“Superheroes Anonymous” campaign in Chile encourages heroic service to neighbor

Santiago, Chile, Aug 5, 2004 / 22:00 pm

The international organization Aid to the Church in Need, through its office in Chile, announced the launching of a campaign it’s calling “Superheroes Anonymous,” which will highlight the testimonies of people who make their daily lives an “heroic adventure” in service of others.

Among the testimonies is that of “Pedro, a young man who has built three chapels and is not an engineer.  Tomás, a priest who travels thousands of kilometers on foot in order to minister to the faithful.  Carmen, a cloistered nun, and Juan, a lay Catholic, who risk their freedom distributing thousands of Bibles in Cuba.”

According to Aid to the Church in Need, it is important to point out “these ‘superheroes’ who don’t make the front pages, but who are real people whose names have been changed to respect their anonymity.  They are people who give of themselves completely to those threatened by drug use, delinquency, persecution or the loss of values.”

The organization is calling “on all people to get to know and to imitate the lives of these exemplary individuals, and to join in these adventures of heroism.  In a world in which entertainment celebrities have become the primary role models, we need to highlight the examples of thousands of anonymous superheroes who not only give of their financial resources, but also give of themselves completely.”

Aid to the Church in Need is an international apostolate founded 52 years ago in Holland by Fr. Werenfried van Straaten, who worked primarily in places such as China, the Sudan, Cuba and Latin America.

On of its works in Latin America is “Chapels for Chile,” which aims to build chapels in areas where there is a Catholic community.  Up to now, six chapels have been built with donations collected throughout the country.