A Great Joy
Dear friends at Ombre e Luci,
I felt tremendous joy reading the issue devoted entirely to Mariangela.
Before the magazine arrived, I had said to myself: "Dear Mariangela, a single issue of Ombre e Luci could not hold all the 'thank yous' written by the mothers and fathers, the friends of Fede e Luce." I add my voice to everyone who has written to thank Mariangela from the heart for so much that has changed for the better in my life. She was close to me as a friend, as a mother, as a spiritual mother guiding my faith and growth. My deepest thanks to the entire editorial team.
Corinna Giorgi
A Place Without Fear
My son Francesco—who has severe intellectual disabilities and is now 43—my husband Sergio, and I joined the Fede e Luce family in 1986.
After all these years, I cannot imagine my life or my son's life without the presence and companionship of this community.
I came hesitantly, at the urging of another family already involved. But I was immediately and happily surprised to find myself among parents who cared about us and young people who offered their time and availability to my son.
I understood at once: this was a place where you did not fear the judgment of others' eyes.
From these true friendships I gained courage, hope, and certainty that we are not alone. Together we continue to believe that our children are not merely a burden or a hardship.
Over the years, I have learned to see them as a gift—something that opens our hearts to others.
With warm regards,
Elisa Sturlese
What Would She Tell Me to Do?
I lived through Mariangela's death intensely and painfully. Memory overwhelmed me in waves—crashing and breaking against the shore: our first meeting in Palmi, her visit to us in Monopoli with Paolo, the pilgrimage to Lourdes in 2001, her presence at a tragic moment in my life, our last phone call.
When the tide receded, something became clear: the understanding of who she was.
Her passage through each of our lives had meaning—great, manifest, and mysterious all at once.
For all to see: her achievement in founding Fede e Luce in Italy and bearing authentic witness to it, faithfully and fruitfully.
But there was also the mystery of how she gave herself to each of us in a way that was deeply personal. I often told her how important she was to me—so much so that despite the distance, whenever a crucial moment came in my life, the question rose naturally: "What would Mariangela tell me to do?" And always, through some sign, I would find the answer.
I will miss her, certainly. Yet I will not miss her—just as certainly—because her answers will still come.
Vanna Rossani