Missionary Priest praises charity’s work in Angola

Santiago, Chile, Jan 15, 2007 / 14:20 pm

Preaching recently at a Mass in his native Chile, Father Luis Brevis praised the work Catholic organization, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), has done in the African nation of Angola.  Celebrating Mass to mark the 25th anniversary of his priesthood, Fr. Brevis said that ACN can assist those who are in pain because they know who to unite pain to the Cross of Christ

The Missionary priest is director of an orphanage in the South West of Angola.  The orphanage is home to 20 young people between 14 and 20 years. Fr. Brevis noted that the Archdiocese of Lubango, where he serves, has about 3 million inhabitants, 1.6 million of them Catholics.

“After almost 40 years of civil war several generations of Angolans have not had education at all. Recently in 2001 peace came, but not prosperity; the most difficult is not the war itself but to try to escape from it,” he said.

According to the priest, Angola’s lack of education, proper hygiene, and natural resources along with rampant corruption, leaves many of its citizens in inhumane conditions.  Fr. Brevis said the help he receives from abroad is fundamental for his pastoral work. “In Angola I have experienced the service and help that ACN gives to the Church in Need. I, therefore, have to say thank you.”

Those who have, “passed through the probe of pain can help those who pass through it now because they know the pain united with the Cross,” he said. “That is what ACN does: It puts the faith in the power of the Lord and in His name it redeems humanity.”