With the certainty that the Catholic Church has been and continues to be a caring Mother, the Assumptionist shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Santiago, Chile, is organizing a series of activities marking Human Rights Month, to begin Nov.15.

The Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Santiago has for many years been a spiritual lung for Chile, to be exact, since its inauguration in 1908.

The pastoral team and the Assumptionists feel that it is critical to the life of the nation to recall the great men and women who were agents of peace and reconciliation, especially during the military dictatorship (1973-1989). As in many other places, this event is an attempt to take seriously the Lord’s command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Thirty-five years ago in Chile there was held the ground-breaking “Symposium on Human Rights.” The event to be held at the Shrine is meant as a special tribute to the courageous, evangelical commitment of three pastors: Fernando Ariztía Ruiz (bishop), Raúl Silva Henríquez (cardinal) and Servant of God Enrique Alvear Urrutia (bishop).

However, this event goes further and honors the thousands of individuals who, in this shrine, found "a place of peace and welcome" (“a spiritual lung”) and knew that here all peoples of this land, without distinction, had their home.

In this shrine-parish of Lourdes, the following program has been organized:

15 November: Round-table presentation “The Role of the Catholic Church and the Shrine of Lourdes in the defense and promotion of human rights.” Panel Members: Mr. Javier Luis Egaña Barahona, Rev. Olivier d´Argouges, A.A., Rev. Aldo Gajardo Álvarez, A.A.

23 November: Human Rights pilgrimage, a visit of the Paine Memorial, the Villa Grimaldi and the Bulnes Bridge. Departure from the Shrine at 9 AM.

24 November: A Mass of Thanksgiving on the feast of Christ the King on behalf of men and women who have given their lives in the defense of life, at 5 PM, in the  shrine basilica

One and all are invited to take part in these events including our brothers and sisters of other Christian churches who share our commitment to the dignity of every human person. Peace, freedom, and solidarity are gifts from God. The Shrine of Lourdes, “a spiritual lung of Chile,” rooted in the simplicity and humility of Our Lady’s message to Bernadette more than 150 years ago, hopes to continue its legacy of contributing to the well-being of the nation and the Church.