"Our beloved Father Carlitos"

First anniversary of death of Father Carlos Cajade, founder of the Home of the Mother Thrice Admirable," a shelter for street children

P. Carlos Cajade en una marcha Fr. Carlos Cajade during a march Pfarrer Carlos Cajade bei einer Kundgebung
Un pedido al Padre Carlitos de seguir su trabajo desde el cielo A petition to Father Carlitos to continue his work vom heaven Eine Bitte an Pfarrer Carlitos, vom Himmel aus weiter zu sorgen
Una demonstración de cariño y gratitud A domentration of love and gratitude Eine einzige Demonstration der Zuneigung und Dankbarkeit Fotos: Obra del Padre Cajade © 2006

ARGENTINA, Father Alejandro Blanco.  October 22nd was the anniversary of the death of Father Carlos Cajade who was remembered in several ceremonies as a tribute to his work and the kind of person he was.  On October 18th, Covenant of Love Day, the body of Father Cajade was moved to the grounds of the Home of the Mother Thrice Admirable, where he worked and now will forever rest.

The members of the Schoenstatt Federation of Diiocesan Priests, the community that Father "Carlitos" (as he was known) belonged to, together with some thousand of people - neighbors, friends and collaborators – were present in the transfer of Father Cjade’s remains to the "Home of Mother Thrice Admirable". The transfer of his remains turned into a popular pilgrimage.

Uniting themselves with all the priests, the people present responded by imploring the grace of God and the MTA will make the spiritual presence of Father Carlitos more evident in the Home. In this way, they are hoping to renew all of his ideals and his struggle for the neediest children in everyone.

One year ago, the 40th year since the liberation of  Father Kentenich, Carlos Cajade, a member of the Region "Fathers of Plata" of the Schoenstatt Federation of Diocesan Priests,  was called to the Eternal Schoenstatt.  Just as in his illness, his death has awakened a vast stream of prayer and one of deep emotion in widest circles of society.

Fr. Cajade was born in La Plata on May 2, 1950,  was ordained as a presbyter for that Archdiocese on August 18, 1979, and he was blessed with the mission of founding the "Home of the Mother Thrice Admirable" for street children, a place where many works of assistance and social advancement began.  Along with the sociologist Morlachetti, Fr. Cajade was a co-founder of the Federation of Boys of the Town, a part of a nucleus of child welfare in Argentina. Because of his deep commitment to the neediest, Cajade became one of the most important persons in the country in the field of social action and child welfare.

"Lord, today I want to ask you for something that will surprise you,
I want to ask for your hands, your hands full of love.
Your hands so that when my brother is lost and without faith,
I can place him on your shoulders so we can walk with him.

Your hands of a friend, your hands of God,
your hands the work of resurrection.
That is why at the end of this prayer I ask you
to consecrate my hands for your work of love
Uniting my hands to your heart"

(Song "Your Hands", Father Cajade, 1979)

Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA /Judy Harlowe, Milwaukee, WI, USA