Consecrated Life | The Testimony of Donata Frigerio
Donata Frigerio (Ordo Virginum)
On the occasion of the Jubilee of Consecrated Life, we asked Donata Frigerio, of the Ordo Virginum, to tell her story on the blog Mission di spazio + spadoni
Consecrated of the Ordo Virginum, originally from Como, she began her journey back and forth from Africa in 1985.
My life has been full of twists and turns brought about by God.
At 16, in a meeting of the Focolare Movement, I had for the first time the very strong perception of being very loved by GodA perception that has never left me.
At 22, while I was attending university, I happened to go to Africa. Africa was my dream, I wanted to devote myself to wild animals.
I left for Congo (then Zaire, it was 1985) without any preparation missionair or cultural.
I meet a priest fidei donum Italian who in 15 days gives me a crash course in missionariety, anthropology and much more.
And God speaks to me as He knows how, and I become inextricably linked to Africa (and the Congo).
I owe a great deal to Africa. My constant travels (at least a month a year) to Congo have taught me so much about faith, family, community, and concrete Christian life.
I'm moving from Lombardy to the province of Reggio Emilia to live in a community that welcomes minors. This, too, I learned and experienced in Congo: the profound meaning of living together. Starting a family without blood ties.
Then, the perception of being called by God to a project that seemed to be beyond my human boundaries.
I know it almost by chanceVirgin OrderI began attending meetings with the Bishop, but was reluctant to join. I resisted the call for two years beyond my formation, continuing to attend the group of consecrated women, then gave in.
Consecration in the Ordo Virginum (2007)
They are consecrated to God through the local Church in the hands of Bishop Adriano Caprioli the night of October 3, 2007.
A very significant date for me because my home parish is accompanied by the Franciscans and Francis is a constant point of reference for me.
Africa participates in the celebration from Congo and with seminarians and missionSaverian ari.
I keep doing the shuttle trin Congo and Italy.
I bring some aid and all my love to Congo; and they give me messages of pain and calls for justice to take back to Italy for a war that, since 1996, has claimed well over 8 million lives (UN source), the worst since World War II. We don't talk about it here because the West is also implicated in the war, due to the rare earths, weapons, and minerals that are needed for our technology.
In 2019, God calls again for me to leave for a longer period, to be able to be better around people.
In 2020 COVID is holding me back, but I manage to meet with Bishop Massimo Camisasca who gives me his blessing and the support of the diocese.
In January 2021 I'm leaving, this time explicitly as missiondiocesan air.Virgin Order of Reggio has a missionair in its ranks.
I'll be back in January 2022Complex issues are keeping me from leaving on October 22nd to evaluate another stay.
As of today I am almost 4 anni cI am physically missing from the Congolese region of Kivu, which has been in a state of declared war again since January.
A piece of my heart is there. I volunteer with a group of Italians and Congolese to speak out about the injustice of war that people, my friends, suffer because of too many people's thirst for power and money.
I am in constant contact with friends in Congo.
What does it mean to me, consecrated,
this Jubilee
of hope?
It means trying to transmitsre to everyone the love I perceive from God, palpable, free.
It means be in the local Church, here and there, trying to announce hope in the Good News.
It means to believe in this Jubilee, in giving back to the poor (and feeling bad because, even as a European, I am giving nothing back...).
It means to hope with them, who are teachers of hope, in justice even in the absurdity of violence.
It means walk with the universal Church in which Jesus placed his hopes and certainties, for which he gave his life.
Images
- Photo by Donata Frigerio
On the occasion of the Jubilee of Consecrated Life, we asked Donata Frigerio, of the Ordo Virginum, to tell her story on the blog Mission di spazio + spadoni
Consecrated of the Ordo Virginum, originally from Como, she began her journey back and forth from Africa in 1985.
My life has been full of twists and turns brought about by God.
At 16, in a meeting of the Focolare Movement, I had for the first time the very strong perception of being very loved by GodA perception that has never left me.
At 22, while I was attending university, I happened to go to Africa. Africa was my dream, I wanted to devote myself to wild animals.
I left for Congo (then Zaire, it was 1985) without any preparation missionair or cultural.
I meet a priest fidei donum Italian who in 15 days gives me a crash course in missionariety, anthropology and much more.
And God speaks to me as He knows how, and I become inextricably linked to Africa (and the Congo).
I owe a great deal to Africa. My constant travels (at least a month a year) to Congo have taught me so much about faith, family, community, and concrete Christian life.
I'm moving from Lombardy to the province of Reggio Emilia to live in a community that welcomes minors. This, too, I learned and experienced in Congo: the profound meaning of living together. Starting a family without blood ties.
Then, the perception of being called by God to a project that seemed to be beyond my human boundaries.
I know it almost by chanceVirgin OrderI began attending meetings with the Bishop, but was reluctant to join. I resisted the call for two years beyond my formation, continuing to attend the group of consecrated women, then gave in.
Consecration in the Ordo Virginum (2007)
They are consecrated to God through the local Church in the hands of Bishop Adriano Caprioli the night of October 3, 2007.
A very significant date for me because my home parish is accompanied by the Franciscans and Francis is a constant point of reference for me.
Africa participates in the celebration from Congo and with seminarians and missionSaverian ari.
I keep doing the shuttle trin Congo and Italy.
I bring some aid and all my love to Congo; and they give me messages of pain and calls for justice to take back to Italy for a war that, since 1996, has claimed well over 8 million lives (UN source), the worst since World War II. We don't talk about it here because the West is also implicated in the war, due to the rare earths, weapons, and minerals that are needed for our technology.
In 2019, God calls again for me to leave for a longer period, to be able to be better around people.
In 2020 COVID is holding me back, but I manage to meet with Bishop Massimo Camisasca who gives me his blessing and the support of the diocese.
In January 2021 I'm leaving, this time explicitly as missiondiocesan air.Virgin Order of Reggio has a missionair in its ranks.
I'll be back in January 2022Complex issues are keeping me from leaving on October 22nd to evaluate another stay.
As of today I am almost 4 anni cI am physically missing from the Congolese region of Kivu, which has been in a state of declared war again since January.
A piece of my heart is there. I volunteer with a group of Italians and Congolese to speak out about the injustice of war that people, my friends, suffer because of too many people's thirst for power and money.
I am in constant contact with friends in Congo.
What does it mean to me, consecrated,
this Jubilee
of hope?
It means trying to transmitsre to everyone the love I perceive from God, palpable, free.
It means be in the local Church, here and there, trying to announce hope in the Good News.
It means to believe in this Jubilee, in giving back to the poor (and feeling bad because, even as a European, I am giving nothing back...).
It means to hope with them, who are teachers of hope, in justice even in the absurdity of violence.
It means walk with the universal Church in which Jesus placed his hopes and certainties, for which he gave his life.
Images
- Photo by Donata Frigerio
Donata Frigerio (Ordo Virginum)
