Last July 20, 2023 marked twenty-five years since the arrival of the Mercedarian Sisters of Charity to the San Vicente de Paúl de Aranjuez center for homeless people. To commemorate this quarter of a century of the religious order leading the management of the hostel, owned by Cáritas Diocesana of Getafe, a thanksgiving mass was celebrated in the center’s chapel.
The Eucharist was presided over by the auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Getafe Don José María Avendaño, by the diocesan delegate of Cáritas Don Jesús de Santos and by some of the parish priests of the different parishes of the Villa de Aranjuez. In addition, the director of Cáritas Diocesana of Getafe, Jesús Casares, the deputy directors of the ecclesial organization of social action, Isabel García, and of communication, César García, attended the celebration; the Superior General of the Mercedarias de la Caridad, Sister Julia Tajuelo, workers, volunteers and people welcomed at the center.
May this house be the light of the Gospel in the Diocese
Don José María Avendaño wanted to thank, from the beginning, the dedication and dedication of the Mercedarias de la Caridad in the center for homeless people in Aranjuez. In addition, it should be noted that this resource is the only one available for this mission in the south of the Community of Madrid.
Avendaño highlighted the figure of Don José Ramos, a priest in the San Pascual de Aranjuez parish, who in 1980, together with a group of volunteers and with the support of the City Council, launched the “San Vicente de Paúl” Shelter.
In the early years the main objective of the ‘shelter’ was to cover the basic needs of homeless people for a limited time. Subsequently, care evolved and individualized and long-term care itineraries began to be designed, which would provide the people served with an opportunity to overcome the situation of homelessness.
After a few years in which the attention changed location, the center was located at the current address, where the Mercedarian sisters of Charity arrived in 1995 to assume the direction of the center together with Cáritas Diocesana of Getafe and dedicate their lives to homeless people, since the community of religious women lives and works in the center together with the residents three hundred and sixty-five days a year.
“The sisters give their lives every day for people who are homeless,” as highlighted by the auxiliary bishop, who recalled one of the many difficult situations he has experienced in the shelter, through the figure of one of the nuns who They were at the center at that time, “one day a person who was sheltered arrived drunk and insulting the center staff. Sister Ascensión came out with the only weapons of her word. “What tenderness, what listening, what welcome, with which she made that person repent and get on his knees to ask for forgiveness for her attitude.”
Avendaño highlighted “the very important role that the sisters played during confinement” due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a very difficult moment, during which the center became a refuge for the people welcomed and the religious in their only family. to face that difficult situation.
In addition, he wanted to thank the general superior of the Mercedarias de la Caridad for her presence and for betting on this center. Order that she pointed out as the spiritual reference and her dedication to those who find themselves in this vulnerable situation.
Finally, Don José María Avendaño called on us to look around us, so as not to be oblivious to the pain of the homeless, and to have a charitable heart, as did the bishop of the Diocese of Getafe, Don Ginés García, who does Three years ago, during a pastoral visit, he saw a man sleeping on a bench and invited him to go to the center of Aranjuez, where he has lived since then.
Witnesses to the change in the lives of homeless people
For her part, the Superior General of the Mercedarias de la Caridad, Sister Julia Tajuelo, wanted to thank the Getafe church for its trust in the order to coordinate the center of Aranjuez, and, above all, for having allowed them, in these 25 years , to develop his charisma of “love and redemptive service, with those of our brothers who, due to different circumstances, have been beaten, injured, made homeless by some people and environments.”
As its founder, blessed Father Zegrí, said, “our mission does not end as long as there is a wound to heal or a heart to console”, therefore, for them it is a gift from God, to be able to continue providing service in that shelter for transients during more than two decades.
Sister Julia wanted to thank the great work carried out in these twenty-five years, by the religious community, now headed by Sister Isabel, by the volunteers, workers and the people of Aranjuez, in a center that aims to accompany and cover the basic needs of the people in this vulnerable situation.
In addition, he wanted to highlight how this center has witnessed many stories of hope and improvement, of having seen people change their lives, which is why he said that “we are very happy and grateful to have been part of those stories.”
Finally, he wanted to reiterate the commitment of the order, together with Cáritas, to continue working for homeless people in the Diocese of Getafe, following the motto of the Mercedarias de la Caridad “Everything for the good of humanity, in God, by God and for God.
Thank you for carrying out the Works of Mercy
Finally, Jesús Casares, director of Cáritas Diocesana of Getafe, intervened to thank the great work carried out by the Mercedarian sisters of Charity in the center. In addition, we would like to highlight and extend our gratitude to the volunteers, to the Aranjuez City Council and to the people of the town in the south of Madrid.
Also, Casares wanted to have a few words of remembrance for the priest José Ramos (Pepe Ramos as he was known), who promoted that center, since “very important work has been done” in the development of homeless people.
He wanted to invite the sisters to continue his great work, following his charism “the practice of redemptive charity, exercising all spiritual and corporal works of mercy in the person of the poor, serving them in whatever works may benefit poor humanity.” and needy.”
Finally, Jesús Casares and the deputy director of “Social Action” of Cáritas Diocesana of Getafe, presented the superior of the order and the sister superior of the center, Sister Isabel, with a plaque commemorating the anniversary, in gratitude for the great work carried out In these twenty-five years alongside the homeless in the Diocese of Getafe.
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