In our lives as Jesuit novices, we meet many people with whom to exchange a word, a question, a smile, a prayer, a wish … Some of these are indelibly imprinted in our hearts. So it happened to us – first year novices – the last day of March when we had a memorable encounter with the family of Alberto and Rossana in their farm in the mountains around Sestri Levante. With great emotion and affection we put on paper the words that they imprinted with the ink of their welcome in our hearts.

The relationship between man and creation

When we arrived I had a great impression on the surrounding nature. A place of incredible tranquility where you can contemplate the greatness of Creation.
– Janez

An experience that made me think about how God has created everything perfect and how problems today often depend on the negative impact of man on the environment. I also saw that God gave us everything to live a beautiful life: sunrise, sunset, birds, etc. They are simple things, the same every day, but things that one never gets used to.
– Daniel

This day blew my childhood memories when I went to visit my grandparents in the countryside. Surrounded by nature, its noises and silence, its colors and its flavors, this day has brought me back to the healthy relationship that man establishes with nature if he lives with it respecting its timing and dynamics.
– Alessio

The courage to live their vocation as a family

I’ve heard too many times saying, “I would like to leave the city, the traffic, the noisy neighbors, the smog, the hectic and stressful life of the metropolis …” And I did not see anyone doing that really. Until a few days ago. Alberto and Rossana – with their experience – witness that believing in our dreams is never wrong. There will always be difficulties, it is undeniable, but authentic life does not mean no problems, but have the courage and motivation to design a life dimension where the things that matter really conquer all.
– Piero

The radical choice of this family has made me meditate on the quality of the stimuli we are subjected to in urban life.
– Alessio

It was a breath of fresh air: the woods, watercourses, plants, gardens, animals, not seen by Rossana and Alberto as mere everyday tools, but means to acknowledge and thank the Lord. This impressed me, because it touched my feelings, as all the manual work of Rossana did. But much more because the environment has made it a framework for a profound sharing of life experiences, so diverse, but offered with great gratuity from all of us.
– Giacomo

During the testimony and presentation by Rossana and Alberto it was very interesting for me to see that a simple life lived with creativity and harmony with nature brings sincere happiness.
– Janez

It was a shining day in the company of a lovely family and “with the feet to the ground”. The most beautiful moment of our visit was the one in which we celebrated the Mass in the open air: the mountain environment made me somehow enjoy the beauty of the heavenly liturgy in the sincerity of our friendship.
– Andrei

From the beginning until the end of this encounter I was struck by the strong and tender hand of Alberto who guides his family and the smile from Rossana’s soul that gives courage and hope to her loved ones and to the parish community.
– Cornel