“I am writing to you in great faith, with a concrete request in the name of our religious family. In 2009, our Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor opened the day center “Raggi di Sole” in Rome, to help the “invisible” poor of the city: people from Italy and other nations, who are alone and who are facing a number of difficulties. At our Center, they find care and support for their paths of rebirth and healing. We have established close collaboration with the Social Services, Parish Caritas, Volunteer Associations, and Public and Private Shelters in order to better and collaboratively serve those who knock on our door.”
For the kind attention of the Congregational Minister
SUBJECT: Request for Premises at the Religious Congregations located in Rome, to pursue the work of the Day Center for the Poor “Raggi di sole”
Dear Sister
May God’s peace be with you!
I am writing to you in great faith, with a concrete request in the name of our religious family. In 2009, our Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor opened the day center “Raggi di Sole” in Rome, to help the “invisible” poor of the city: people from Italy and other nations, who are alone and who are facing a number of difficulties. At our Center, they find care and support for their paths of rebirth and healing. We have established close collaboration with the Social Services, Parish Caritas, Volunteer Associations, and Public and Private Shelters in order to better and collaboratively serve those who knock on our door.
Unfortunately, the rental agreement we entered into for the center is due to expire and we are looking for new premises. Our hope is to be able to find a location in Rome to host our center. We know that the number of poor people is rising and, with hope and faith, we would like to continue to serve them in the city of Rome. This is why we are contacting you, to ask if your Congregation in Rome has a space available to be used by our Congregation for the Day Center “Raggi di sole”.
We know that the number of poor people will continue to rise in Rome. Our Center gives them a place to go and to be heard on a daily basis. We provide them with a hot meal, orientation and direction to Public and Private Services, free use of the Internet, the opportunity to wash and iron clothes, and the chance to socialize with the group through discussions, art-therapy laboratories, cineforums, and leisure activities. It also offers, where necessary, psychological support and the option of pursuing small projects as part of their journey toward autonomy.
The space we are looking for will have these features: approximately 100 sq. m in size; 4/5 rooms (to set up as a dining room, interview room, laboratory rooms, laundry); 2/3 bathrooms (one of which large enough to provide wheelchair access); Land Register Category A or B1 or C1 (suitable as Residential, Service, Management locations); electric/gas utilities to standard; accessibility; facilitated access for the otherwise able; possibly in the vicinity of public transport and residential areas.
We are certainly open to discussion if a space is available that would need some renovation in order to be suitable for providing this service to the poor.
The words and example of Pope Frances resonate in use, encouraging us to combine forces in order to generate new life and new paths for humanization in the name of the Gospel.
With trust and hope, we hope you can give us a positive answer so we can together assist Jesus who suffers through our brothers and sisters. Please email us at this address sfp@franciscansisters.org or contact us by mail at the address: Via Calandrelli 16 – 00153 Roma.
We offer you our prayers for your intentions and for the good of your Congregation, in the shared commitment of serving the Kingdom of God.
Sr. Licia Mazzia, SFP – Congregational Minister, Franciscan Sisters of the Poor