Remarks at Columban parish of San Matias
Puente Alto, Santiago, Chile, 6th October 2012
Señoras y Señores
Gracias por la cálida bienvenida que nos han dado a Sabina y a mí a Puente Alto. Apreciamos mucho que hayan venido a acompañarnos hoy.
[Thank you for the warm welcome to Puente Alto that you have extended to Sabina and myself. We very much appreciate you making yourselves available to join us here today.]
He sentido un gran afecto por este país por mucho tiempo y me alegró mucho aceptar la cordial invitación del Presidente de Chile. Esta mañana estoy muy agradecido de tener la oportunidad de encontrarme con la gente de Puente Alto.
[I have long felt a particular affection for this country and I was delighted to accept the kind invitation of the President of Chile to make this visit. This morning I am most appreciative of the opportunity to meet with the people of Puente Alto.]
My first visit to Chile was in 1988 when I had the privilege of being a member of a parliamentary delegation invited to observe the Presidential Plebiscite of that year I was greatly encouraged by the enthusiasm, dignity and determination that I encountered on that visit. On my return to Chile, I am deeply moved by all that you have achieved.
You have been accompanied on your journey by some of my compatriots. I would like to express my deep appreciation of the long and proud tradition of Irish religious and development workers here, elsewhere in South America and indeed in many corners of the world. Many women and men from Ireland, members of religious orders such as the Columbans as well as lay development workers, have dedicated themselves to working alongside local communities.
In my Inaugural Address as President of Ireland, I spoke of the necessity of active and inclusive citizenship. We must place the common good, respect for human rights and the need for social justice at the heart of our thinking and actions. In all societies, Governments and citizens must reach out to the margins and ensure that growth is equitable and that the interests of the most vulnerable are protected and promoted.
In meeting with Irish religious in Chile, and speaking of the necessity of active citizenship, I realise that I am speaking to the already converted. You already know that efforts are most effective when you work within the local communities that have accepted you, listening to them and supporting them to realise their vision of a better, more just society.
I am also very conscious that the mission and ethos of the Irish religious in Chile has been greatly influenced by the vision that was adopted by the Second Latin American Bishops Conference in Medellin in 1968 – a vision of La Iglesia de los Pobres, There is no doubt that this preferential option for the poor has made a significant contribution to the social progress that has been achieved in Latin America since 1968. In making that contribution, many religious in Chile and other Latin American countries made huge personal sacrifices – in some cases their very lives – in standing in solidarity with the poor and demanding social justice and human rights.
- The ongoing challenge of promoting social justice also needs to be accompanied by a similar commitment in the area of environmental sustainability, particularly since the costs of the damage to our global environment impact often most directly on the less developed regions. The challenge for all of us is to think and act more ethically about the need for environmental sustainability and to be conscious that we hold the fate of a fragile planet in our hands.
I believe that most of the genuinely progressive changes we have seen in our lives have been made possible by those who followed that generous and courageous instinct of the heart which tells us to reach out to others and to respect their essential dignity. I know that this is the spirit of this community in Puente Alto.
Accompanying communities on their journey – as the Columbans are doing here in Puente Alto – is a clear sign of active citizenship. So too is the support which Irish people provide in development assistance. I am joined by Minister Joe Costello, the Irish Minister responsible for Trade and Development Assistance. We have visited Colegio Elisa Valdez and were pleased to learn how support from the Irish Aid Programme has been able to help the work of the Colegio.
Gracias por invitarme aquí hoy. Gracias Padre Álvaro Martínez, Director de los Padres Columbanos, y a toda la comunidad Columbana presente aquí hoy.
[Thank you for inviting me here today. Thank you Fr. Alvaro Martinez, head of the Columban Fathers, and to all of the Columban Fathers and Sisters present here today.]
Gracias especialmente a la gente de Puente Alto por la cálida bienvenida que nos han dado esta mañana. Estoy encantado de tener la oportunidad de conocerlos y escuchar sus historias y su visión para el futuro.
[Thank you in particular to the people Puente Alto for the warm welcome that you have extended this morning. I am delighted to have the opportunity to meet with you and to hear your stories, and your vision for the future.]
Muchísimas gracias