The Diocese of Getafe (Spain) recently presented the construction project of the Madre Teresa de Calcuta Center for homeless people in the town of Parla, “to respond to the serious exclusion situation” of many disadvantaged.
This is a place for the reception of homeless men and families in which Cáritas Diocesana de Getafe and the organization will collaborate ”Let’s make smile‘(Let’s smile), founded by the priest Alberto Íñigo, pastor in Alcorcón.
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According to the Diocese of Getafethe Madre Teresa de Calcuta Center is born “to respond to the serious exclusion situation that hundreds of people live in the south of the Community of Madrid, where there is only one center for passers -by in Aranjuez.”
This new service to the poor of the Catholic Church that pilgrims in this diocese to the south of Madrid “will offer temporary accommodation and social accompaniment to people” who live without a roof, evicted families or migrants in a situation of vulnerability “with the aim of facilitating their social reintegration, providing psychological help and support of different professionals.”
The Mother Teresa Center in Calcutta will have an extension of more than 1,000 square meters and capacity to house 60 people. The project is the work of the architect Borja Santafé and will have 16 individual rooms and eight family stays.
The complex will also offer common spaces such as dining room, laundry, living rooms, reception, offices, chapel and personalized attention areas.
The project is planned to be built in four phases, the first of which will consist of four family stays and other facilities. In this way, the Diocese of Getafe foresees “a progressive opening and an optimization of the investment, so that the facilities can start working even before being completed in its entirety.”
A center that “smells like a gospel”
Getafe’s auxiliary bishop, Mons. José María Avendaño, said during the presentation that the future complex “smells like a gospel” because “it is the realization of charity for homeless people.” “If someone wonders if God exists to come and touch the sores of Christ on this site,” he added.
The prelate also stated that the project “makes our Christian faith credible” and will allow its beneficiaries to feel “refugees, worthy and hopeful.”
The vicar for the charitable and social pastoral of the Diocese, P. Aurelio Carrasquilla, recalled that “more and more people go to the parishes of the diocese, even families, but there is no place that can host everyone.”
He also explained that the land belongs to the diocese and that the new center has had the collaboration of local authorities.
Borja Santafé recalled that the project “arises from faith, the will and the commitment to take care of others and improve the life of the one who needs it most.”
For his part, Fr. Alberto Íñigo explained that “with a bit of each one we can do a lot. We want to help from the heart, we want the poorest to be here in a few months.”
This hopeful consideration based on his own experience as the founder of Façamos Sorrir, because his first project was a school in Brazil that began with 9 children and today is 250.
Nicolás de Cárdenas
Born in 1980, I am a Spanish and journalist’s husband and father with more than 20 years of experience in print and digital media, specialized in socio -political and religious information. I have worked more than 10 years in defense of human rights and I have accreditations in journalism and comprehensive communication. Since July 2022, I am a correspondent for ACI Press and Ewtn News in Spain, covering international events of the Catholic Church.