The Discovery
Two days have passed since the pilgrimage ended, and I can still hear the songs of Assisi in the air. I remember when you spoke to me three years ago and I told you how much I wanted to understand the life of Fede e Luce; you urged me to remember that many young people who enter this world drift away after a short time.
I've come to see that at first, I didn't fully grasp what I was doing. My mind understood it, but my heart hadn't yet caught up. Perhaps because I sometimes overlooked what mattered most, focusing too much on what I could see. I looked outward for the right words and gestures instead of looking inward to find what I had to offer.
Over time, I discovered the genuine joy of gathering in community. The fun of a pizza night spent joking with friends ends the moment you walk through your front door; the happiness of Fede e Luce, though—I carry that in my heart. It stays with me, filling me with peace.
That evening in the Basilica of Assisi, I watched the blue light of night filtering through the rose window on the façade. I heard that delicate, layered chant. A true and deep peace washed over me. It was as if I knew everyone there. Giancarlo was looking at me. I think he felt it too.
Federica
I Feel More at Peace Now
I read very carefully a couple of articles from your first issue this year. They caught my attention.
The first was about sex education for people with disabilities. It's a difficult subject because many families can't talk about such intimate things with their children—perhaps they themselves know very little about it.
These articles help not only disabled young people, I think, but also parents and professionals. They show how to approach subjects this delicate.
I'm a very shy person and I don't want to talk about certain things in public. But I'm glad to talk with you because everything feels simpler and clearer when I'm not afraid of being judged. I was also struck by the article on "moving from adolescence into adulthood."
For a long time, I've been looking for readings that could help me understand and think about what happens inside me without my knowing it. Since I've been reading your magazine, I have to say I feel more at peace. Less self-conscious about opening up. I understand now that all of this is natural, nothing to be ashamed of.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I wish you well in your work.
Donato Di Giacomo
"Mi hao ma?"
Rachelle, a friend of Ombre e Luci and mother of young Nicolas, writes to us from Beijing. Rachelle, originally from Madagascar, has lived in several countries and in Rome until nearly a year ago.
"Now, after a month of regular therapy, people are beginning to know us and we them. For instance, during swimming class this morning, a mother came up to us saying Nicolas's name with a warm smile: 'Nicolas, Nicolas mi hao ma? (How are you?)' I've learned to answer too: 'Hao, hao, mi na?' And she laughed with joy.
Her son loves to swim, just like mine. We come from such different places—different countries, different cultures, different upbringings. But then we feel this strong bond between us. We both have a handicapped child. We both worry about their future and their development. We both wonder if there will be a place for our sons in today's world, and tomorrow's.
Rachelle
My Suggestions
Dear Ombre e Luci,
I want to express my sincere appreciation for your magazine. I find it excellent, above all for the heart from which everything flows and with which everything is offered.
Here are some suggestions.
- It would be helpful if, alongside accounts of how people live with a handicap, you provided "guides"—let's call them medical and behavioral—that highlighted the main features of each handicap and the best ways to behave in order to achieve better results for the person with the handicap.
- It would also seem useful if the magazine published addresses of specialized centers related to each particular handicap you cover.
- You could promote meetings in different regions where families with similar challenges could gather. Religious experts, social workers, and medical professionals could contribute to these meetings.
- You could expand your publication of catechesis experiences involving people with handicaps, and develop a "much-needed pastoral approach" for such people.
Maria Aliano
- The idea is a good one, but we don't think we have the professional expertise to set down rules based on experiences shared by parents or friends. Still, we hope that many will find in these accounts not just a moment of emotion, but reason to reflect and be encouraged to try certain approaches to their children's situation with more confidence and more hope.
- We agree on this point too, and in fact we've tried two approaches:
- publishing special issues devoted to a particular handicap;
- offering readers, in nearly every issue, a profile of a center, school, workshop, group home, or similar place we've visited and believe to be worthwhile. The description usually notes what types of handicaps are served.
- On this point, we think organizations like ANFFAS, AIAS, BAMBINI DOWN, and others—whether disability-specific or not—are better prepared and equipped to meet this real need than we are.
- On this last point, we're still in the early stages, though we have published several issues devoted to catechesis for people with disabilities. These can be requested by phone or by writing to the Editorial Office.