Romolo and his twin brother Remo have belonged to the F. L. San Francesco community for many years. For some years now, they have been living alone in a small public housing apartment. We spoke at length with Romolo, shortly after the wedding of two friends—Antonio and Cristiana.
How long have you known Antonio and Cristiana?
I first met Antonio through camping together at Serra S. Quirico in August 1990. I got to know him well there. He's a wonderful person. That same year I also met Cristiana Luberto, and I'm happy about that friendship. Before they got married, I knew when they got engaged—it was on Valentine's Day in 1991.
How did you know that?
One evening Antonio and I went out for pizza, and he told me they had gotten engaged.
Did that upset you?
I was happy. Because he cares for Cristiana, and I see him almost every day at the office. I call him. And he invited me to his wedding, so I went.
On the day of the wedding, the one thing I wanted to say was: before, they were separate; now they're a new family.
And that day made me feel a desire—a hope, really—that we too will be part of this beautiful family.
Are you the future of this family?
No. But Antonio cares about me, and so does Cristiana. I want to stay in touch with them.
And them?
Yes.
Are you sure?
From the first day I met them, I knew they would always be there for me.
How did you know that?
They've never abandoned me!
How do you and Remo manage life at home?
We're struggling a bit right now. Our uncles have abandoned us. Our mother lives with our grandmother.
We lost our father when we were small—we don't remember when. We were in two different institutions (one near Bologna, the other in Rome, the Istituto Gaetano Giardino), and then we lived in a group home on via del Casaletto. There were people there who looked after us. In '86 we moved to via Aurelia, to a residence on via Pagano.
In '89 they gave us an apartment in Tor Bellamonaca—one large room, a bathroom, a small kitchen, and a balcony.
Who does the cooking?
Remo and I, or we cook together. Antonio has already come to visit us three times.
Going back to Antonio's wedding…
It was a beautiful day—sunny and spring-like—and there were so many people.
The ceremony?
It was beautiful. It helped me understand something. During the mass, I realized: a new family created by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
What were the most beautiful moments?
The most beautiful moments? Well, what moved me was that I had never been to a wedding like that. I've never been to a wedding before.
You've never been invited to a wedding?
No, never.
How old are you?
I'm 31.
What do you do during the day?
I stay at home mostly, but I come here to the Canossian sisters.
How did you meet them?
Through a priest from the Protomartiri parish, Don Plinio.
What do you do when you're with them?
I help pull weeds and water the plants.
And what do they give you in return?
They offer lunch to me and Remo. This week, for example, I've been there almost every day.
Do they let you sleep there too?
Only once, when I broke my ankle. They drove me to S. Carlo hospital to get a cast.
How do you get along with the sisters?
I get along well with them. We've known them for eight years.
Is there one sister who feels particularly close to you?
The mother superior, Mother Marisa Dorizi. And there's also a novice who's taking her vows in September to become a sister in Brescia. She's young.
Do you eat alone?
No, we eat with the sisters.
Is there silence at lunch, or do you talk?
We talk. Before lunch we say a prayer.
Is the food good at the sisters'?
Yes, it's a place worth discovering. It's a world in the middle of nature.
This interview will be published in Ombre e Luci. Does that please you?
Yes.
Do you receive Ombre e Luci?
I've never received it.
What are your deepest desires?
My desire is that the future belongs to us, to our community. Another desire is: face life day by day. But facing it isn't easy—it's hard for those people who are dying, and where there's war, they need to find peace and a new life ahead.
What are your greatest difficulties?
I stutter. But when I sing, I don't stutter.
Do you like to sing?
Yes.
Where do you sing?
At home and when I come here to the sisters, at the parish.
Why is stuttering your greatest difficulty?
Antonio doesn't say anything about it. Neither does Fabrizio. But when I meet someone I don't know—if I see someone ask, "Where's the bus stop?"—I get embarrassed and stutter.
Why are you embarrassed?
It makes me nervous.
Would you like someone to teach you not to stutter?
Antonio mentioned it once, but he never followed up. Now I'm leaving for Calabria with the health service, and after that I'll do a work internship. There I'll meet new friends.