A group of Spanish Vincentians experiences one of the worst realities of poverty and lack of solidarity in our world today: immigration from the south to the rich countries of the north. This is the diary of this journey — the calvary of so many — who even go so far as to give their lives to seek a better one for themselves and their families. A true journey towards the conversion of our hands and our minds, and a first-hand testimony to the suffering of the poor, “our masters and lords.” We will publish, from today, each one of the days of this trip.
We are a group of pilgrims made up of Daughters of Charity, Vincentian Fathers and young people, a total of 21 people.
We come from all over Spain gathered by the Holy Spirit and linked by the Vincentian charism. We go to the peripheries, our suburbs, the invisible areas where society does not remember the poor, but where God is very present. We do not know what the way will bring us, but we are sure that the Holy Spirit will move us and accompany us. It is an ideal experience to celebrate the 400 years of our charism, an ideal time to feel like strangers, to come closer to the calvary that so many immigrants pass, although we are very aware that we are not even close.
We hope to be witnesses in our communities and contribute our bit to make our communities more welcoming and tolerant of strangers.
We journeyed to the peripheries to carry the salt and the light of the gospel
“You are light of the world”. Without the light of the sun, the world is left in darkness; we can not orient ourselves or enjoy life in the midst of darkness.
If it remains isolated in a vessel, salt is useless. Only when it comes in contact with food and dissolves with them can it flavor what we eat. A Church isolated from the world can neither be salt nor light.
Pope Francis is convinced that “what the church needs today is the ability to heal wounds and give warmth to hearts.”
The motto of the whole Vincentian Family for 2017, which is going to shed light on everything is: “I was a stranger and you welcomed me …” (Mt 25:35).
“Our gaze is directed towards our brothers and sisters, especially the most abandoned and those for whom no one cares, and to be sure that our reflection, programming, and action are going in the right direction, the road always has to begin with us” (Superior General, C.M.)
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