VATICAN II TALKS - No. 2

GAUDIUM ET SPES AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

The second talk in the Vatican II Talk Series in honor of the 50th Anniversay of the Council, co-hosted by the Community of Saint Paul and Sacred Heart Parish in Racine took place on Friday, May 17.  The talk titled "Gaudium et Spes and Social Justice" was given by Fr. Bryan Massingale, professor of Moral Theology at Marquette University in Milwaukee.  

In the presentation, Fr. Massingale went into depth in the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the World, and gave proposals with regard to a fruitful relationship between the Church and civil society. 

About 100 people attended the talk, which ended with an animated debate between the audience and Fr. Massingale as to how to mold the live of the Church as proposed in Gaudium et Spes. 

"DÍA DEL NIÑO" IN THE SAN JOSÉ COMMUNITY CENTER, MEXICO CITY.

April 30 was the celebration of the Día del Niño (literally "Day of the Child") in the San José Community Center. In Mexico, the Día del Niño commemorates the Declaration of Children's Rights in 1959. 

Every day, 70 children come to this center located in El Ajusco, in the outskirts of Mexico City.  The center provides them with pre-school education, breakfast, lunch and medical care. 

In the Center there are also periodic talks with the fathers and mothers regarding reinforcing their children's education.  One topic that commonly emerges is domestic violence.  

On this occasion, the Center wanted to throw a nice party to commemorate the right of the children to have a happy childhood.  For this, the teachers dressed as clowns and organized a fair with different booths.  One was dedicated to makeup, where the children painted themselves as gatas, mice and Spider Man.  Another had a balloon game where they could win prizes.  And there was a dace floor.  

Later, the organizers hung up a large piñata full of candy.  After several falled attempts (as it should be!), finally the children were able to break it and all of them quickly filled their pockets.  For the gran finale, the cook had prepared an exceptional menu: pizza, natural fruit juice and horchata (a rice drink). 

It was a beautiful way to celebrate and highlight the rights of the smallest ones among us.