Christmas celebrations in the “Charité” Santa Luisa in Turin have been incredibly significant. Our “Day Centre for and with homeless people” has lived a wave of Providence and Grace. We were surprised but not overwhelmed, thanks to the Lord, we sail out with tailwind. The Holy Ghost winds!

The activities during the year with the parish youth groups led to the preparation by their families and all the community of nice parcels of presents for our homeless friends. We let our friends  choose their parcels.

Several Scouts groups took shifts to experience the services, to prepare the breakfast in Nizza street and distribute them on bicycles through the city streets.

The “La Stampa – Specchio dei Tempi” Foundation, sponsored by the city big firms, has promoted special breakfast several days, with good hot coffee, sweet and savoury food from big bakeries and very practical and needed presents, like warm blankets and face masks.

It was so nice to see the faces of our homeless friends lighting up, living a morning of true celebration in “Santa Luisa” at Nizza street, and through the streets, receiving the parcels from the families. Parcels full of good presents donated by “Reale Mutua Assicurazioni” and “Caffè Lavazza”. The feeling of being gently awakened from their sleeping bag not to be kicked out, but to experience a moment of fraternity, listening and care.

Yes, fraternity, listening carefully: This is the “Charité” first commitment, and how harmonious is our acting together. Everything is for our friends, everything is dedicated to them, to the image of Christ.

How nice is to see how the Love for and with our friends brings new volunteers, parish communities, Scout groups, supporters and even influential people. How great to  not have wasted anything from the donated food, a present abundant in quality and quantity, and even leaving some reserves for the future.

Thanks to God, thanks to each and every one, this wave of Providence and Grace has taken us to the open sea. We entrust ourselves to Mary, Mother of God. With her, let’s contemplate the start of love so it will shine on the darkness of our time. Even more close together, we pull the anchor, hoist the sails, rudder to starboard, by route marked by the Word written in the Heavens. Let’s go, full of gratitude and hope, ourselves and our homeless friends.

Sister Cristina DC, Charité Santa Luisa, Turin. Italy.

Article sent by the Daughters of Charity of “La Carità di Santa Luisa”, a day centre for and with homeless people, known as “Charité” in Turin, Italy.

Source: Vincentian Homeless Alliance