Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Stuttgart (Agenzia Fides) - The work, thoughts and spirituality of Blessed John Baptist Scalabrini (1839-1905), Bishop of Piacenza, Father and Apostle of migrants, were the themes of the Scalabrini-Fest of Fruits held from 3 to October 5 at the Center for Spirituality of the Scalabrini Missionaries in Stuttgart, in cooperation with the Scalabrini Secular Missionaries. The annual event was attended by about 280 people, from 26 countries, including many Christian refugees from Eritrea and Iraq.
The participants were accompanied by Mgr. Saverio Xeres, Professor of Church History at the Theological Faculty in Northern Italy, who highlighted two fundamental dimensions of his personality: Mgr. Scalabrini’s deep relationship with his historical and geographical context, which led him to act with responsibility and tireless charity in the human suburbs in those days, and at the same time, his ability to look ahead and to recognize the whole world, allowing himself to get involved in the global phenomena such as migration.
At the conclusion of the Forum and of the different study groups Fr. Daniele Sartori, Scalabrini missionary in Stuttgart, during the Mass concelebrated by Mgr. Xeres and Fr. Gabriele Bortolamai cs, animator of the Center for Spirituality, commented on the Gospel parable of the Good Samaritan. During the liturgy migrants and refugees who lost their lives trying to cross the borders and all the victims of violence and persecution were recalled. (LD/SL) (Agenzia Fides 11/10/2014
