Movement, meeting, exchange of views: these are the ingredients of an experience planned with care, enthusiasm and dedication in view of the forthcoming synod on young people in our diocese of Bari-Bitonto. During the Easter season we had peregrination della tenda dell’incontro (pilgrimage of tent meeting). Every week the vicariates welcomed in their territory a tent, physical and symbolic space in which adults and young people were able to meet, as our archbishop Francesco pointed out, «with questions, dreams, hopes that accompany the search for meaning and fullness of their lives». Our community was also involved in different ways: participating in the inaugural vigil, visiting the tent, accompanying the initiative with prayer and interest. Two afternoons Sr. Sandra and the young girls of our university hostel have animated the group at the Polytechnic of Bari, transforming it into a place of meeting and dialogue in a climate of celebration and privilage. Beyond every expectation, about a thousand university students per day remained for the activity of the world café, to exchange few words or else simply to know what is happening around the tables where bread rolls, sandwiches, sweets, drinks, coffee prepared by the students of the «Margherita» were served and offered freely. The students exchanged their reflections, experiences, ideas in an active and informal way on subjects such as future, dreams, work, happiness.
The preparation fatigue was indeed much, but it was definitely of worth: we could count on the young people’s willingness to meet and confront each other; if we have courage to ‘go out’ as a Church, certainly we will discover that «the harvest is plentiful». We have also tasted the beauty of feeling involved in this initiative both the sisters and the parish priest who came to the hostel to knead the flour for cakes and bread rolls with students. With the icon of hands immersed in water and flour we concluded this brief remembrance, wishing to grow as a community and as a Church ‘with hands in dough’, with and for young people.