From Arosio-Carugo and Borgaro Torinese come echoes of the experience of the Paschal Mystery in its liturgical dimension and its corresponding existential dimension. Tailored to 12-15 year olds: a precious and challenging age for us educators – sisters, priests, educators, animators – which leaves indelible traces in the lives of boys and girls of this age.
The very young of the pastoral community of Arosio-Carugo in Rome
Accompanied by the parish priest, Don Paolo, and Sister Michela, from the SdC community of Arosio and some young people, 38 young people from the two parishes of San Bartolomeo di Carugo and Santi Nazaro e Celso di Arosio, in the province of Como, spent a few days in Rome to celebrate the Jubilee by passing through the Holy Door at St. Peter’s and to spend a morning sharing their lives with the Astalli Centre in Rome. They arrived in Rome in the days immediately following the death of Pope Francis and reorganised their schedule to ensure that they could pay homage to the remains of the Holy Father:
‘It was emotional. Really! It was tiring, having to queue for five hours. But it was a profound and shared moment of grief, gratitude, prayer of intercession, and acceptance of an extraordinary legacy… Thank you, Pope Francis!’.
At the Astalli Centre of the Jesuit Refugee Service, they were welcomed by Jesuit Father Alessandro and Sister Paola, from the SdC community in Rome’s Prato Smeraldo neighbourhood.
Father Alessandro showed them around the Astalli soup kitchen, the pharmacy, the prayer room for Muslims and the chapel, which are used for various services to welcome and integrate those who arrive in Italy fleeing war and violence, and often torture.
Also present at the soup kitchen were two young Sisters of Charity from the General House, who regularly help with the preparation and distribution of daily meals to refugees and asylum seekers, about 200-250 every day. Sister Paola, coordinator of the Padre Pedro Arrupe Multistructure Centre Astalli, also shared with the young people her experience of daily contact with refugee families and unaccompanied foreign minors.
The photo gallery also shows the warm welcome the group received in the park of the General House.
The parish priest, Don Paolo, and Sister Michela then left immediately for Rome with the adults from the two parishes to attend the funeral of Pope Francis: ‘26 April 2025 will remain an indelible date in the memory of our two parish communities”.
Another significant moment was the presence of 7,000 Ambrosian young people who came to Rome to participate in the Jubilee for Adolescents, which took place from 26 to 27 April, together with their peers from all over the world (edited by Sister Michela).
The young people of Borgaro Torinese
A mini camp was held in Borgaro during the Easter Triduum 2025 with 31 young adolescents to prepare them for Easter. They had experiences of solidarity, including a visit to a community of disabled people, working with disabled people in a reception centre and cleaning a park, accompanied, of course, by adult leaders.
In addition to service, the days were enlivened by moments of prayer, such as the Liturgy of the Hours, vespers, night adoration, confession and participation in the celebrations of these three important days of our Christian faith.
The decision to disconnect from their phones was a sacrifice that cost them a lot, but they accepted it with love in order to be more intimate with Christ who offers himself for our salvation.
These young people expressed their satisfaction at having been able to experience the new commandment left by Jesus on Holy Thursday, when he told us to love one another as he loved us. Happy, they returned to their families to celebrate Easter together and continue to be witnesses of the risen Christ (edited by Sister Agatha).
