Until 3 years ago, the Archdiocese of San José de Costa Rica celebrated Good Samaritan Week in June, following the line of the “Aparecida” document. Since Pope Francis instituted, the World Day of the Poor that is celebrated in November, the Archdiocese decided to unite both events, and a week before World Day of the Poor, they celebrate the Good Samaritan week.
The objective is that this week the parishes can “make visible the work they do throughout the year attending to the neediest in their communities and that they carry out some specific actions for the needy population in any age range” Father David Eduardo Solano Chaves, Episcopal Delegate of Pastoral Social-Cáritas Archdiocese of San José, Costa Rica, declared.
According to the Father, a parish created with the children who receive catechesis, an animated short: the parable of the Good Samaritan and then asked them the question, how can they be good Samaritans? the children drew pictures and then placed them in the parish temple. Also, they carried out solidarity assistance for the neediest families in the parishes and food collection in some places, helping those most in need.
Good Samaritan Week
Since 2009, the Good Samaritan Week has been held in the country in June, as Father Solano Chaves explained, but since the Pope instituted the World Day of the Poor, it was considered to unite both events, the week of the Good Samaritan together with the World Day of the Poor to give more prominence to the World Day of the Poor and work on it more, said the Father.
A grant to prepare parishes
To prepare parishes and communities, the Archdiocese makes a grant in which they enroll the members of the team that will guide the community, the texts of the Good Samaritan are taken from some theologians and they are shared with the laity and priests, so in that week they have sufficient material.
A poster is prepared, which is also the cover of the brochure and is placed in the different parishes to remember the week of the good Samaritan and the actions that each parish can implement, depending on its diocese, or department, working in favor of those most in need in society.
