On Saturday, December 13 took place the Advent retreat of the five Roman OCDS communities at the Basilica of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus in Anzio in an environment of joy and deep communion. Joining them were the OCDS Provincial Delegate, Fr. Basilio Visca, Fr. Joseph Heimpel, Fr. Mario Ottaviani and the Fathers from the religious community of Anzio.
The center of the day consisted of listening to the vocational testimonies of three Carmelite young students from the St. John of the Cross International School – Br. Niccolò (Central Italy), Br. Christian (Albania), and Br. Agostino (Egypt). With freshness and profundity they reminded everyone that each one is loved and guided by God in a unique and special way.
The fraternal dialogue after the testimonies, the Eucharistic celebration presided by Fr. Joseph Heimpel, and the shared lunch reinforced everyone’s sense of belonging to the great family of Carmel.
This was a new and fruitful experience that opened spaces for knowledge and fraternity, transforming Advent’s expectation into encounter and communion. With gratitude the OCDS from Central Italy carries this day in its heart as a concrete sign of renewal and hope.
