Speaking for a Whole Family
Dear friends, Saturday was a special day for me. In my parish, dedicated to Saints Cyril and Methodius, we received a visit from Cardinal Vicar to Pope Francis, Monsignor Angelo De Donatis. It was a momentous occasion because I was able to present to the cardinal the Fede e Luce community handbook. Words fail to capture what I felt—emotions that simply cannot be described. Just being there, living it in the moment... and then consider that I was representing such a large family as Fede e Luce in my parish, the only one in Italy named for Saints Cyril and Methodius, where I hope soon to launch a community of our own. It gave me even more reason to carry with me everything that each person in Fede e Luce shares with me. Thank you all so very much.
— Antonietta Pantone
A Bishop Among Us
Sunday gatherings with Fede e Luce are always full of surprises that warm the heart. But this time was especially moving—we spent the day with Monsignor Giuseppe Favale, bishop of the Diocese of Conversano-Monopoli. Our community, Mano nella Mano, welcomed him as one of our own. We gathered around him at a long table, sharing food prepared with love by each of us, and receiving the small gestures that only our young people know how to give. These gestures tell our story—our journey in Fede e Luce, our experiences, our emotions, and the bonds of fellowship that hold us together as one large family.
— The Mano nella Mano Community
A New Community Is Born
On Sunday, September 30, the Fede e Luce community of San Pietro Avenza gathered and traveled to Scorcetoli, a small village in the Lunigiana region of Massa Carrara, to witness the launch of a new Fede e Luce community—Sant'Andrea—and to share fully in the joy and hope that comes with every new beginning. For everyone present, the gathering was a turning point. On one hand, it was an important moment for both communities to rest, reconnect, and remember the many occasions we have shared together: our celebrations, the Rome-Assisi pilgrimage in 2015 to mark forty years of Fede e Luce in Italy, Pope Francis's visit to Florence. On the other hand, it marked a true departure for the new Sant'Andrea community, setting it on its own path of shared friendship among God, people with disabilities, their families, and many friends.
The joyful occasion brought together Cinzia Vanicelli, regional coordinator for Emilia-Tuscany; Luciano Benassi, coordinator of the Amici insieme community in Parma; and Lucia Casella, a founding member of Fede e Luce at the national and international level. Don Lucio Filippi could not have been absent—he is currently pastor of Aulla, but was formerly pastor of Avenza and Scorcetoli, and has been the tireless champion of Fede e Luce's precious mission.
The day began with participation in the parish Mass, celebrated by Don Mario Arenara. Members of the San Pietro community performed a pantomime of the Gospel passage in which Jesus speaks to his disciples, urging them to welcome every good deed, regardless of whether it comes from a friend, acquaintance, group member, or stranger—because the root of all goodness is Him alone and His love poured out on every person. Jesus also teaches his disciples another lesson: to look to the little ones as their guide, never to cause them scandal or distress.
Once again, Jesus places the little ones at the center of his teaching, because it is in their living and active presence that the mystery and message of Christ takes flesh.
The little ones are the heart of Fede e Luce communities, and it is through the relationships we build with them and among ourselves that our witness, our faith, and our love will be measured.
After a generous and abundant meal—true "Fede e Luce style" (we were delighted to see that the Sant'Andrea community had already picked up this beautiful custom)—the members of both communities shared a time of play and joy, swapping stories and deepening their bonds of friendship.
Another deeply moving moment came when the Sant'Andrea community performed a pantomime of the song "Il disegno" (The Design). Through their gestures, we were invited once more to reflect on creation as God's gift to humanity, on His design for history and for each of His creatures.
Fede e Luce communities too are part of God's design—each one drawn by His hand, each member placed deliberately in its path. So we gather to praise and thank Him for giving us this beautiful sketch of the Sant'Andrea community in Scorcetoli, which—we are certain—through prayer, friendship, the support of the San Pietro community of Avenza, and above all through the help of the Holy Spirit, will soon become a masterpiece!
— Silvia Tamberi