In Argentina, numerous organizations dedicated to assisting people with disabilities are facing significant difficulties. Among them, the Don Orione Work, through its facilities called Cottolengo, is managing a crisis that threatens the continuity of essential services. Father Aníbal Quevedo, responsible for this area, describes a complex picture where the national government's failure to comply with existing laws is creating serious repercussions.
The Regulatory Context and Its Challenges
Law 24.901 establishes clear responsibilities for social service entities, but its implementation appears problematic today. The government program "Incluir Salud," designed to ensure a safety net, shows delays in payments and interruptions in the supply of basic necessities like medicines and medical supplies. This situation affects not just bureaucratic aspects but directly touches the lives of vulnerable people.
Concrete Consequences for Communities
The Don Orione Work manages twelve facilities across the country, providing care for approximately twelve hundred residents. The resulting financial crisis has a dual effect: on one hand, people with disabilities see reduced guarantees for their health and dignity; on the other, over a thousand workers, who dedicate their professionalism to this service, face uncertainties regarding regular compensation. In a nonprofit organization, every resource serves the mission, and its scarcity undermines the very foundations of the work.
The Christian Community's Response
In this scenario, the Church in Argentina has not remained silent. A significant sign was offered during the Easter Triduum, when Bishop Marcelo Colombo, president of the Argentine Episcopal Conference, presided over the Holy Thursday celebration at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish in Mendoza. The event, organized in collaboration with the Don Orione Work, saw the active participation of residents from the local Cottolengo, included in the foot washing liturgy.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy" (Mt 5:7 NIV).
This sacramental gesture took on profound value, becoming an icon of communion and attention toward the most fragile. It was not merely a ceremony but a concrete testimony of how faith translates into proximity and mutual support.
The Biblical Perspective on Caring for Others
Scripture offers us numerous insights for reflecting on responsibility toward the weakest. The book of Leviticus reminds us:
"Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord" (Lev 19:14 NIV).This commandment goes beyond simply "doing no harm"; it implies an active attitude of protection and removal of obstacles that prevent a full life. Similarly, in the New Testament, the apostle James emphasizes:
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" (James 1:27 NIV).The care James speaks of is not a formal act but a commitment to address concrete needs.
Toward a Shared Solution
The path indicated by Father Quevedo to overcome the impasse is clear and founded on the principle of legality: respect existing law and guarantee due payments to all facilities assisting people with disabilities. This is not only a legal duty but an ethical imperative that a mature society cannot evade. The current crisis challenges not only public institutions but the entire national community, called to rediscover the value of solidarity and justice.
Comments