Italy – Messignadi: Advent and Christmas in the name of solidarity
The pastoral guide for Advent and Christmas, published by the National Commission for Film Evaluation (CNVF) entitled “The Path of Hope”, in order to live well this time, emphasized five verbs – to desire, to transform, to guard, to bless and to welcome – which correspond to as many attitudes.
The young people and the Friends of Joan Antida (AJA), urged by these verbs, carried out a series of activities, involving the families who generously responded according to their possibilities.
On December 8, under a bright sky, the Friends held a “dessert fair”. The proceeds were donated to the “Me too at School” project of the Thouret Foundation for the purchase of a computer.
On Sundays prior to December 17, the youth, door to door, solicited families to contribute to the soup supper with monetary donations.
During the week of joy, on the afternoon of December 17, 18 young people in the kitchen of the Caritas Diocesan, in San Ferdinando, prepared dinner for 180 immigrants, with the collaboration of some Friends of Joan Antida (AJA).
On December 27th – as they have been doing for four years – the Friends of Giovanna Antida (AJA) prepared a succulent and abundant lunch for our brothers suffering from ADS, guests of the Family House in Castellace.
Tenderness, loving-kindness, welcome, care and custody were the essential ingredients of these initiatives, starting from the planning to the festive implementation.
The feedback from the youth was an explosion of joy and positive emotions.
Our young people, our Friends of Joan Antida (AJA) have tried to recognize, in each brother served, God who became incarnate and who in our daily lives becomes a presence, a closeness, a neighbor.
