A New Group Begins in San Paolo
I was already part of the Faith and Light group at Santa Silvia, and I went to meetings with friends whenever I could.
Almost all of them came willingly, and most left eager to experience it again — such a beautiful thing.
Since we were members of a "Hands out" group that had recently started at our San Paolo Oratory, we shared what we had learned and felt with the others, and told them about our new friendships.
It hardly needs saying that these were wonderful experiences. All of us felt filled with love — because, in my view, love means giving, but more than that, it means sharing.
It's not just about offering someone in pain a little of what we have to spare. It's about giving them a place in our lives, living their suffering, their anger, their hope, their joy.
When the new year began, we unanimously decided to commit seriously to this work. We formed a new group serving the Ostiense, Garbatella, and EUR neighborhoods.
Once a month, on Sunday, we gather for Mass together with the Scouts from Roma 36, who help us immensely — I'd say they're almost irreplaceable.
We organize film screenings, games, song contests, and group singing.
Cecilia Baldi
Milan
Yesterday was our fifth meeting, but it felt special because we wanted to exchange Christmas wishes.
The night before, the young people had decorated the room that Don Claudio lets us use. We hung garlands, set up a nativity scene, and a little tree.
We played tombola. Luigi called out the numbers and made us laugh with his endless wit. Nico won, and was overjoyed.
A poem by Gozzano, acted out by everyone together, was deeply moving.
Then came Christmas carols, sung to guitars played by talented musicians, and the exchange of small gifts — all the "Oh's" and "Ah's," the embraces and greetings that we now extend to friends in communities far away.
Cuneo
We gathered on Sunday, December 19, to exchange Christmas greetings in the parish hall of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which the pastor kindly made available to us.
Bad weather didn't stop parents and friends from farther away — they came anyway.
After a little time talking, we celebrated Mass. It was particularly meaningful. Everyone participated with obvious reverence and care.
Afterward, we gave gifts to all the children and younger friends present, and also to those who couldn't make it. The children were thrilled. For the adults, there were cakes, pastries, sandwiches, and wine — just as it should be in the best Piedmontese tradition.
Mimmo briefly reminded us of the international Faith and Light gathering in Madrid, and said that we had timed our own meeting to coincide with it, so that we could be spiritually united with Faith and Light members everywhere.
We ended by singing celebration songs together, which was beautiful — the idea had come spontaneously.
Rome
On Saturday afternoon, December 18, we gathered in a room the Jesuits provided, to celebrate Christmas together.
Not all of us from the three groups — San Gioacchino, Santa Silvia, and San Paolo — could come, but we still filled the space.
I arrived late and missed the Mass, but I was there for the party, which I loved. In that large, welcoming room, we felt united not only with each other in joy, but with all our brothers and sisters in the world. Flags of every nation hung on the walls. Most of all, we felt united with Jesus, who had gathered us to celebrate his birth and was present among us in the nativity scene — simple, drawn on cardboard by a friend — showing Mary, Joseph, and the newborn.
In the first part of the celebration, we relived moments of Christmas: the long, hard journey of Mary and Joseph, and the poverty of the stable where Jesus was born; the Magi coming from the East to worship him; God's love, which on Christmas day unites all people. Three small scenes — one from each group — told these stories.
After refreshments, we sang Christmas carols from around the world: we heard voices from England, France, America, Belgium, Ireland. At the end, we all joined in a hymn to the Christ Child.
As we said goodbye, each person received a small Christmas gift — a concrete sign of the greatest gift we had received and promised to share with everyone we met: love.
What struck me most about the whole celebration was how it was organized. The little scenes had no scenery. The costumes — made from crepe paper or improvised from old cloth, blankets, and nightshirts — showed real imagination. The refreshments were simple: panettone and orange soda instead of the elaborate, delicious pastries that some of us could have made. The gifts were things we had made ourselves.
Everything reflected simplicity and poverty.
I think it was the best way to prepare ourselves to welcome Jesus, born poor in a humble stable.
Lucia, 1977
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An international Faith and Light gathering took place in Madrid. We will report fully in the next issue.
To the Rome groups: Faith and Light's international feast day is February 6. The first Saturday Mass, which would normally be February 5, will not take place that day.
Mass will resume on Saturday, March 5, and Saturday, April 2, at 6:30 p.m., in the chapel of the Nazareth Institute, via Orazio no. 2 (corner of via Cola di Rienzo).
Late News
We are delighted to receive this report from Agrigento, just in time to share with you:
Agrigento, January 26, 1977
Christmas brought together the children, parents, and caregivers around the tree.
The "House of Hope" is a big family. We mark every holiday — sometimes even on ordinary Sundays — to gather, talk, feel close to one another, face our common struggles, and advise each other.
The children shine. They recite, sing, and improvise. Their unexpected talents leave us all amazed, bewildered, and happy.
Can our children do so much?
Their abilities fill with pride and inspire the teachers who work with them each day with such love, caring for them and guiding them. The parents, too, see the progress their children make, and face the daily challenges of their education and inclusion with greater peace of mind.
News from "Insieme" also encourages the House of Hope to keep going, to continue our shared efforts, to find ever more effective ways forward — and it unites us spiritually with the great family of all those who suffer.
The House of Hope