UC launches its traditional 2024 Christmas Box Donation Campaign

The Catholic University of Chile, through its Pastoral, launched the 2024 Christmas Box Donation Campaign. This initiative seeks to strengthen the solidarity ties of the UC community and accompany more than 300 families in their Christmas celebrations. Contribute to this noble cause by donating food, useful items and gifts.

As every year, the UC renews its commitment to the Christmas spirit through the traditional Christmas Campaign. This initiative, led by the UC Pastoral, seeks not only to share the joy of Christ's birth, but also to strengthen the bonds of solidarity and fraternity between the university community and the communities with which the university works throughout the year.   

The campaign's main objective is to benefit and accompany more than 300 families which are part of six communities linked to different academic units of the UC, among which the Faculties of social Sciences, Biological Sciences, Reproductive y PhilosophyThis work is carried out in a context of constant mutual collaboration, making Christmas a special time to deepen these ties.   

Angela Parra, director of Pastoral UC, explains: “The Christmas campaign, like every year, is a solidarity collection of donations from the UC community, which go directly to the benefit of those who need it most. This year we have chosen some academic and administrative units that already had previous collaborative work with different foundations or organizations. In addition, in an unprecedented way, we are going to share with the Higher Management in a solidarity soup kitchen in the José María Caro neighborhood, dependent on the Parish of Father Benjamín Ossandón, who is our advisor. We will bring them the donations and also some Christmas gifts that may be useful for their lives, bearing in mind that they are all homeless people, so what helps them the most are toiletries, for example.”.   

“This campaign not only allows us to celebrate the birth of Jesus together, but also to live solidarity in a concrete way, committing ourselves to the families with whom we share the path during the year”, says Isabel Braithwaite of the organizing team of Pastoral UC.   

Among the communities benefiting are: Little Cottolengo, Alelí Kindergarten and St. Joseph the Worker Parish, representing older people, children and young people. Each family will receive a box with sweet and savory foods, drinks, and reflective material to include a space for prayer during the Christmas celebration.   

Sharing the joy of Christmas 

Beyond a financial contribution, this campaign invites us to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas: meeting others and sharing in community.   

“This solidarity campaign invites you to go out of yourself to be generous with those who need it most. It is a very evangelical initiative that comes from when Mary and Joseph were looking for a place where Jesus could be born. Finally, that birth takes place in a very poor place, in a stable, surrounded by animals. It is important to think that it was Jesus himself who decided to become the smallest among the small, to be born the poorest among the poor, so the meaning of Christmas is always to return to that origin. That is to say, that Christmas, although I share it with my family, I give gifts because it is part of the joy that Jesus rose again, the most important thing is to care for the poorest among the poor, because that is what Jesus wanted.”, Angela Parra emphasizes. 

“Christmas reminds us that Jesus came into the world to bring us hope and love. Through this campaign, we want to convey that message to the families we work with, bringing not only food, but also joy, and spaces to pray and share together.”", highlights Isabel Braithwaite.   

This year, the university is once again demonstrating that social commitment is a fundamental part of its mission, making this campaign an opportunity to meet and reaffirm its charitable vocation. Don't miss out on being part of this beautiful tradition!   

How to participate   

The campaign is open to the entire UC community, including students, administrative staff, professionals and academics. Donations can be made individually or as a group, organized as an academic unit or work team.   

There are two ways to collaborate:   

1. Bank transfer, details of which are available on the official website www.pastoral.uc.cl/proyectos/celebraciondenavidad
2. Discount for payroll, exclusively for UC employees, by registering at the link available on the same website. 

The deadline for donations is December 23, so everyone is invited to join in as soon as possible. In addition, to resolve any questions, those interested can write to the following email: pastoraluniversitaria@uc.cl.