Each of us has our own story and our own path.
We are Maria Grazia Micheli from Mandello Lario (CO), Maria Francesca Cinguetti from Cremona, Laura Galasso from Asnago Cantù (CO), and Nunzia Lo Schiavo from Vibo Valenza near Catanzaro in Calabria. Each of us heard God's call in different ways and at different times.
To our great amazement, we found ourselves carrying this mysterious calling of God within us.
And so began our long and difficult journey toward this realization of life in community, inspired by the spirituality of Don Luigi Monza, an Ambrosian priest and founder of the Secular Institute of the Little Apostles of Charity and the association "La Nostra Famiglia."
What sustained us through this waiting was the angel Gabriel's answer to Mary's doubt: "Nothing is impossible for God."
Read also: Il Roveto
At first, we were uncertain about this calling, because in human terms, physical limitation seems to prevent a person from fulfilling herself completely.
The angel's words—"Nothing is impossible for God"—encouraged us to trust with serenity, joy, and hope, though not without some fear, in the plan God had shown us. Then the prophet Ezekiel's words gave us strength: "God does not look at appearance; he looks at the heart." That confirmed for us that God calls whom he will, working always beyond human logic.
Now that we have reached this milestone—which is really just a beginning—we live this reality as a gift and a miracle of the Lord.
We hope the Holy Spirit will help us see our lives as transparent signs of God's love for humanity, and will teach us to live fraternity and charity among ourselves.
Read also: A Gift of Poetry
As you can imagine, this is a completely new experience. As we have said, a disabled woman in our circumstances cannot, according to human logic, fully realize herself as a person. For this reason, our calling is not only a gift from God—it is an achievement, a witness before the Church and the world.
The name "Il Roveto" comes from words written by Don Luigi Monza, who said:
charity must burn without ever being consumed
That is where the idea for our community's name came from. Over time, we have come to understand its true meaning.
From the twisted tangle of our difficulties, represented by the thorny bramble, springs the fruit of God's charity. Our yes to his love is a sign of his presence.
Our choice to live prayer and charity is "like a fire burning within us that is never consumed," because we live it in faithfulness and trust in God.
Our life together is built on prayer, with time set aside for work and for welcoming those who wish to share our moments of prayer and those who are struggling in any way. We are open to listening.
Each day begins with Lauds and Mass in the parish church near our home. Before lunch we pray the Office of Terce in our chapel. At 5:30 we pray Vespers. We spend time in Eucharistic adoration, alternating with the rosary. Throughout the week we have times devoted to reflecting on God's Word.
The time remaining we give to work, which so far has been mostly caring for our home.
We take this opportunity to thank all those whose service and support help us carry on this experience and encourage us to continue.
- Community "Il Roveto," 2001
Read also: A Gift of Poetry