Honoring Our Founding Partner: The Archdiocese of Chicago
Solidarity Bridge began in 1999 as a mission of the laity under the structure of the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. In 2002 we became an independent Catholic nonprofit with our own board of directors, but always maintained a deep connection to the Archdiocese. And in 2014, the Solidarity Lay Association (SLA) was formally recognized as a public lay association under both the Archdiocese of Chicago in the United States and the Diocese of Santa Cruz in Bolivia. The SLA embodies a spirituality of Christian solidarity and supports the mission activity of the apostolic works to which it is connected, including Solidarity Bridge and our Bolivian sister organization, Puente de Solidaridad. While the formality of our relationship with the Archdiocese has changed over these 25 years, our shared commitment—to respond to the gospel call to heal the sick in a spirit of solidarity—has remained steadfast.
The Archdiocese of Chicago is one of the nation's largest and most influential Catholic dioceses, spanning nearly 1500 square miles and serving around 2 million people. Currently pastored by Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, the Archdiocese includes a vast network of parishes, schools, charities, and social service agencies. Solidarity Bridge’s relationship with the Archdiocese is one of mutual benefit. Several area priests have traveled with us as mission trip chaplains, and many of the doctors, nurses, and others on our teams have come to us through Chicago-area parishes. And since 2002, four Chicago Bishops have served on Solidarity Bridge’s Board of Directors, ensuring permanent representation and engagement. From welcoming missioner talks in local parishes, profiling our work in Archdiocesan media, and providing financial support through the annual Latin American Collection, the Catholic community of Chicago has embraced our mission and grown in solidarity with the people of Bolivia and Paraguay.
The annual Commissioning Mass to bless and send forth our mission teams in its name is another way the Archdiocese reaffirms its support of our mission. This tradition began in 1999 at Chicago’s Holy Name Cathedral, where Cardinal Francis George presided and commissioned our first team of doctors and nurses traveling to Bolivia. Cardinal George’s homily that day was a powerful reflection on the spiritual role of suffering in human life:
What happens when we open our hearts to another’s suffering? Doesn’t their vulnerability draw us to respond in love? And what happens when we ourselves suffer? Doesn’t our vulnerability draw us out of our illusion of self-sufficiency and give us the courage and humility to allow others to respond in love? Suffering breaks our hearts open to the transformative power of giving and receiving love. Through this giving and receiving we come to know a fullness of life that is impossible without that experience. This is the abundant life that Jesus spoke of: “I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly.”
For 25 years, Solidarity Bridge has provided a way for individuals and entities of the Archdiocese of Chicago and beyond to live out their call to global mission. As a community committed to healing care, we have opened our hearts to the suffering of others and revealed our own needs and vulnerabilities. And, by doing so, we have come to experience these profound words from Cardinal George as our lived reality.
As we look to the future, we continue to be guided by the vision of our founders, and to experience the fullness of life which Jesus promised. How fitting it is that Francis George, the Cardinal Archbishop of Chicago whose words helped launch our work, shares the name Francis with our current Pope whose words and actions guide us today. Of course both also share the name of the beloved St. Francis of Assisi, who taught this truth that has guided every day of our 25 years; “It is in giving that we receive!”
As we celebrate the many accomplishments of our past 25 years, we also look ahead to the future. We have launched a $2.5M fundraising campaign to invest in serving more patients, training more physicians, and equipping more hospitals in Bolivia and Paraguay.
You can join us today! Consider making a gift in honor of your parish and help us reach our campaign goal.