity are drawn together into the Church. Being a part of this body calls us all to transform the world in Christ.
Finally, Hurtado focused upon the reciprocity of justice and charity. Charity is a theological virtue, and is thus a gift given by God's grace. However, we must also be just, giving to each his due, to be charitable. If that fact is ignored, one cannot be truly charitable. Justice begins where charity ends - both feed each other in living a Christian life.
Overall, Alberto Hurtado believed in a social doctrine which was sacramentally-centered. If there is a lack of priests, and a subsequently diminished access to the Eucharist, confession, and other sacraments, then the social apostolate will be unable to flourish and will ultimately collapse.
Pope Francis has in fact drawn upon many of Hurtado's teachings, and uses them in his own teaching and writing. Alberto Hurtado, then, is an important figure with which to be familiar so as to understand Pope Francis's teaching.
We sincerely thank Fr. Gavin for putting this talk together on such short notice, and for exposing us to the life and teaching of this very beautiful and edifying saint.
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