A vibrant community, attentive to everyone's needs, is what we found in Giussago last weekend. It's a highly diverse community. Within a single municipality, there are five different parishes, each with its own distinct history and identity. However, many years of pastoral unity have helped forge a strong bond between the various communities, so much so that shared initiatives are now being carried out in many areas. One such initiative is the parish Caritas, whose headquarters, located in Carpignago, we visited on Saturday after Mass celebrated there. Luisella, a volunteer, showed us around and described the various activities made possible thanks to the contributions of numerous volunteers. In addition to distributing food to needy families, for several years now, Caritas has also been collecting used clothing and other products of various kinds. Some of these are donated to those most in need, while others (given the constant influx, which far exceeds demand) are put up for sale at a flea market, with the proceeds used to fund Caritas's own activities. Another even more creative initiative is using the fabric from unsold clothing to make bags of various types and sizes, which are proving very successful. In short, it's a project that combines addressing various forms of poverty with a focus on a circular economy through the recycling and reuse of used products.
Another beautiful aspect of Giussago parish life is the oratory. On Saturday evening, we attended the post-confirmation and adolescent group meeting, later staying for dinner with the youth. Here, too, we had the impression of a vibrant and welcoming community, sustained by the work of various volunteers. Accompanying the youth group were a few older youths and a good number of mothers, who kept the children engaged throughout the meeting, facilitating sharing and creating a very family-like atmosphere. In the kitchen, we found a couple of volunteers who spared no effort in preparing a complete meal for everyone, both for Saturday dinner and lunch the following day. Sunday, in fact, was the traditional feast of Don Bosco. The programme included Mass at 11:00 a.m., presided over by Don Giovanni, followed by lunch for the children attending Christian initiation, and an afternoon of games organised by a large group of catechists. At the end of the activities, some animators staged a reenactment of Don Bosco's dream when he was nine years old.
We thank Father Davide Diegoli, Father Filippo Barbieri, and all the friends of the Giussago pastoral unit for the wonderful welcome and the enriching experience of the two days we spent together. These were authentic moments in the life of a community truly open to sharing and welcoming everyone.
Photo gallery
