On Monday 23 March, the Rome community of the Servants of Suffering (priests, consecrated women and associates) experienced a moment of grace during the visit of the Institute’s Moderator, Fr Giuseppe Carrieri.
The gathering began in the evening with the celebration of Holy Mass at the parish of St Thomas Aquinas, led by the parish priest, Fr Domenico Vitulli, and attended by the Roman community. At the start of the celebration, Fr Domenico introduced the Moderator, describing him as a “sign of unity” and simply expressing the significance of his presence among the family of the Servants of Suffering.
The community gathering took place in the same parish, creating a warm, intimate and joyful atmosphere.
From the outset, it was clear what defined this community: a shared desire to walk together. When the suggestion was made to hold separate meetings, the leaders of the respective groups spontaneously agreed to come together as one. This concrete sign of communion deeply moved and comforted the moderator.
In his address, Fr Giuseppe recognised this unity as a precious gift: a communion practised amongst people with different vocations, resulting in collaboration, sharing, and shared responsibility.
This unity is given concrete expression in the work of Il Galeone della Speranza APS, an active charitable organisation that brings people together to serve the most vulnerable and make their charism visible.
The Moderator then emphasised the importance of the community as a place of generation and sustenance. From within the community, individuals are called to broader services, and it is precisely for this reason that they require greater support and guidance. This was Fr Giuseppe's own experience, and it is also the invitation extended to the Roman community from which the new President of the SDS Associates, Enrico Carnevalini, was elected. The community is the source of strength, especially in times of trial.
Love was at the heart of the reflection, understood as the free gift of oneself: a love that becomes service and demands fidelity to the Gospel, the charism, and the teachings of our beloved Founding Father. This love is expressed concretely in closeness to those who suffer.
Looking at the community in Rome, Fr Giuseppe recognised sincere enthusiasm and a genuine desire to bear witness. He invited everyone to continue growing together, supporting one another and moving in the same direction.
Finally, he requested a prayer that the community might increasingly become a symbol of unity for the entire Servants of Suffering family. This was followed by warm greetings from Fr Carmelo Pellegrino, Fr Giuseppe Tavolacci and Francesco Lalia, which expressed the joy of the gathering and gratitude for a presence that strengthens bonds and renews the journey.
It was a simple yet intense moment that renewed everyone's awareness of belonging to a single family and called on them to live and bear witness to the unity that springs from love in Christ, in charity.