Solidarity

Some years ago, St. Malachi made a commitment to a concrete project or effort to support a program or ministry in the developing world. Our intention was to do something that could make a difference that was over and above the second collections, mission appeals and other calls for support that are part of the regular cycle of the year.

 This year’s appeal is taking place during Lent on behalf of Fr. Patrick Clarke and The City of the Angels in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Fr. Clarke visited us at St. Malachi last August and shared with us how, since 1990, the lives of hundreds of children have been touched and transformed through the arts and the opportunities created for them. (see www.cityof theangelsfoundation.org) Fr. Clarke presented us with the chalice and paten we are using during the Lenten liturgies.

 As a Lenten appeal, the intention is to combine the traditional Lenten practices of personal sacrifice (i.e. fasting) and almsgiving. The suggestion is that an individual or a family choose a particular sacrifice for Lent – “to give something up.” The value or cost of that sacrifice is put aside and saved. At the end of Lent, the monies saved through the Lenten sacrifice is then donated to the cause we have chosen – Fr. Clarke and The City of the Angels this year.

 The easier way to do this would be simply to write a check. It would be faster. It would be more efficient. There even might be more money given this way. But something important would be lost. Solidarity.

 What do I mean by this? A story I heard recently might make it clear. Dr. Pedro “Joe” Greer has been practicing medicine for more than 25 years — and he’s devoted most of that time to helping Miami’s poor. A moment with a young child changed his life: “One day I went to the clinic and it was lunch time. There was a mother and she three of her kids from the Salvation Army. Her youngest son – I guess about six years old – had a sweet smile. I handed him my sandwich. The kid took the sandwich out of the bag, unwrapped it, broke it in half, took a couple of bites and then stuck back into the wrapper. I couldn’t figure out why the kid was doing that. I asked the kid ‘why did you do it?’ The little boy just looked up and said ‘It’s for my brother.’ … A six year old homeless child is teaching us what we’re all supposed to do – think about somebody else.”

 The young boy who was thinking about his brother and divided his sandwich was in solidarity with him. Our Lenten appeal is not only about the money we will raise to support Fr. Clarke’s work with the children of The City of the Angels. It is equally (or perhaps even more) about our solidarity with them. Each time we make our Lenten sacrifice and “offer it up” for the children of Sao Paulo’s slums, we are putting something aside and saying “Its for my brother and my sister.”