Years ago, when I was younger and wanted to understand everything essentially in terms of human reason, including the reason for my Vocation and for the Charism to which I had been called, I viewed Hospitality as a series of good deeds for the poorest and the sick. While that was intended to help them, however good, necessary and beautiful, deep down it left an enormous feeling of emptiness which I was unable to fill, and I could not understand why, because I was sure that I was doing the right thing by helping and doing good to persons in need.

But thank God, my eyes – the eyes of the heart – were opened through someone who only wanted me to be present with him every day, because he was alone in life, and had recently been released from prison, knowing that he had only a short time to live because of his illness. I still remember this young man, and I came to know him during those years at the Hostel in Barcelona – he was anonymous, his body ravaged by sickness, and he was alone in life, and did not spend long with us. But he taught me to BE HOSPITALITY.

Since that time I have had a different experience of hospitality; the hospitality which accompanies me enables me to move gently and sensitively with the most vulnerable people, and with our Co-workers, sharing joys and sadness, scarcity and abundance, daily suffering, encouragement and discouragement, with all of them – all things which unite all of us by the same bond, at all times gifting me my experience of love and mercy.

It is worthwhile “MARCHING TO THE SOUND OF HOSPITALITY”.