One week after his inauguration, the new Bishop of Arezzo-Corona-Sansepolcro, HE Monsignor Andrea Migliavacca has decided to meet closely the association of Rondine Cittadella della Pace which for over twenty-five years has made the Arezzo village of the same name the seat of a living experience of human regeneration by offering young Italians and from all over the world training courses to learn how to live conflict and transform it by going beyond the reasons for hatred and war.
“The meeting with Rondine, one of my first visits to the Diocese, was a moment that I will keep in my heart. It is valuable work that is done. It is a deliberate visit, to make myself present, to meet and to begin to know this Church. Rondine is one of the treasures of the diocese that I had also heard about within the Italian Episcopal Conference”.
These are the words of Bishop Migliavacca who visited the symbolic places of the Citadel accompanied by the young people of the World House, young people from places of war who welcome the challenge of living with the “enemy” and forming themselves as future leaders and ambassadors of peace. From the “Monument of the Swallows” which traces the spiritual roots of the Citadel, to the entrance to Janine’s Arena with the iconic words of Liliana Segre “I chose life and became free” up to the school where she greeted the Fourth Year students Rondine, high school students from all over Italy who have the opportunity to spend a school year in the Citadel of Peace and train as active citizens to regenerate local communities throughout the peninsula with their commitment.
“Upon arrival I experienced a feeling of warm welcome, starting from nature with the colors of an exceptional sunset, reflected in the foliage of the trees – continues the Bishop – they gave me the sensation of a hug to which was added that of Franco Vaccari and young people who come from places in conflict with each other and who experience fraternity here. It was a discovery, like being accompanied to join a family, with dreams, efforts and projects. This welcome was very nice and gave me the perception of how dreams can come true”.
Monsignor Andrea Migliavacca was also welcomed by the participants in the second edition of the Mediterranean Frontier of Peace project who, after a year in Rondine, will return to their communities to develop impactful projects in their territories and strengthen the network of young people from all over the Mediterranean who work for social cohesion.
“What you see here is not just the result of planning or strategy, but intuitions, which by sharing them are realized and bring us into a project”. Bishop Migliavacca concludes. “In these first moments of getting to know the diocese I am seeing the riches of this land and of these people up close. The seeds of spirituality, life and humanity that are in our Church make me feel like the pastor of an undeserved community and to be guarded in all its richness”.
“It was a surprise and a joy to receive a visit from Bishop Andrea, but also a push and an encouragement to go forward in our commitment” said the president of Rondine, Franco Vaccari. “It was nice to see the cordiality and harmony that emerged from the meeting with the young people who animate the Citadel, a very sincere and fraternal moment of knowledge. And precisely in the sign of fraternity that Rondine offers to all that Christian inspiration of Camaldoli and La Verna that today we have had the opportunity to retrace together also with the group of founders”.