Showing solidarity with ?Villa Hermano Fernando de la Fuente?

Members of the Instituto O’Higgins, Marist school of the city of Rancagua, are participating in a project to evangelise the peripheral neighbourhood of ‘Villa Hermano Fernando de la Fuente’.

The neighborhood carries the name of one of the martyrs of Bugobe, who taught in the Institute O’Higgins from 1977 to 1982.

The project, carried out by the Comunidad de Maristas de Champagnat, Oasis, consists in accompanying a small Christian community in the Villa to help them get to know the Marist charism and and prepare those who would like to receive the sacraments.

“They told us that it was dangerous, but when we got there we realised that we had common dreams,” affirmed Christian Arancibia, professor of the Instituto O’Higgins, on Oct. 22. “They had the strong desire to live in a Christian community formed by residents that wanted to receive the sacraments; we had to desire to serve from what we know which is to evangelize.”

Nine people form part of the project, including administrators, educators, a retired Marist professor and Brother Mariano Varona.

As part of the project and because the residents of the Villa themselves did not know Brother Fernando de la Fuente, the community is helping them build the history of the residents, in which the figure of the Brother is essential.

“To know him will help them understand that they are not alone and that there is a Marist community willing to offer its heart and hands to address the problems of our time,” pointed out Christian. “Little by little, they begin to feel also that they belong to the big Marist Family and now it is up to us to continue to cultivate the feelings of Father Champagnat.”

The project has also been in charge of opening the Marist stadium to the residents that had not had access for over eight years.

This video explains more about the project in greater detail: