Giovanni's Baptism
In issue III/2008 on page 6, the Petrone family—then friends and now parents to the community Il Germoglio in Cardito—told us how and why they took in little Giovanni, a child with severe disabilities who had been abandoned in the local hospital at the time. Well, after the adoption was finalized, Vito and Tina Petrone made it clear they wanted Giovanni to receive baptism.
It was a moving ceremony in a parish filled with members of all the parish groups and the entire Fede e Luce community Il Germoglio.
Our heartfelt congratulations to little Giovanni and his new parents on welcoming their third child! And congratulations as well to his godfather… who is he? I am, Lello, coordinator of the community.
Lello Mele (Fede e Luce Community Il Germoglio).
"I'd Be Better Off at Home"
My family—myself, my husband, and our 39-year-old son with severe intellectual disabilities—has always lived with my mother, who turned 102 this past January, and will be 103 next month. Over all these years, her presence in our house has been a gift as I've raised Francesco. The two of them are deeply attached; she considers him the reason for her life, and he sees her as a constant presence—someone who has always been there and always will be.
Last summer, my husband's health took a serious turn. He developed a grave kidney condition and had to start dialysis treatment at the hospital three times a week. Because of this, I made the difficult decision to move my mother to a nursing home, at least for the summer months. Even though she is nearly deaf and blind, she still understands what is happening in our family. She accepted my decision without complaint. But as summer ended and we considered bringing her back home, my husband and I grew frightened. We weren't sure we could manage the demands it would place on us, and we were torn about what to do. Then, during a final visit to the facility, my mother looked at me and said: "I'm fine here. Everyone is kind to me. But I'd be better off at home." That one sentence resolved everything. The three of us came home together, and that evening we celebrated with my son—a big cake and all. Now we continue forward together, facing the difficulties as they come.
Elisa Sturlese