“In my day there were many more of us…but now you are here and that's what matters…you are the seed!”: with his customary kind and luminous gaze, Monsignor Luigi Maffi – rector of the Seminary from 1977 to 1981 – repeatedly shared this thought with us as he listened, curious and attentive, to our stories. The meeting took place on Sunday morning, October 20, at the Casa “San Giuseppe,” which we visited accompanied by Rosella and her passionate tale of those who wanted and brought that place to life, starting with the founder himself, Father Luigi Guanella.
Leaving Casa "San Giuseppe," we headed to the nearby parish church of Belgioioso with the parish priest, Don Roberto Belloni. Entering a church already packed with children and their families, we met a crowd of altar servers and celebrated the Eucharist. A large globe carried to the altar during the entrance procession helped us broaden our vision and our hearts to the global dimension of the World Mission Day, as Don Giovanni recalled in his homily. After the Mass, Don Giovanni and the catechists Gian Mario and Benedetta met with the children's parents, while the seminarians joined the three catechism groups for the younger children.
Sunday lunch was a precious opportunity to meet Father Roberto and Father Riccardo Cambisio, the parish vicar, as well as his collaborators, Father Stefano Sabbioni and Father Paolino Mascherpa, along with Deacon Dante Cerabolini. Testimonies of life and ministry, conversations, and perspectives on youth and vocation ministry made our meeting even more fraternal and fruitful with hope!
On Saturday afternoon, we had already celebrated the Eucharist with the parish community and had met a lively group of pre-teens in the oratory, with whom we shared dinner, later stopping to chat with Father Roberto and some volunteers.
Perhaps, it is precisely the sweet and gentle look of the one who told us, full of hope, "“you are the seed!” the frame that also captures all the faces and stories we encountered and that we add to our pilgrim's backpack... as we prepare for the next stop in Cura Carpignano!
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