Saint-Oyen
July 20–27
The Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta region has brought back its mountain summer camp after several years away. We returned to Saint-Oyen, hosted by the priests of the Great Saint Bernard, though the management of Château Verdun has now passed to the Diocese of Aosta. The camp proved deeply relaxing, and we lived together in harmony despite unpredictable weather—there wasn't a day without some rain. We created a small workshop in an all-wooden room the priests reserved for us. Some sewed on machines, some painted, some read, some drew, some worked at computers, some simply talked. We even made a beautiful quilted blanket that we gave as a gift to Emilia, the daughter of Enrico and Silvia. Our most profound moments came on the castle's top floor, where we gathered each morning in silence and meditation, following in the footsteps of Saint Francis.
Andora
August 25–September 1
Our seaside camp was beautiful, joyful, and full of sunshine in every way. A good number of young friends helped us create an atmosphere of genuine happiness and surprise. Each morning we meditated on different aspects of our character and personality through reflections based on the experience of Native peoples, who connect the cardinal directions to totem animals. Each animal represents a specific quality: the eagle, for instance, embodies wise, synthetic vision from on high. What contains all these parts is the divinity that dwells within us, which we continually seek. We paired these reflections with passages from the Bible and meditations by Jean Vanier. The only sour note came when we were asked to leave the green area in front of the beach one warm morning while we were drying off in the sun after a long swim. The town of Andora has a new mayor and new officials who want order and cleanliness—after seven years of peace and respect! But nothing could dampen our spirits.
Valeria
Vigo Cavedine
August 9–16
The Conselve community "Rays of Sunshine" spent August 9–16 on vacation in Vigo Cavedine, in the valley of lakes in Trentino.
The best part is being together, sharing the ordinary rhythms of small things, helping one another, having fun, and feeling—even after so many years—the sweetness of friendship.
The theme that guided us, drawn from our resources, centered on the Gospel of John, when Jesus meets a paralyzed man at the Pool of Bethesda and heals him.
The heart of the story is an encounter: a man who has waited his whole life to enter the miraculous waters of the pool.
The Lord wants to meet us too. He asks if we wish to be healed. He invites us to trust him. But when faced with that invitation, it's not automatic for us to say yes, to say "I want to be healed." Sometimes we're comfortable on our little mat—miserable as it is, it's all we've ever known, and it gives us protection.
We lived through reconciliation by starting with our own "mat." We were invited to write down what holds us back in life and in our relationships with others, and what resistance keeps us from going to Jesus.
Lucia
Cesenatico
July 5–12
In Cesenatico, from July 5 to 12, we were nearly ninety strong. We walked together, guided each day by a different color, discovering the beautiful rainbow that forms when we gather as one. Pope Francis's words offered us material for reflection each morning. They reminded us that "in God's eyes we are the most beautiful, greatest, and good thing in creation. The Lord loves us. We must thank him for this" and that we are called to care for one another because "it is not important how many things you do: it is the love you put into them that makes the difference." We committed ourselves to acts of attention toward others, striving for patience rather than haste, and we tried to answer the call to mission: "Let us dare more. Let us take the initiative. Let us go out to those far away. The Lord wants us to bear fruit of new life."
Angela