“Humanity could help them to be better”

The Jesuit priest Jorge Costadoat will present his new book “Christianity in small doses. Aids for a Christian education” on Wednesday, September 25.

The event will be held at the Alberto Hurtado University (Faculty of Philosophy and Humanities, Room 1A, Campus B, Los Leones 1200, Providencia) and the money raised from the sale of the book will go to the Enrique Alvear Community Solidarity Fund.

“This is a strangely put together book. It was written in two stages. Or, you could say, it is two books put together in one. The first was published in 2004. It was titled ‘If I Had to Raise a Child… Ideas for Transmitting Humanity’. This one, which will be presented, incorporates the first book but adds so much new material that it cannot simply be called a new edition,” explains the author.

In that sense, the first part consists of the 2004 book, “but with an important difference.”

“Each of the columns in the book – previously published in newspapers of the time – has been commented on ‘years later’. In twenty years, enormous changes have occurred. These topics are not exactly the same today, nor is the author,” he says.

One example is that the new book is dedicated to “my imaginary daughter.” With this, Costadoat recognizes the importance of the cultural emergence of women throughout this period.

The second part brings together columns published in The Counter the last three years. These are new issues. Is it possible to recognise a continuity between the periods? A development? It is up to the reader to note this.

“The structure of the book is actually of little importance. What counts is the writer’s intention to transmit to the next generations, through their mothers, fathers and educators, the humanity that could help them to be better,” says Costadoat.