The Vicariate of Solidarity Capita Selecta. Current Issues (II) of Society, Law and Religion. Assignment By: Bernardo Alarcón Porflidtt

The Vicariate of Solidarity  It was a Catholic human rights organization that safeguarded the human rights of Chilean citizens.  The antecedent of the Vicariate of Solidarity was the creation of the “Cooperation Committee for Peace in Chile” on 09 October,  On 25 July 1975, Cardinal Silva Henriquez created the Vicariate of Solidarity, an agency of the Chilean Catholic Church under the Archdiocese of Santiago.

Declaration of Archdiocese of Santiago (1984) “The year since 1973 have been very dark ones in Chile’s history, a country formerly so proud of its democratic tradition. The outrages that have been committed and the inexcusable abdication of responsibility on the part judges who should have been protected people will serve in the future to help learn from these years, not in a spirit of vengeance, but rather with the very laudable and inevitable aim of assuring that these horrors do not happen again”.

Functions of the Vicariate of Solidarity  Promoting defence of human rights, understood integrally, but with special preference for the poorer.  Promoting the solidarity nature of its work, which implies a strong role as an educator for justice.  Embodying the Church’s universal principles.  Being the voice of the voiceless  Combining hierarchy and laity, with an ecumenical and pluralistic spirit, these being the signs of a missionary Church, spreading its ministry in the world.

Structure of the Vicariate of Solidarity

a) First main function: Defence of human rights The defence of human rights was developed through legal assistance in national courts, and through the lodging of complaints on behalf of victims of torture, kidnapping, murder or execution by agents of the State.

a) Second main function: Education In 1983 the Vicariate created the Department of Supportive Education, which organised training programs that helped raise awareness about the dignity of the person, considering the context witnessed by the Chilean society at the time. The Department of Supportive Education contributed “to educate for social peace, based on truthful, just, fraternal and liberating relationships that strengthen the full development of life and the human consciousness.” Source:

Doctrine a) Social Doctrine: “The Church's social doctrine is an integral part of her evangelizing ministry. Nothing that concerns the community of men and women — situations and problems regarding justice, freedom, development, relations between peoples, peace — is foreign to evangelization, and evangelization would be incomplete if it did not take into account the mutual demands continually made by the Gospel and by the concrete, personal and social life of man.” Source: cuments/rc_pc_justpeace_doc_ _compendio-dott- soc_en.html

Doctrine b) Liberation Theology movement: “This theological style emerged in a situation in which the majority of the population of Latin America found themselves subjected to chronic economic oppression, political exclusion, and massive and violent abuse of human and civil rights”. Kirwan, Michael. “Liberation Theology and Catholic Social Teaching”. New Blackfriars, Vol. 93, Issue 1044 (2012): 248

Legacy The Vicariate of Solidarity was dissolved after the return to democracy on 31 December, The active participation in the promotion and defence of human rights is now highly valued by a large portion of the Chilean society. The official register created by the legal department of this organisation has contributed actively to the search of disappeared detainees, as well as in rebuilding social trust, truth, justice and policies of reparation for the affected families.