An intense moment of evangelical joy in the Dehonian spirit
The Superior General returns to Albania to encourage the mission of the Dehonian confreres. The mission in Albania needs new forces: an appeal to the Congregation.
When the Superior General visited Albania two years ago (October 25-28, 2019), he was the first General to make this visit in the nearly 30-year history of our mission in the land of the eagles. Despite the hard experience we were living at that time, due to the death of our confrere, Fr. Antonio Bozza, Father General remained enthusiastic about our mission, our pastoral experience in Shkodra and the social work of Fr. Pasquale Nalli: the support to the hospital in Laç, the collaboration with the Protestant community in the organization of a mensa for poor children, an ambulatory for autistic children.
The November 2019 earthquake, the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in the illness of 3 brethren, closed churches and the suspension of pastoral commitments have severely challenged our Dehonian presence in Albania.
From September 29 to October 1, Fr. General, accompanied by Fr. Artur Sanecki, returned once again to Albanian soil. Discussions on the present and future of our service in Albania formed the basis of the dialogues that filled these days.
On October 1, with Fr. General, we participated in a special celebration that took place at the Clarisse convent in Shkodra. At the beginning of the missionary month, a nun from the monastery of Fanano in the province of Modena came to this contemplative place to live a missionary experience and enrich the prayer and work of the Clarisse in Shkodra.
A special moment in the program of Father General’s visit was the visit to the house of the “Hope Project”, which used to be our religious house in Shkodra and which, given to this association on commodate use, today is a “family house” for more than 20 disabled women and a “Day Center” for the other special children of the other houses of the Project.
Our mission in Albania continues and hopes to be reinforced through the presence of other Dehonian religious. In the meantime, we thank the Heart of Jesus for the visit of Fr. General, a strong moment of communion that encouraged us in our apostolic work and a source of hope and renewal of evangelical and Dehonian joy.
