My first week in Santiago I saw a sign that struck me.
"In my opinion, you're the most beautiful person in the world. Okay, I'm biased." -God
One of my favorite theologians, St. Augustine, put it best when he said, “Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering.“ So don’t forget to stop and think while you’re traveling! It’s a blast to go places, but more important to learn about yourself and the world around you.
On my trip so far I’ve continued to learn about the power of prayer. I’ve been praying a lot for safety, about housing, for my friends, and for guidance throughout my trip.
During the first Friday of classes at Universidad Alberto Hurtado, we learned about the Chilean saint whom our university is named after. Father Alberto Hurtado (1901-1952) was a lawyer, social worker, and Jesuit priest that founded Chile’s largest poverty NGO, Hogar de Cristo. In the afternoon we visited his shrine, which people around the world come to visit, including the Pope.
Without your help, we'll fall behind
Saint Alberto Hurtado - Help me to help
One of the aspects of attending a Jesuit university that I appreciate is for students to learn about Christianity in an environment of mutual respect. Attending church is never required, but students definitely know where to go to have their spiritual needs met or just talk with someone that has a bigger perspective on life. Just on campus at Georgetown alone there are churches for Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox traditions.
One thing that I never liked about attending such a secular university as an undergraduate (University of Colorado at Boulder) was how the university completely ignored any mention of ethics or spirituality. In fact, any mention of God outside New Age religion was strongly frowned down upon. Similarly, the Ivy Leagues, which were founded to train pastors, now disavow their religious heritage. In contrast, Georgetown embraces the fact that the point of education is to make the world a better place and glorify God. We’re not without our controversies, but the difference in atmosphere is like night and day.
