“Maria Immacolata” day center for the elderly

“Old age is among the most urgent issues that the human family is called to face at this time”. These words of Pope Francis have been a guide for a project that is “reborn” in its fifth year of life, after having gone through the difficult years of the pandemic. Thanks to the friars of the historic Convent “S. Francesco all’Immacolata “of Comiso, to the generosity of the laity of the Calicantus Association who spend every day attracted by the love of Christ in the flesh of the weakest brothers, with the collaboration of the Municipality of Comiso, the day center for the elderly is consolidated which will take on the title of “Mary Immaculate”. The inauguration ceremony will take place in the suggestive “Paolo VI” Room located in the same building, in the presence of the religious and civil authorities, and of the social actors who animated the initiative.

The following will intervene in order:

Don Roberto Asta – Vicar General of the Diocese of Ragusa

Biagio Aprile– Rector of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

prof Maria Rita Schembari – Mayor of Comiso

lawyer Giuseppe Alfano – Councilor for Social Services

Pina Brighina – Company of Sant’Orsola of Catania

Pasquale Monaco – Head of Caritas Sanctuary of the Immaculate Conception

prof. Giuseppe Di Mauro – President of the Calicantus Association

Maria Imposa And Lucia Cuglietta – Senior Citizens Day Center Project Operators

At the end, a refreshment prepared by the elderly themselves who have now reached 40 and are constantly growing.

The project is characterized by its Christian inspiration and by a line of Franciscan spirituality that immediately communicates a renewed sense of fraternity to all those involved. The operators, in fact, whether they are permanent or voluntary, immerse themselves in the activities they themselves have conceived and programmed, mingling with the very nice “grandparents” and the very lively “grannies”! The afternoons are quite lively thanks to the attention given by the animators to the psycho-motor faculties that tend to doze off in old age; not only that, the regard to expressiveness, to self-narration, in addition to acting as therapeutic actions, opens up to the beauty of art and creativity. The activities are designed starting from the many years of experience of experts in the sector who have handed over their legacy in significant books and documents. By adapting everything to the context and to the people, it is possible to give life to a small community that discovers a different way of living time, first of all by inserting itself into the cosmic flow of the liturgy, then living the seasons of the year and the relative recurrences always preparing something themed, as well as spending a few Sundays in cultural and fun outings in places of attraction. In short, a project that opens up a space for being together by overcoming loneliness and isolation, which expands time by giving it the profound sense of love.

Author

Editorial board “Insieme” comes out with n ° 0 on 8 December 1984. Since then the editorial office has been the “training house” for many young people who have collaborated with passion and commitment.