Having heard so often of Argentina, it was a long-awaited pleasure to be able to visit for the first time. I was there at the invitation of Fortunato Mallimaci, Nestor Miguez and Ann Lourdes Suarez – contributors to the Latin American volume of the Edinburgh Companions to Global Christianity. They arranged very engaging seminars about the future of Christianity in Latin America and around the world.
Never far from the surface in the discussions was the economic distress of most Argentinians in current conditions. Salary levels are not keeping up with the cost of living. Particularly vulnerable are retired citizens who depend on their pensions but find that these are losing value against fast-increasing prices.
The retired citizens have been demonstrating at the Argentine National Congress, demanding an increase in the level of the pension. On 21 May 2025, they were joined by Fr Francisco Paco Olveira, a member of a group of priests known as “Option for the Poor.” Fr Francisco was arrested and detained as a result of the part he played in the demonstration.
In one of the countries where Liberation Theology was born and nurtured during the 1970s and 1980s, it was evocative to hear how Fr Francisco’s faith motivated him to take a stand for justice in solidarity with the poor and vulnerable.
The picture of him standing alone and defenceless against the might of the state also made me think of the calling of the church in the times in which we are living – not only in Argentina but in many contexts around the world. As the forces of authoritarianism, elitism and militarism are rising, might it be time for the church to discover its calling in solidarity with the poor, advocacy for justice and championing the values of the reign of God.
Thinking Mission Blog 