A River of Peace – North
"God's plan is bigger than our dreams. Do you think it was easy for Mary to say yes? Or for Joseph? Or for Saint Francis and so many others? If Mary hadn't said yes, we wouldn't have Jesus. The world moves forward because each of us says yes." Don Mario, spiritual director of the Gelsomino community in Valle Mosso, spoke these words to us on October 9th as we gathered in Turin for the opening celebration of the year for Faith and Light communities across Piedmont and the Aosta Valley. Nicoletta and Valeria, our vice-coordinators, had brought everyone together. It was a day full of inspiration and joy, welcomed at the Maria Ausiliatrice center.
Each person received a flower at the start of the day: each one different, each with its own purpose in the community, each making the garden more beautiful. It felt good to be home among so many friends, and to meet new communities as well—including a small community of blind sisters who gave us a song that truly moved us. After a mime of the Annunciation, Don Mario celebrated Mass and left us with words to carry home: "We must keep our ears open. It's hard to step outside the plans we've made for ourselves, but we don't negotiate with the Lord. Help us, Lord, to say yes to you. Even when it costs us"—because following you fills our lives with joy.
Angela Grassi
Kimata – Center
Twelve of us came from Italy this time, representing all parts of our communities: young people, parents, and friends. From Greece came six young people and our spiritual director, Father Theodoros. Then delegations arrived from Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. And our International Coordinator, Ghislain. All of us together, celebrating thirty years of Faith and Light in Cyprus.
Like our last gathering, these were intense and beautiful days. We began with a formation day, then made a pilgrimage to the Orthodox Monastery of Kykkos, where tradition says an icon of the Virgin painted by Saint Luke himself is kept. We ended with the election of a new Vice-Coordinator for the Cypriot communities: Marios, a young teacher who recently became a father.
Alongside the celebrations comes the joy of seeing communities of different faiths—Catholic and Orthodox—who, despite their struggles, remain alive and united. They've managed to start a new community in the small city of Kurmakitis, are working to establish a new Orthodox community in Nicosia, and the Maronite Bishop, Monsignor Yussuf, has shared his own plan to create another community in a different part of the country.
So here's to you, dear communities of Cyprus! Thank you for these years walking together!
Pietro Vetro
Sea and Volcanoes – South
Hello, my name is Franca. I'm from Bari, but I live in Foggia, where I've planted a small seed of Faith and Light that I hope will soon grow into a beautiful plant, one that brings comfort and a new vision of life together as a community. The families with disabled children and the friends who want to join this journey are there, but we still need a place to meet. I discovered the spirit of Faith and Light through Jean Vanier's writings. Then I made contact with Delia Mitolo, Gianni Guerra, and other Faith and Light members from Bari. I was struck by the spontaneity, the friendship, and the simple pleasure of being together that fills those communities—even in the short time I spent visiting them. Living the Gospel starting from the smallest among us, learning from them simplicity, spontaneity, and trust in Jesus's will—it's an experience that brings happiness. God created all of us in his image. His beauty dwells in each of us. The standards of this beauty are not found in physical or psychological perfection, and to recognize them around us we need to see with new eyes. And yet today there's still a current in society that says a child must be healthy, or else should be eliminated. This infuriates me. The pain of a child's illness touches everyone sooner or later. I've faced it myself and continue to face it. I ask you to pray, so that I can overcome the difficulties of the beginning. See you soon!
Franca Di Pierro