LOVERE: YOUTH CONVENTION

The youth Convention was held at Lovere from 25 to 28 April, prepared with passion and enthusiasm of the équipe for charity,
accompanied by Sr. Agnese Quadrio.
The youth, coming from different parts of Italy and from Romania, were helped to reflect on “being and making home”;
in fact, the theme of the convention “@home” had precisely this goal.
The presentation of the story of Pollicino (Tom Thumb) in a modern way, the touching testimonies of the one who has never had a home,
the one who has chosen to live in a mobile home to share among the ROM his priestly ministry,
and the one, who due to a grave physical deformation, had to take ownership of his/her own body as a home,
have contributed to the theme of the Convention.
The presence of many testimonies, who have made their homes, place of welcome and shared life, the songs,
the fraternal dialogues and the meaningful workshops  have permitted to live these days in fraternity and in the joy of being together.
We share with you some of the responses that has reached to us, the équipe, in these days from the other young participants
and we once again ask you to sustain us with the gift of your prayer and love.

 

Embraces: they were many, beautiful, sincere and deep.
Life has passed with exchange of few words, in the encounter among us: a brief greeting, remembering of names… 
I hold in my heart the gift of encounter,
which as we say – is “the anticipation of that Communion for which we have been made from eternity”.     –       Sim

 

In order to be at home with ourselves, others and the world, we have to look with new eyes,
capable of going beyond the prejudice to understand the person;
committing ourselves to listen authentically our neighbor.      –      Giovanni

 

I had a dam in my heart that was preventing the river of love from flowing.
The person, the embraces, the words, the gazes, the tears, the laughter, the silence, the songs have broken down this dam
and made this river flow….
Above all, I shall carry this message within me always: “We should no more survive in life, but we must live life 100%”.       –    Caterina

 

In the map of my journey, designed by steps that I take, I have added this new phase that has the sound of a prayer sung without a false note,
the delight of a ballad danced with vigor, the delicate gesture that accompanies a story,
the fragrant perfume of a welcoming home and the vision of many walking.
I am the Home: I am made like a home and there is a deep desire for a home inscribed in each one of us;
my body is the “temple of God”: I am indwelt by a profound mystery;
the relations that I live are a home: I am born to aspire for relations of good
and to point to the infinite even in the relationships that I build.
Home is to be built with commitment and patience:
a home cannot be only a brick building in which to pass our time,
but a place where we can listen, welcome, accompany, encounter, embrace and love.
Home is to open out to the world: every time that I listen to the testimonies of families
that have nourished a profound desire to open out to life and the world in total trust,
I feel a strong shudder and the eyes sparkle.
I see in those choices of life much beauty
and I think that even I want to foster such a great dream for my life.  –    Miriam

 

The vigil prayer in the parish church of Corti was the touching and unifying moment:
the Eucharist at the centre in a house illuminated by many lamps,
to remember that Jesus is at the center from which we have start
and the stone on which “to build to be an open home”. –         Équipe of charity

 

To see other photos related to the event:    Convegno 2019 clicca