A River of Peace – North
On Sunday, May 10, 2015, the Fede e Luce group Stella di S. Lorenzo in Feltre had reason to celebrate: ten years of community life. Ten years of continuous activity, of friendships deepening among members, families, and people with disabilities.
The whole community came to the celebration, including coordinators Antonio and Paolo, current spiritual advisors Father Luciano and Sister Reginetta, as well as Father Andrea, who founded the group, and Father Gianluigi, who strengthened it.
The parish mass was the heart of the day. In his homily, Father Andrea spoke with force and clarity about something that burned in his chest: the Church needs our smallness, our simplicity, our directness without masks. These are the things we learn in Fede e Luce.
All of us are called to witness that a disabled person is a gift. Real treasure does not come from what we own or what we can do. It comes from God's love for each of us.
Jesus calls us to move, to step beyond ourselves. That movement takes us out of our own struggles. We notice others. We hold each other up. We carry the heaviest burdens together. In Jesus we find rest, welcome, peace, relief.
We wish the Feltre community joy in the years ahead—the same joy that has marked these first ten years.
Lucia and Alessandro
Kimata – Center
I remember hearing Mariangela give testimony for the first time in 2012. We had gathered for a formation day for all of Kimata's spiritual advisors. Near the beginning of her talk, after greeting the priests present and telling them how glad she was to see them there, she said:
"Everyone who chooses to live alongside people who are poor—poor in spirit or in body—all of them make a covenant of trust with the Eternal Father. What lives inside that person? We do not know. There is a great mystery that must be revealed for the glory of God. This is the deep reality on our part and on the part of all who dedicate themselves to the most disadvantaged and poorest people."
A priest from Cyprus interrupted her and said, "Excuse me, excuse me—you should have been a bishop!" Laughter rippled through the room, easing the emotion Mariangela had stirred in all of us. But she answered, with her characteristic smile: "I'm not a bishop. I'm a mother. A real mother. And I want to be that."
Our dream began with Mariangela. Our journey in Italy began with her. On May 29, it will be a year since we saw her for the last time.
Our pilgrimage for forty years starts right here, in Rome. May it be the beginning of many new communities, carrying forward the dream that was always Mariangela's.
Stefano
Sea and Volcanoes – South
Nearly three hours on the bus, the blue sea beside us. We feel wrapped in those colors and waves we see through the window—like we're in our own boat, full of so many colors woven together with the joy and simplicity that mark who we are.
A special day awaits us. Beyond seeing our friends from Lecce, we'll be playing soccer with the Vilù Casarani Athletic Association!
We pray. We sing as a community. Then into the locker rooms to change, and we're ready to take the field.
We line up at midfield—Fede e Luce on one side, the Vilù boys on the other. Captains exchange greetings and swap banners (ours beautifully made by our Lia). Mixed teams form. The tournament begins!
We sweat. We joke. At the final whistle, exhausted and happy, it's time to refresh ourselves.
The day captured what our young people always know how to give: joy and simplicity in how they relate to others. They made everyone feel like one soul. The new friends felt it too.
When the awards ceremony ended, our Piercosimo spoke words he wanted to give to the new friends. I'll share them here: "Dear friends, how's life going? All good? You've been kind to me. I really felt accepted by you. It's beautiful to be with all of you. You're real friends. I love you so much. Thank you for welcoming us."
Gianni Guerra