On February 25, 2025, the Sons of Charity celebrated their 40 years of presence in Colombia. This anniversary was celebrated in simplicity and joy, in a meeting with the Anizan Fraternities and friends who shared their experiences and testimonies. They also made a brief procession through some of the streets where the first Sons of Charity apostles walked. At the end, a Mass presided over by the current Bishop of Facatativá, in the parish where the Sons of Charity began (Parroquia del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús).

40 years is a short time and at the same time a long time

40 years is not much and at the same timeit is very much, but God’s times are different from ours, as the prophet Isaiah says: “As the heavens are above the earth, so are my thoughts and my actions above yours” (Is 55:8). Or as a famous Colombian vallenato
says : “The paths of life are not as I thought.”

We could read these 40 years, which are otherwise symbolic from a biblical point of view, as 40 years of desert for the people of Israel towards freedom, 40 days of fasting for Jesus…

If we consider this journey from the perspective of effectiveness and success, we could conclude that we have achieved few results on the vocational level. But we can read it from the perspective of fruitfulness, gratuity, the kingdom of God and hope. As the Gospel says: “The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed on the earth; whether he sleeps or wakes, night and day, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how” (Mk 4:26).

The Sons of Charity gave their lives in Colombia

We can therefore see that for 40 years the Sons of Charity have given their lives and that several of them have literally remained in Colombia: Philippe Toulemonde fc , Martirian Marbán fc , Michel Martin fc , Jorge Ferreira fc , J. Luis Servin fc , Modesto Avalos , Pedro Salinas , Francisco Hernández . The Sons of Charity, despite their fragility as people, have tried to place the poor and the workers at the center of their lives and pastoral concerns, the vulnerable people and the workers of the floricultures. Through their presence among the workers of the florists, in their organization, in the defense of their rights, thus showing them that the path to the kingdom passes through justice. These testimonies were shared on February 22.

The Sons of Charity have put their shepherd hearts at the service of the people and the Colombian Church, first of all through their proximity. They have shown sensitivity and, in the best sense of the word, compassion towards those who suffer the most, touching the soul of the people, accompanying them in their pain and joy. And when you accompany the people, they are also generous and devoted, this is clearly seen here.

Joining forces in parishes, the working world and organizations

The Sons of Charity did not really invent anything new, but they tried to join forces, to smooth out difficulties, to build bridges. Both in the activities of the parishes for which they are responsible and in the world of work and its organizations.

And so, for 40 years, all the Sons of Charity who have passed through or stayed in these beautiful lands have nourished hope alongside these people. Yes, because hope is not the conviction that something will happen in a specific way, but the conviction that something has meaning. Our predecessors nourished hope from these places below, and they have offered us this experience as rays of hope, which encourage us to continue. To continue working in the furrows that they have cleared and sown.

We must remain faithful (read the article on 30 years of presence in Colombia) , that is, continue to work in these furrows, so that fraternity, peace and justice continue to flourish. And above all, continue to place the poor and vulnerable at the center of our action and our sensitivity as pastors and apostles. In other words, let us continue to nourish the hope that this passion for God and for the people from the peripheries has an evangelical meaning.

Calixto Martínez FC
Source: https://filsdelacharite.org/