The disarmed and disarming testimonies of the Vigil of the Metropolia Fano-Pesaro

Reflections by Silvia Zucchini and Francesco Domenicucci

"You did it for you, in your immensity, in your great love you, Lord, you created us for you and our heart finds no peace if, Mr., you are not here with us".

With this song we welcomed many friends and many people unknown to us, in all two hundred and fifty, at the wake of May 16 in the parish of San Paolo Apostolo in Fano.

This was the vigil of the "first times": First vigil for overcoming homotransbody in our diocese; first vigil started from below and organized by a small mixed group of priests and lay people/lay people of the two dioceses together; and Last But Not Least, first vigil in which not one, but two bishops presided over: Don Sandro Salvucci and Don Andrea Andreozzi.

In a silent silence of listening we received the gift of the testimonies of Luca, Attilio, Luisa and Mara and Agostino, young LGBT+ and parents of LGBT+ children who with great generosity have been part of their paths of life and faith. What amazes us is that in the days to follow we have received many attestations of affection and gratitude. We report some, sure that the only merit that our group can boast is to have let the spirit act.

"A beautiful vigil. Words of truth, no hypocrisy, testimonies of intense faith.
How great is God! And how small we are! And how different from each other! And how much wealth! Yes, we are small and very rich! It's like that! Jesus continually invites us to realize how many infinite possibilities of being there are, he tells us that he never judges, that he never feels "quiet" in our certainties. God is more and more! And man is more and more than a being similar to us, always much more. We just have to enjoy this wonder! As far as we succeed…. And we prayed for this !!!"

"It was a very powerful and unexpected celebration, for me, in a Catholic Church".

"Thanks to you for thinking and preparing it with this treatment, it was very intense and he felt a prayer, a authentic communion and emotion".

"Thanks to you, in such a short time you have transformed the reality around you! We only think a year ago, we would certainly not have said it! All this is of great hope for all of us, because in other dioceses you can do it".

"You are really sowers of hope, in so little time to move such a reality !!"

"A heartfelt, intense, touching vigil: how much suffering testified that we cannot remain indifferent. Finally an open door towards our conversion to welcome".

"I liked authentic people, their stories of children and parents, the texts of the vigil, the involvement of the assembly, the songs and then the people of the Cav, of the family pastoral care and the welcoming presence of our bishops".

Each participant was delivered to the entrance to the church a strip of colored fabric; After reading some facts of homotransbiot, each* of us was asked to write a word that he considered essential for overcoming any discrimination: a simple gesture to help all those present to take their responsibility for believers and citizens.

The intervention of the bishop of Fano, Don Andrea: "On my colorful fabric strip I would have liked to write- listening time- because I see how the need to listen to the lives of those suffering and has no space to say it".

Even the bishop of Pesaro, Don Sandro, concluded the vigil, personally entrusted us to a message of thanks for the style with which we organized the prayer: calm, intense, which does not produce "tears". In addition, he told us that it is necessary that we parents are the first to carry on the experiences of our children and their desire for recognition and dignity as baptized and children of God in the Church.

Don Francesco Pierpaoli, parish priest of San Paolo Apostolo, who has been walking with us families for two years now, concluded the waking recalling the words of Pope Leo: "The testimonies we have listened to are disarmed and disarming words, to us to make them yield".