Chile
In Chile, Face-Faw supports San Lorenzo, a school and community centre in the shanty town area of the Apostolic Manquehue Movement in Santiago, Chile.
The Manquehue Movement was founded in Santiago, Chile in 1977 on the Feast of Pentecost by Jose Manuel Eguiguren, then aged 29. He had been invited to run a confirmation course for the students in a Catholic school called Manquehue School [Manquehue is an Indian word that means "Place of the Condor" - the name of the large Andean bird]. Jose Manuel Eguiguren decided he should begin a school based on the Benedictine spirit, following and applying the Rule of St Benedict. Jose Manuel wrote to Fr Dominic in 1980 and in October 1981 he came to Ampleforth. Ampleforth made a profound impression on him
At the heart of the Movement, there are 30 Oblates, members of the Movement in Vows, some married and some celibate. In all, there are about 1000 members of the community who attend weekly Lectio meetings, and of these about 600 are under 24 years old. The Oblates live in Community Houses. They share their faith.
San Lorenzo is a school in the very poor area of the city. Of the children in San Lorenzo, 29.7% live in “extremely poor” housing conditions, 40.8% live in a shared home (they cannot afford a home of their own), 11.8% live in extreme poverty (not having enough money to buy the minimum food needed to survive one month) and 42.9% cannot afford basic food, clothes and transport.
Over the 25 years since 1984, a few Amplefordians on leaving school have hellped each year with the Movement in Chile, sharing in their community life. Monks have also come for a limited time to Ampleforth. Abbot Timothy Wright is Chaplain to the Community.
Face-Faw sponsors the cost of a student at San Lorenzo and the sum of £1,000 was recently transferred to San Lorenzo for this purpose. Support can be given to Face-Faw (San Lorenzo) - sent to Face-Faw, Ampleforth Abbey, York, YO62 4EN.
Friendship and Aid to Central and Eastern Europe - Friendship and Aid for the World (Face-Faw) represents Ampleforth’s concern for the needs of the world.
Face-Faw can receive donations to help with its aid work on www.justgiving.com/ampleforthabbey/donate