WITH PIME AT WYD The diary of the 70 young people taking part in “Crossroads”, the itinerary promoted by PIME’s missionary animation to join the meeting of young people from all over the world with Pope Francis. First stop on the border, to meet Caritas operators who offer dignity to those trying to cross one of the strictest borders in Europe.
Young, on the go, in a hurry. Ready to discover and rediscover ourselves and our faith, according to the advice entrusted to us by the archbishop of Milan Mario Delpini. With these premises we set off on the road to Lisbon. Over 70 young people from all over the diocese, on their way along a path promoted by PIME which will allow us to ‘cross’ many stories, testimonies and lives. This is why our journey is called ‘Crossroads’, or ‘crossroads’: before Lisbon we will in fact stop in Marseille, Barcelona and Madrid (plus other intermediate stops), where we will come into contact with many people and with their vocation, effectively manifested in their daily life.
Our journey started from the PIME Center in Milan, after having entrusted ourselves to Maria, icon of WYD 2023. The first stop was Ventimiglia, where we heard the touching testimony of the operators of Caritas Intermelia, who experience every day all the difficulties of a territory border’.
“We are living in dramatic situations, and it is very difficult to face the fact that we can only do a very small part to help those who migrate, without being able to do more. We would all like to give more, but we are human after all. How do I deal with the fact that after us the most fragile people can suffer violence or even die victims of human traffickers or worse? I pray, I pray a lot ”explained Cristian Papini, director of Caritas, who together with Marina left us his testimony.
“We have been active in the area since 1991, a border area: we have always been close to migrants, but the situation changed a lot when in 2015 France suspended the Schengen treaties. From there we have activated many proximity services for migrants, which have increased a lot. Our greatest achievement was having opened the ‘Roia’ reception camp, to give a dignifiedly welcoming place to those passing through Ventimiglia. In fact, the vast majority of migrants we meet are passing through: many want to reach other European countries, mainly France, Germany and the United Kingdom. We are currently able to offer a unique food, health and legal assistance service thanks to the collaboration with other local realities”.
A closeness that was also inspired and supported by Bishop Antonio Suetta, who has been at the helm of the diocese of Ventimiglia-Sanremo since 2014, whom we met in the church of Sant’Agostino. “As proximity workers we must certainly help in first emergency situations, but we must also be able to see in perspective. I am an Albenganese, and I remember when in the 80s the plain attracted a lot of foreign workers. At the time this was problematic for both the local population and the immigrants: now second or third generation immigrants have integrated perfectly. I believe it is a virtuous model and that it should serve as a warning for our action on the territory”.
The splendid testimony has profoundly questioned many of us, and has made us touch a reality that we can often only receive through the filter of mainstream information. Having said goodbye to the bishop, we set off again towards Marseilles, and once we arrived we took lodgings in the structures of the church of Notre Dame du Mont where we also celebrated the first mass of the pilgrimage. “Perhaps we abuse the term ‘comfort zone’, but I would still like to use it in this homily. Be able to embark on an adventure”, Father Alessandro suggested to us during the homily. The program includes three overnight stays in the French city, which we will visit in search of other testimonies. On 30 July we will then leave for Barcelona via Narbonne.