President McAleese Visit

The Homes of St Teresa and Our Lady of Lujan in Oberá were visited by President Mary McAleese on 20th March 2004, during the President’s state visit to South America.

Arriving in Oberá the President was welcomed by local people, many of them Guaraní Indians, and by residents of the Homes of Santa Teresa and Our Lady. Speaking in St Teresa’s, Mrs McAleese described the residence as “a wonderful show-case of the people’s spirit and … a fine example of cooperation that exists among the local residents, professionals, assistants and public authorities in order to offer a better quality of life to their fellow citizens in need.”

The President also paid tribute to the work of the homes’ founder, Fr Liam Hayes - “a great and inspiring leader, who with an equally good Argentinian team, is doing such outstanding humanitarian work.”

The President was accompanied by her husband, Dr Martin McAleese, the Minister of State at the Department of Trade, Mr Michael Ahern, and Mrs Margaret Ahern.

Full text of President McAleese’s speech in Oberá, 20th March 2004

Go raibh maith agat as ucht an fáilte croíúil sin chuig an áit álainn seo.

Mr Pablo Tschirch, Deputy-Governor of Misiones, Mr Ewaldo Rindfleisch, Lord Mayor of Oberá, Reverend Fathers, representatives of the Churches and the Administration and Residents of the Home of St Teresa.

On behalf of the Irish people, I greet each one of you and I do so very warmly indeed. I am delighted to be here in the province of Misiones, in this beautiful place that is your home.

I was impressed by the natural beauty of this province, on my journey here today by air and land. The gifts of God are plentiful in this place - fertile lands, forests, magnificent rivers but, of course, its greatest wealth are its people. The Home of St Teresa is a wonderful show-case of the people’s spirit and has accomplished many achievements in its ten years of life. It is a fine example of cooperation that exists among the local residents, professionals, assistants and public authorities in order to offer a better quality of life to their fellow citizens in need.

I am proud that Ireland is so committed to this very important project. The Irish government has contributed with funds and several Irish people and groups have given goods and service and have helped with the cost of maintenance of the Homes. In Ireland it is also true that the people are our best and greatest natural resource, but I think that you already know this because you work with a most dedicated Irishman who is happily with us today. Fr Liam Hayes is reportedly the only Irish resident and certainly the only man from Limerick living in Misiones, Argentina. He is a great and inspiring leader, who with an equally good Argentinian team, is doing such outstanding humanitarian work.

I’ve longed to visit these Homes so that I myself could see at first-hand this remarkable project. It gives me great joy to meet with some of the Irish volunteers who come and help at Fr Liam’s invitation. In this way the bonds of friendship between Ireland and Argentina are being strengthened.

Ireland has experienced terrible poverty. Today our economy is rich and successful, but we have a third-world memory of the days when we were poor, hungry and our people had to emigrate in search of hope. This suffering inspires many Irish people to help our brothers and sisters in different parts of the world where a sense of solidarity is needed. It has obliged many of our people to share the path with those who suffer and in Ireland we have a saying: “Two shortens the road”.

Argentina has passed through a very difficult period in recent years and has suffered severely. Thank God, this country is already on the way to become again the jewel of South America - a place of hope and opportunities for its people.

I congratulate everybody who do such great work here and who are shortening the road towards a better life for all citizens.

May God bless your noble task and may your efforts be crowned with many more successful achievements.

Tá áthas an domhain orm bheith libh anseo inniu. Go raibh míle maith agaibh as an fáilte fíor chaoin a thug sibh dom agus do mo fhear chéile, Mártín.