Pope makes surprise visit to
“Nuovi Orizzonti” Community
Pope Francis visits the “Nuovi Orizzonti” Community, founded
by Chiara Amirante, in a gesture that underlines his admiration for its work.
By Vatican News
“Nuovi Orizzonti” is Italian for “new horizons”.
The Community was founded by Chiara Amirante in 1993 with
the intention of assisting people in need and of taking action in areas of
particular social hardship.
The work of the Community
These areas include rehabilitation from substance abuse and
various forms of addiction, shelter to street children and aid to young people
in difficulty. The Community also assists prostituted women, and provides
support for anyone who has been rejected, excluded, marginalized – sometimes by
their own families.
The projects of the Community
What started out as Chiara Amirante’s own outreach mission
to the poor and destitute on the streets of Rome has grown to become an
international community, present in many countries around the world.
The projects of “Nuovi Orizzonti” now include over 200
training centers involving around 30,000 collaborators. Their activities
include a mission of street evangelization, and a program that aims at the
integral reconstruction of the human person, uniting elements of psychology and
spirituality.
The Pope and the Community
Pope Francis has admired the work done by “Nuovi Orizzonti”
for some time. On June 8th this year, to mark the Community’s
25th anniversary, he made a personal phone call, sent a letter
of congratulations, and recorded a video message expressing his affection and
encouragement to the more than 3,000 people gathered to celebrate the event.
“Never lose your memory”, said the Pope in that message. “In
your memory you will meet God: the God who has accompanied you, who has made
you grow”.
“Nuovi Orizzonti” is registered as a non-profit
organization, and is recognized by the Vatican Dicastery for the Laity, Family
and Life. Its headquarters and international center is in Frosinone, about one hour’s
drive south of Rome.
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét