We took advantage of the long Saint Joseph bridge weekend and set off sixteen of us ranging from 10 to 80 years old (a true Ark!) with packages, parcels, a wheelchair, a flute and a guitar to go and get to know the famous Marzocca. Famous? Not really in truth: you can't even find it on a geographic map but... it's Father Danilo's new parish!!
We had a world of fun, we brought a whirlwind of life into the great convent of the Redemptorist Fathers who in those days vainly desired a bit of peace, perhaps at least at night, and we were able to see how possible friendship is, life in common if sought with simplicity and spontaneity.
There were those working in the kitchen for the whole troop, those transporting chairs and beds from one floor to another, those you would have said were busy reading the breviary so absorbed were they (but then you realized they were reviewing the train schedule!) and those simply gathered around Carla's bed who had the good idea of coming down with a fever, making merry with all the village children.
We did nothing exceptional and yet... we spent 3 exceptional days! Because we were all together, we felt united; on the same level.
We had sun and rain, heat and cold, we walked around the village, we collected shells on the beach and ate too much cream pastries (the real specialty of the place!).
We sang at the top of our lungs for the delight of the Fathers, the parish children, all the inhabitants and... our fellow train passengers, not a few of whom will remember for some time this sort of thunderbolt called Faith and Light.
Did we come back tired? Perhaps someone a little bit, most of us no. But all ready to start again; maybe with a few more friends!
The San Gioacchino community, 1976