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S. Maria Assunta di Rivarolo, Genoa (Italy)
The "revolution" knocks in family
The daily Word meditation in family units
Go back to First Communion pastoral in Rivarolo Community
GENOVA (Italy). "Reding Gospel in family changes family. When we read together Word we answer us differently, we cry just a little less". Thus Paola Traverso, 46 years old, housewife, married, with two children, summarises daily Bible meditation experience in domestic environment through trace of "daily Bread", the reflection starting points diffused by Santa Maria Assunta's parish priest. Tens and tens of families, at Rivarolo, meet, often at dinner hour, to do ten minutes of catechesis. And then they put in common their conclusions, every two weeks, meeting by groups.
It's difficult to maintain meeting assiduity. In family component commitments are many and it is difficult to meet all together at the same hour. But parishioners recognise that having broken incommunicability wall has been important equally. The group that reads Gospel becomes rich, dissensions dissolve themselves, life together becomes more exigent. " Before starting this family experience we were persons who couldn't care less - Cesare Parodi remembers, 48 years old, Sip clerk - because also in poverty it is possible to be egoist. Today our family is open and at Christmas we gave away our home keys to our friends. Often we return home and we find unexpected guests and this is lovely for us".
"Keeping in common" also goods represents a consequence of this Christian identity search. In parishes "family of family” domestic home are dialoguing place. Meeting together families speak about all things and fraternal correction method, though with its right reserve and with necessary delicacy, is comparison occasion. Also changing car is not a private fact. They debate if the purchase is really necessary, if the chosen car is too luxurious.
There are many conversions, at Rivarolo. Here a neighbourhood lady tells her husband life turning , after having take part in a parish meeting on the occasion of his son first Communion. "I prepared dinner in advance: our daughter asked him to take part in encounter in parish. But he put himself in front of tv, with two chairs below his legs to make understood that he would not move. “Do you go there?” And for answering he stood up, he kept his jacket and he slammed the door. "We hope that he resists one hour at least...". But at 10 o'clock, at 11 o'clock, at midnight, he had not come back yet. I was worried. He arrived few minutes after midnight. But by his inserting the key into keyhole, I understood that something had happened in his heart".
Roberto Festorazzi
(From AVVENIRE, Saturday, 5th December 1992)
edited by
fr. Paolo Benvenuto <donpaolo@gsi.it >
Via Salgari 4/4 - 16156 GENOVA PEGLI
ITALY
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