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Involvement in the Local Church

Involvement in the Local Church

Sep 9, 2014 | Non categorizzato

20140909-02Her parish community helped her raise funds for her plane ticket to Italy. She represents many young people in Brazil who were not able to attend but, like her are very involved serving the local Church at the parish level with the spirituality of unity. Natalia is from Portugal. She became acquainted with the spirituality of unity through her parish priest who is with her and five other young women at the meeting in Benevento. They are here because of an experience of communion that began several years ago and has spread to 3 other parishes, drawing in dozens of other young people. There is also a group of 7 Slovakian young people, along with their pastor. Their 50-member parish youth group had to choose who would attend the meeting because there was not enough money for all of them to attend. There are 14 Slovenians. Among them is Lucka, a very young pianist with a promising future. He one day realised that music was not the most important thing. He placed God first in his life and everything changed, his relationships with colleagues, family and, above all, himself. Now he is much happier. 20140909-01Italy was represented by people from north to south. The people from Gaeta were especially lively. Their group began ten years ago and soon spread to neighbouring cities. There were also people from Vallo Torinese, following on the trail of Servant of God, Maria Orsola Bussone, a young woman of the Focolare Movement who was very involved in parish life. Not everyone at the gathering was involved only at the parish level, a large number were also involved at the diocesan level. It was a beautiful week in late August with the Focolare’s Parish Movement and Diocesan Movement, at the Mariapolis Centre in Benevento. The programme included moments of reflection, prayer, recreation, relaxation, hiking and social involvement in the local Caritas projects around the city of Benevento. The local television reported on the event, which then led to several local residents going up to visit the Mariapolis Centre to know more. A conclusione, una domanda pratica: come fare a declinare l’esperienza vissuta a Benevento nella quotidianità e nella pianificazione delle attività delle parrocchie e diocesi? Molte sono state le proposte: periodici collegamenti telematici, più momenti da vivere insieme, calare l’operato nelle “periferie esistenziali”, aiutare il proprio territorio con iniziative ambientali, l’impegno per la pace e molto altro.The concluded with a final question: How to take the experience they had lived in Benevento to the daily life and activities of the parish and diocese? There were many proposals: regular telephone link-ups, more moments together like the one held in Benevento, involvement in local environmental projects, focusing work in the “existential peripheries,” assisting local environmental projects and promoting world peace. The responsibility now rests in the creativity of all, together with the local parish or diocesan community belong to. They now return to those communities as companions on the journey of making the parish more alive and humanity more fraternal.  

Involvement in the Local Church

Forgive us our (and their) trespasses

Sep 9, 2014 | Non categorizzato

20140908-01“It was bound to happen to us. In today’s Italy with its crisis, and where the media records a rise of thefts in the streets, in homes and in cars, our case goes to add itself to the list of thousands of people who find that their homes or cars have been burgled with such mastery. Upon returning from a beautiful outing in an aquatic park with our little girls, we noticed that someone in the parking lot had sneaked into our car. A quick check and our summary of losses was done: key lock was forced, the house keys were gone including all the documents. Furthermore, the thieves – evidently professionals – to make sure that we would notice the theft as late as possible, had forced the left door and left the sat-navigator in the dashboard drawer, after they had moved it to take the documents that were below. We immediately followed the usual procedure: called the police first of all, then called the neighbours to keep their eyes open for strange movements around our house, and the next day, started changing all the door locks of the house, which was quite an economically painful process which we were able to face, however, thanks to an unexpected extra help we had received just the day before: an unexpected reimbursement from the school where my wife, Sonia works. The sum spent for the substitution of the door locks practically amounted to the same sum deposited on our account. Of course the girls also took part in all this hustle and bustle, and so we decided to discuss it with them. Remembering a phrase of the Our Father,“Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us,” the discussion naturally focused on the theme of forgiveness.  We said to one another that this was our occasion to forgive not only with words, but with our hearts and without keeping any grudges. Also the Word of Life of the month was a big help. We recited a prayer together for “our” thieves, leaving the girls free to participate or not. The girls immediately accepted. We prayed that these people be converted. It was a strong and intense moment of unity for the family, and a good dialogue then arose regarding justice and the sense of forgiveness. For us, as parents, it was the occasion to be credible witnesses. A few days later, after noon, while the girls were praying for peace, one of them asked us: “Can we still pray for the thieves?” Source: New City online