Mariangela and the parish of Santa Silvia: Faith and Light, the Beehive workshop, Caritas, the Pastoral Council, and much else besides. One thread ran through it all: listening—on many levels. Listening to the needs of the weakest and most forgotten. Listening to the Word of God, which spurred her on, comforted her, challenged her own life and every initiative she took up. Mariangela arrived at Santa Silvia through Faith and Light, by what felt like a side door. Yet over time, she became a point of reference for many—for members of the Pastoral Council especially. She was quick to speak up on every serious matter (though she'd grumble first about time wasted on marginal questions), then ready to advise, organize, and take problems on herself.
About forty years ago, Mariangela and Paolo asked the pastor, Don Antonino, if they could host the monthly gatherings of a Faith and Light community in the Santa Silvia halls. Don Antonino, marked by his openness and attention to everyone, initially made a room available for meetings. But he soon became so involved that he attended every "celebration" in person, becoming what we might call the first friend and counselor to our community.
And parishioners grew used to seeing, once a month, Faith and Light—young people, friends, parents—in the front pews, helping to lead the midday Mass. But not everywhere was so welcoming. We learned that from other communities, often forced into difficult and awkward hunts for space and human understanding. I like to remember that when Don Antonino was transferred to another parish in 1987, Mariangela and Paolo were so distressed that Paolo (of all people, always respectful of authority) actually wondered whether they should write to the bishop to "protest." Fortunately, the new pastor, Don Benedetto, proved to be a great friend and supporter of Faith and Light. By then the Santa Silvia community had grown large; it gave rise to the San Gregorio community, the Beehive workshop expanded, and the Carro House-Family was born.
Don Benedetto (and later Don Paolo) wanted to draw Mariangela even more deeply into the other parish activities, from the Caritas commission to the Pastoral Council. But we must be clear about something important. Mariangela did sit on the Council as a representative of Faith and Light or Caritas, but she never saw her role as a "union delegate." Her interventions brought into the Council that same spirit that moved her and moved Faith and Light: the desire to deepen, day by day, the roots of her own faith; to ground every action in meaning; to look at each person in a special way, because everyone is special in God's eyes. It's hard to give a systematic account, but I want to remember a few specific moments.
The church renovation came up for discussion. People talked about marble, balustrades, pews, tabernacles, and their costs. Mariangela spoke up to say that everything could be done well, without waste or excess—but above all she wanted the pulpit as high as possible and the sound system to be of good quality. God's Word had to ring out clear and strong. It had to be heard and "seen" by everyone, even those sitting lowest. And the lectors had to be well prepared!
At Faith and Light gatherings she listened to everyone and spoke to everyone. She alone sometimes had the words for a suffering parent or a young person in trouble. But I also remember, in Pastoral Council, a certain impatience with flowery speeches and with grammatical errors from high school or university students (it wasn't snobbery; it was insisting on real effort from those who could afford to give it—maybe the "occupational bias" of a former teacher).
At a Council meeting about ten years ago, someone brought up new initiatives for the elderly. A few people suggested recreational activities, competing with the nearby Senior Center. Mariangela spoke up: "I like to sing, dance, have fun. But as an elderly person, I ask the Church for something different and more: to help me die well!"
One thing that troubled Mariangela, even as Santa Silvia warmly welcomed Faith and Light, was the difficulty of drawing young people into Faith and Light and Caritas activities. One example: prompted by Caritas, Don Benedetto and Mariangela proposed to the Pastoral Council that they convert a storage closet into a shower facility for homeless people. Nothing came of it. People raised objections, made distinctions, cited logistical problems. I remember Mariangela's disappointment. She was ahead of her time: just a few days ago we learned that the Pope has ordered showers to be installed near the colonnade of St. Peter's!
To finish, one memory that is indelible and moving for me. I'm not sure whether it was a parish meeting or a Faith and Light gathering. Mariangela reinterpreted the Annunciation and the Magnificat in a gripping monologue. I believe the example of Mary, the Lord's servant, who then exults in him, the Savior, merciful rescuer, who overturns certainties and inverts priorities—this was for her a continual source of comfort and inspiration. Not by chance, the Magnificat is the favorite song of Faith and Light communities.
Stefano Atzeni, 2014