So you don’t feel alone
Dear friends at Ombre e Luci, thank you for sending your magazine — I read it with great interest. My acquaintance’s idea of introducing me to Ombre e Luci (I think I know who it was!) was a wonderful one. Especially at a time like this, grieving the loss of my son Philippe, I felt a deep need for the strong testimonies of people and parents who express so clearly the struggles, the joys, and the anguish of raising a child with disabilities, as you put it.
I have come to understand that suffering holds much that unites us. Being able to share our experiences with others matters enormously — so that no one has to feel alone in carrying their burden.
Warm regards and congratulations for your selfless work.
- M. Assunta Thalmann - (Switzerland)
Ombre e Luci is a worthwhile read
My name is Giulia Zazzera, and I have been a friend of Fede e Luce from the very beginning — I might call myself an “old” friend, in name and in fact. But that is beside the point; what matters is the spirit. Mariangela and Lucia Bertolini know me well as the person who throws herself into the creative and hands-on activities of the Community of Maria SS. della Madia in Monopoli.
I receive the magazine Ombre e Luci, which I find rich in content and personal experience. I do have to wait a few days before I can read it, though: my mother — well into her eighties — claims it first, reads it cover to cover, and then hands it back to me with a satisfied look: “There, now it’s your turn. I find every issue interesting”…
- Giulia Zazzera
Ombre e Luci runs entirely on donations and volunteer work. We thank the readers who have supported Ombre e Luci.
There is a community close to you…
I spent some time in hospital recovering from serious surgery, which meant I could not attend the spring celebration or other gatherings in my community — including a family prayer meeting. The day after, however, a dear friend brought me the sheet with the Gospel passages we had read and reflected on together. With it came a small note that read: “Dearest Fausta, these are the words of the Gospel we read at last night’s prayer, and which you can now read in your own silence. Rather than empty words, flowers, or chocolates, the words of Jesus are the most precious gift — a reminder that there is a community close to you and your daughter, a community that loves you; and above all, that Jesus himself is close to you and to each of us, loving and sustaining us.”
And truly, Jesus did love and sustain me — through the help of so many friends (no offence to anyone) some of whom also reached out to my mother, through the prayers of the young people and their parents, through the presence of our priest, of old friends and relatives.
What I felt during those days is impossible to describe. This is Fede e Luce. These are the seeds planted twenty years ago, when our friends were all students; now each of them has a job and a profession, which they offer to those in need whenever possible, out of the friendship that binds us. I thank God for having placed this feeling in our hearts.
But let me add a warm thank-you to everyone, also on behalf of my daughter — and a heartfelt “Well done, Carla!” for being so close to her mother, who hopes to find the strength to face whatever battles life still holds.
- Fausta Guglielmi
The joy of coming together
Hello, here is the list I promised you over the phone. Please send a sample copy to each person on it. I will try to help with postage costs as best I can, via postal order. You might be curious to know what the C.I.A.O. group is and how it came about.
It was founded ten years ago in the parish of San Frumenzio, out of the need of a small group of parents — about ten of them — to meet and share experiences. Since then it has grown enormously. The parents meet once a month and are working together with parents from nearby parishes to establish group homes and day centres. We meet with their sons and daughters every Thursday afternoon for a couple of hours.
We are divided into three smaller groups — there are so many of us that we no longer fit in a single room! The three groups are named after translations of the word “ciao” in three languages. Hols is Spanish, Hello is English, and… Tà tà is Ronga. Does that make sense? Probably not. Ronga is a dialect spoken in Mozambique. Our parish has strong ties with Mozambique — we are twinned with a small village there, and some of us travel for a month or more at a time. There is tremendous participation and involvement; that is one of the beautiful things about this community. When someone does something, everyone else feels part of it — a bit like a large family (and yes, sometimes we argue, just like in a family!). It is the same with the C.I.A.O. group: we are 50, but it feels like 500. There is always someone asking questions, joining in, getting involved.
Back to the three groups: the first includes members with greater support needs — and I say “members” advisedly, not just “young people,” since people with disabilities are so often treated as eternal children — and they take part in simpler activities. The other two groups bring together people with fewer support needs. With some of them we are producing a small newsletter, which we hope will form part of a larger project: “Spes contra spem”. We are putting together a publication to connect the various parishes in the area around the theme of disability.
In the summer we run a week-long camp in a small village in Abruzzo, on the Altipiano delle Rocche.
Forgive me for going on at such length — I sat down to write a few lines and could not stop. I could tell you so much more: about the joy of each gathering, about the strong presence of Christ in every person’s face, shining through in a particular way in the eyes of those who suffer, who are at the same time joyful witnesses to the Risen Christ… I fully intend to write again!
PS. Do you know Tonino Bello? He wrote some wonderful things, including a letter “to those who suffer in the body,” published in Pietre di Scarto, ed. La Meridiana. If you don’t have it, I can send it to you (I forgot to mention that the C.I.A.O. group sells books every two weeks… and uses the proceeds to fund the newsletter!).
- Luigi Vittorio Berliri
Emotional and affective needs
A few days ago I received your letter along with the magazine.
I read several articles and found them interesting. One in particular caught my attention — an article in issue no. 4 of 1993 addressing sexuality and affection. I think it is very important to engage with the emotional and psychological needs of people who are more vulnerable.
It is essential, in my view, that people with disabilities and their families find acceptance, understanding, and support in the communities where they live.
Raising awareness about the social challenges faced by people with disabilities is therefore crucial, and I believe your magazine can make a real contribution in this area.
I would like to keep receiving Ombre e Luci, to stay informed and to hear testimonies on a subject close to my heart.
I wish you every success in continuing your work.
- Donato Di Giacomo