This Tuesday, August 6, at the Archdiocese of Santiago de Chile, the Historical Commission supporting the cause of beatification of Father Hernán Alessandri Morandé, Chilean priest of the Schoenstatt Movement, was sworn in. Historians Carolina Cherniavsky, María Elena Uriarte, and María Rosario Willumsen assumed the task of collecting and rigorously and confidentially studying the unpublished writings and documents of Father Hernán.

Cardinal Fernando Chomali, Archbishop of Santiago, presided over the ceremony and emphasized the urgency of holy witnesses:

“We need saints. Father Hernán is a profoundly relevant figure, with his feet on the ground and enormous spiritual depth.”

For the Schoenstatt family in Chile, this step is a source of great joy and also a challenge: recognizing in one of their members a concrete model of self-giving to families and the most vulnerable motivates them to live the Covenant of Love more faithfully and to intensify prayer for this cause.

What’s next?

Documentary work:
The commission will gather all necessary texts and testimonies for the dossier to be sent to Rome.

Prayer and outreach:
As a movement, we are invited to support this process through prayer and by spreading the life and work of Father Hernán.

Life testimony:
His legacy – founding María Ayuda, his closeness to families and children at risk, his tireless “bicycle mission” – reminds us that holiness is built in daily life.

In this month when Chile celebrates the “Month of Solidarity”, we joyfully mark this milestone and renew our commitment: May your Covenant live on in concrete acts of charity and service, following the example of Father Hernán Alessandri!

For more information, visit: padresdeschoenstatt.cl/proceso-p-alessandri

With information from: schoenstatt.cl

Translation: Sr. M. Lourdes Macías