O&L Encounters...
At 4,300 meters above sea level, Cerro De Pasco in Peru ranks among the world's highest cities—a distinction that might make it an intriguing travel destination. Instead, its name conjures one of the globe's largest open-pit mines, located within a city it is inexorably eroding and destroying. The consequences for the local population are catastrophic: malformations, intellectual disabilities, and tropical diseases that often remain incurable. Silvia Camisasca tells us this harrowing story: the only solution would be to relocate the residents, but those responsible seem utterly indifferent.
Book of the Month
We tend to associate the verb "believe" with spirituality and ideology, but we often overlook its most vital dimension: trust in ourselves and in one another. This is the argument Luca Badetti—theologian, psychologist, and scholar of disability—makes in his latest book, I Believe in You, drawn from his experience in L'Arche communities in the United States and Italy. In conversation with the author, Cristina Tersigni presented the volume at the San Paolo Laterano bookstore in Rome.
Entertainment
You've likely heard: musician Sia faced a storm of criticism for casting a non-autistic actress, Maddie Ziegler, in her directorial debut, Music, despite the character being autistic. The result, critics argue, is an offensive, false, and dangerous portrayal of disability. Claudio Cinus watched the film for us and discovered that Music actually harbors far deeper problems.
Sewing Through It All
When resourcefulness and determination join forces, beautiful things emerge—especially when Easter eggs are involved. The pandemic has inevitably slowed fundraising activities in Faith and Light communities, but some have found ways to forge partnerships with organizations beyond their traditional circles. In doing so, they've stitched together new and vital ties with their neighborhoods. Huberta Pott shares her story from Rome.
Ages 0–13 — Special Invitation!
Spring is showing off its best colors, shapes, and sensations of renewal. Send us your photos of this magnificent season!
Benedetta's Blog
Everything My Teachers Said, Exactly
My teachers told my parents that I work very hard and I'm really good. They said they're happy with me. And when they call on me during class, I answer well. Read more...
Photo of the Month
A father teaches his autistic daughter, Ksenia, age 10, to throw a toy airplane in Moscow (August 23, 2020). The photograph placed third in the World Press Photo competition, the world's most prestigious photojournalism award.
Portraits, 3rd Prize
In Flight
© Tatiana Nikitina, Russia
From the Post's gallery: All the Winners of World Press Photo 2021
Faith and Light Life
Happy 50th birthday, Faith and Light! With Easter just behind us, the movement is marking five decades of the journey that began at Lourdes in 1971 (a quick overview of our history is available here). For the occasion, the international council organized a series of online events; the videos are in English, but with the accompanying booklet in various languages, people could follow along simultaneously across the globe. Our community correspondent, Nora, participated in all these moments and shared them with us enthusiastically.
The celebrations didn't distract the teams from their regular work: on March 14, the province A River of Peace held an online training day. Flora and Nora, from two Lombardy communities, were there and describe what happened.
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