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THE ROLE OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL INSTITUTIONS

From charity to personal commitments
Social promotion for a population neglected by the public authorities

The post-war Church had approached the shantytowns from the standpoint of charity. The incorporation, into the ecclesiastical institutions, of young people seeking a path of personal commitment and the renovating airs of the Vatican II council (1962) helped to open the way for a significant change.

Diocesan Caritas, some religious orders and the social workers linked to these ecclesiastical institutions reconsidered the theoretical models of social attention, opting for the professionalisation of their work within the set of working-class slums. In the shantytowns, social promotion projects began to be carried out: schools, nursery schools, social centres and facilities for a population neglected by the public authorities. This community development favoured the emergence of neighbourhood organisations, to which contributions were also made by persons committed to the political parties and movements operating clandestinely.