A River of Peace — North
"May the Spirit remain with us" — We are ready. From April 25 to 28, our regional assembly will gather, and we will elect new coordinators for "A River of Peace" as well as vice coordinators for Lombardy 1 and 2, the Veneto, Piedmont, and Valle d'Aosta. We hope to welcome friends from Galilee; representatives from the Swiss community in Locarno will certainly join us for our formation sessions.
As we prepare for this crucial moment — one that has been strengthening our region's identity over the past four years — several communities are discerning who should lead them next. From Carugate to Pontelambro, from San Giuseppe della pace to Raggi di sole in Conselve, and among many others, the community "Smiling Hearts" in Vigliano Biellese is doing the same. This young group, which has been walking with Open Doors of Turin for two years, will officially enter the Faith and Light family on March 17. May the Holy Spirit guide these elections, the new coordinator, and the leadership team, so that the seeds planted will bear great fruit.
Angela Grassi
Kimata — Center
The passion of so many has made it possible for Faith and Light to remain present in our lives. With a touch of sadness, we remember Lucetta, a friend to our Emilia communities for many years. She was an important presence, a courageous guide who always sought the very best for her children because they deserved it. We grieve together, because these strong and sincere bonds are built slowly — through conversation, walking together, and caring deeply for our small communities. Being community means all of this: having a heart full of happy thoughts. In Rome, they celebrated the Festival of Light, reminding everyone that light shines in our hearts and that when we are together, the flame burns brighter, warmer, more tender.
The reading from Saint Paul centered on "charity" — those small gestures that enrich our lives, like what Vella and Angelo did when they brought little Vittorio, only ten days old. The Perugia path continues to sow seeds; in Cyprus, our communities are thriving and celebrated the Festival of Light with Father Michalis. In Greece, our people wanted to be there, and despite a bus strike and many obstacles, they found their way — on foot, with help from friends — across the entire city to be together with so many others. The warmth and enthusiasm kindled their hearts, just as it kindles ours.
Stefano Di Franco
Sea and Volcanoes — South
You always return from Lourdes richer than you came. That was true for my first visit. A truly special first time because my traveling companions were Faith and Light friends with some of the young people we support; special because we were guests of the Spanish community and because everywhere in Lourdes, you breathe the air of "Faith and Light."
Within a very short time, the language barrier seemed to vanish. We understood each other beautifully because what we shared above all was love for the young people and the ability to help them take part in the most beautiful moments the program and the place offered. Some of those young people had been there before, more than once, and they became "guides" — at least to me — showing they had absorbed the mystical atmosphere and the human suffering that you feel in every moment and almost every corner of Lourdes.
Discovering I was being "guided" by someone I thought I was there to guide — that was my greatest surprise. It represents, I believe, the greatest spiritual enrichment. An enrichment that makes you a messenger of a joy no appointment can give you, and makes you able to share it with everyone. Months have passed, yet the memory remains vivid and sharp. What I carry with me is this: nurturing and growing this joy will now be part of who I am.
B.D.