United States
Dear friends, the month of August was dedicated to hospitality. Many people came to visit us this summer: several confreres, a “missionary” family, and young volunteers.
The arrival of confreres and the Mission Appeals
The first to arrive was Father Fabio Favata, a PIME missionary in Hong Kong, China. He stayed for nearly two months and traveled from California to New York, and from Massachusetts to North Carolina to conduct Mission Appeals. He enjoyed it very much, felt tired after driving so many miles, and having him here with us was a true gift.
The same goes for Father Ace Valdes, a missionary in São Paulo, Brazil, who just completed a Mission Appeal in New Jersey last weekend.
It does the PIME community a world of good to welcome young confreres from various corners of the globe. At the same time, they offer us tremendous support through their preaching and by sharing their mission experiences during the Mission Appeals.
Father Mark Tardiff, originally from Michigan, returned on vacation from his mission in Japan and was providential in being able to accompany the passing of his 98-year-old father, Francis, who passed away while he was here.
Father Daniele Mazza, Vicar General of PIME and the new superior of our community in the United States, visited us for the first time. He listened attentively to everyone and has already planned regular return visits.
Families and young people in service to mission
Through PIME US Vocations (the vocations ministry I oversee), we welcomed a “missionary” family composed of parents Elena and Martino, and their two teenage daughters, Linda and Anna. I place “missionary” in quotation marks because they do not think of themselves as such, yet they spend their vacations every year volunteering in a different country.
This summer, they joined us after being sent by the Milan Mission Office. They served at the Capuchins Soup Kitchen and participated in FEST, a major Christian music festival in Ohio, where we engaged young people to introduce them to PIME.
Contagious hospitality and the Be Present project
One thing I love is how hospitality is contagious: when friends learn that confreres or volunteers are staying with us, they invite us and our guests over to their homes. Isn’t that wonderful?
New connections and unexpected friendships blossom. The latest group of guests we welcomed were volunteers from “Be Present”, a initiative run by the PIME Center in Milan at the Università Cattolica, coordinated by Letizia.
Chiara, Emma, and Giovanna arrived and carried out their service at Deo Gratias alongside warm-hearted American volunteers from various states: California, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Ohio, along with a volunteer from Ireland.
The VIM, Volunteers in Mission, who serve at Deo Gratias, are coordinated by Julie and can stay for a single week or an entire year.
A passage from the Letter to the Hebrews comes to mind:
«Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have entertained angels without knowing it» (Heb 13:2).
Have a wonderful start to the new season and a fruitful month of September!
Photo by Father Piero Masolo
