Social solidarity is the key to bringing the Chilean Catholic Church together, said Father Felipe Morel during his lecture on Monday night. Morel spoke to a small group in the La Fortune student center about the efforts being made to establish a "bridge between the different cultures" in Chile by the brothers of Holy Cross.

Morel is one of 22 priests of Holy Cross working to help build this bridge. Holy Cross operates two schools, three parishes and two orphanages in and around the San Tiago area. The schools provide education to both upper- and lower- class children in Chile in an effort to "strive to build the youth movement to bring the people together."

"The gap between the rich and poor is very strong … we teach respecting our differences but respecting our community, that we are the same church," said Morel. The schools serve over three thousand students, while the orphanages are home to over one hundred children.

Huge economic and political struggles have plagued Chile, a country firmly rooted in religion with a population that is over seventy percent Catholic. The church has adapted many times with the country's changing society and has kept the sense of pride among the Chilean people and Christianity.

Morel also emphasized the importance of the youth of Chile in helping to create social solidarity.

"The Church is very influential with working with young people. The Church is one of the only events that brings young together," said Morel.

The Catholic Church is also influential on the Chilean society as a whole. Morel noted that church-related news appears at least four or five times a day. The church also played a key role in working with the government to abolish the death penalty, a tremendous accomplishment for the country.

Morel's speech is part of the Blessing Unto Others campaign, an effort to promote making a difference in the lives of others among Notre Dame students. The next speech will be held Wednesday night at 8 p.m. in the Montgomery Theater in La Fortune. The topic is entitled "Life in Hogares."

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