(Verona) – Returning from a summer of volunteering with the Canossian Foundation VOICA means carrying with us the faces, colours and memories of the journey we have shared.
Whether we were in Imperatriz, Brazil, among the villages and communities of Togo, in Malawi, or sharing experiences of fellowship and solidarity in Poland, we discovered first-hand what it means to encounter another person’s life, draw close to others and recognise that differences do not divide us, but enrich us.
During this Missionary Month, with its theme ‘One in Christ, united in mission’, a profound awareness resonates within us:
Unity is not an abstract concept, but the certainty that we have shared the same bread, the same prayer and the same service, despite coming from different backgrounds and cultures.
We were not the ones who ‘brought something’; rather, we were welcomed into a large Canossian family that showed us how the Gospel finds expression in everyday presence and closeness to others.
Mission does not end with the flight home: our experience in the field was a seed that must now bear fruit here, in our studies, at work, in parish service and in everyday life.
Mission is not an isolated event or a summer interlude: it is a way of life and a journey we undertake both personally and as a community. That is why the experience with the Canossian Foundation VOICA does not begin with packing a suitcase or end with the journey home, but is sustained by formation, encounter and reflection.
To anyone who feels drawn to step forward, broaden their horizons and experience life ‘beyond borders’, we say: the journey begins now.
If you would like to take the first step, join VOICA or find out more about the stages of the 2027 programme, please contact us through our website and take part in the forthcoming introductory sessions, details of which will be announced soon.
‘Mission is an open door to the world, one that opens first and foremost within us.’
M. Antonella Rocca
