Rome
We have shared many moments together recently. Some may have missed a few events, for one reason or another. Here are the highlights for everyone.
Easter 1977: Friday, April 1st — L'Arche comes to Rome!
Our Easter surprise was the unexpected but delightful arrival of a small group from "La Merci" (J. Vanier's L'Arche community in southeastern France).
Through beautiful slides, they showed us their simple life: the small communities where ten or twelve people live in each house, the gardens, the orchards, the mosaic workshops, the basket-weaving studios, the preparation of goods for industry.
"To live with you is to make a place for you in my heart; to live together is to take part in the long building of a world of love." This refrain accompanied the slides, spoken softly. But the joy, the happiness, the way they faced and overcame daily difficulties shone through the images without needing words.
After the slides, we shared sweets and sandwiches—there were about a hundred of us—continuing to chat in small groups. Then we all sang together: first at the vigil, then on the street as they walked to their bus (an Arche-marked vehicle, a sort of pre-war relic).
Saturday, April 2nd: Palm Sunday.
Those who came to Villa Patrizi on Saturday, April 2nd, had the chance to meet our French friends again. Louis blessed olive branches in the garden, and accompanied by Raffaele's guitar, we processed into the church for Mass.
Afterward, Jacques briefly described La Merci's life for those who hadn't seen the slides. Between songs and refreshments, it was soon time for our French friends to leave—this time, for good.
Saint Paul, Saint Sylvia, and Saint Joachim groups met on Palm Sunday, some at the Saint Paul Oratory, others at the Nazareth center.
At Saint Paul, the procession and Mass were celebrated in the Oratory church with all the other faithful. There were so many of us—it felt like the crowds of two thousand years ago.
Afterward came a shared meal and games until evening.
At Nazareth, along with the joy of being together and exchanging greetings, we commented on the Gospel during Mass using slides. The experiment was a great success—you could see from the attention, the reverent silence, how much it meant to everyone.
Cuneo
On Sunday, May 8th, our Faith and Light group organized a bus trip to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, a small shrine in the province of Turin.
After attending Mass with many other worshippers—some of our members did the readings and brought the offerings—we gathered in the beautiful garden next to the Sanctuary for a picnic lunch. Then came games: a fun football match with the older kids, ball games for the younger ones, quiet conversations among friends, and finally a game that brought everyone together.
After a brief thanksgiving prayer at the Lourdes grotto, we boarded the bus again: a short stop at the lakes of Avigliana, a snack break at the Abbey of Staffarda, and then back to Cuneo.
What struck me most about our day together was the joy on a child's and a young person's faces as they played.
I believe that if each of us found moments of peace or happiness, then our experience together was truly worthwhile.
Marilena Fiandrino
Milan, May 15, 1977 — A Joyful Meeting
Summer is beginning, and we can see that our activities are wrapping up. We'll pick them up again in October, ready to continue the work we're leaving now.
At our second-to-last meeting, we had an idea: invite our dear friends from Rome, Parma, and Cuneo to Milan for two days together.
After waiting a long time, May 14th finally arrived. That afternoon, we decorated the hall with posters painted by the Milan young people and with colorful paper garlands and flowers we made together.
We started talking with friends from Cuneo and Parma, who arrived first.
Gradually, as we talked and decorated, it reached 6 p.m. Full of hope and joy, we welcomed our friends from Rome.
We began with a delicious cold dinner: carefully made sandwiches and an abundance of desserts.
Then came the vigil. We sat in one large circle, candles glowing in the center, and in silence we listened to stories from the different cities.
Louis's words struck me most deeply. He introduced the topic of love:
Love in helping one another, starting with small things.
Love: never leave the marginalized aside.
Always bring peace to the world: smile and listen to those near you; give yourself to others and be ready when they need you.
Sunday morning, before the meeting began, Alberto and I had the pleasure of showing some friends around Milan.
We listened with pleasure to different experiences:
Sister Italia spoke about trust:
It is very important to have it in yourself and toward others.
Roberta's mother: It is very important that a mother understand her daughter with affection.
A friend named Francesca: I feel very good with these friends and have learned many things.
There was a simple Mass introduced by Louis. Simple Masses hold so much meaning!
Then it was time to go to the dining room for a good meal.
The afternoon was relaxed, with games and singing.
We were all happy to be there.
I really needed a day full of joy and happiness, so I could be more available for others!
Maria of Milan
More from Milan!
They had written to us that they were only "two cats," good-for-nothings, unable to welcome us properly.
We found more cats than on the streets of old Rome (!!!), and as for the welcome—we were amazed!
Picture a large, slightly irregular hall (just enough to keep it from feeling like a convent) filled with garlands, drawings, happiness, smiling faces, and outstretched hands inviting you in and making you feel at home. Don Pierangelo's guitar strumming on the piano turned what had been only noise into melody.
The dinner was more than lavish. We, whose specialty is "pizza and supplì" from the nearby rotisserie, found ourselves faced with every delicacy imaginable—even delicious little sandwiches so beautiful it seemed a shame to eat them!
The flowers for Mass had colors too natural to be anything but real. The poster of "brick on brick" must have been designed by an engineer in the flesh, and the medals for the final games—what did you think they were made of? Not cheap cardboard, but pseudo-silk fabric!
So, this group that supposedly doesn't function, has no ideas, can't pass on the current of friendship flowing underneath? You in Milan have shown us exactly the opposite!
Milan, June 5th: End-of-Year Walk
Now that schools are finishing and many will leave in a few days for vacation, we from Faith and Light in Milan ended our meeting today with a walk around Lake Varese, in the Vergobbio area.
It was a beautiful day, spent in a spirit of friendship.
We had a picnic lunch with joy, guests of Rino's family friends. The place was enchanting: in the middle of a meadow without the slightest noise, we were grateful for this gathering on a day with gentle sun and good air.
Maria Goffi
Rome, Villa Pacis, May 29, 1977
"Come in, folks, come in!" "Used magazines, guaranteed fun!"
"The magic slide—you end up on the ground before you even know how!"
"We don't give credit."
"Sell me this. How much did you get?"
There was constant chatter, running from table to table, driven partly by business sense, partly by the urge to play like we were at Portaportese market, partly by curiosity about how much our flea market would bring in. We'd set it up on Sunday, May 20th, at Villa Pacis.
By morning we were already in the black. It was not too hot but full of sun that invited happiness. Happy mothers who'd gotten rid of boxes and cardboard that had been cluttering their homes for days. Smiling faces brightened by the friendship of hours spent together preparing games and sales tables.
We'd passed the word from young person to young person, among friends, acquaintances, schoolmates, and coworkers: anything unused but in good condition from home, anything someone could make with their own hands would go to Faith and Light to help with secretary costs, phone bills, and unexpected needs.
So the "Flea Market" and the big "American Auction" came about, held at day's end. Our exceptional auctioneer's clear voice urged us on as we bid for a painting, a shawl, and—final surprise—a...
Yes! A Siamese kitten in "skin and bones" who, for the rest of his days, would have to—poor thing, what a dog's life!—put up with the company of Barbara, Gianluca, and Andrea, the lucky winners!