«Milan is a desperate city: it does not have a hope that it makes the future desirable. How can you offer reasons for hope? ».
It is the question that the archbishop of Milan, Mario Delpini, It places to about 50 consuls, representatives of as many countries of the world, present at the meeting on Friday afternoon in the splendid room of the Archconfraternity of the Diocesan museum entitled to Carlo Maria Martini.
It is the first time that the consular body present in the cityà – a presence that, in number, is second only in New York – meets the archbishop, As the decan of the body recalled, the general console of Uruguay, Veronica Crego Porley, who took the floor at the beginning of the meeting remembering “the relevance of being together with the first religious authority of the city”.
The meeting is also an opportunity to trace a portrait of the city with Archbishop Delpini who in his speech, in English, asks for the point of view of those who observe the city with a look that comes from elsewhere and remember that “The presence of consuls and consulates that represent many countries expresses the vocation of Milan to be a place of meeting, culture, business” And that the “city is so rich in the contribution of many citizens of many countries” recalling that the “contribution of the consulates to make known the culture of the different countries enriches the whole city. The contribution of the consulates to promote commercial relations between many countries is for many companies a condition favorable to the promotion of Made in Italy. The assistance that the consulates ensure to the citizens of their countries is an important contribution for the safety and serenity of civil coexistence “while” the phenomenon of migrations has changed the face of Milan and some neighborhoods of Milan in particular “.
The objective of the meeting, explains Delpini, is an exchange and also an opportunity for mutual knowledge: “I wish to share some reflections on the city with you. However, it would be very useful that I can listen to your point of view on the city. The point of view of those who are not Milanese, But he lives in Milan can make the interpretation of the city deeper ».
Starting from his message “Seven letters for Milan”, Written in the aftermath of the conclusion of the pastoral visit to the city in 2023 and personally delivered to the consuls, Delpini underlines that “the presence of the Catholic Church in the city is widespread, as can be found by the number of churches for Catholic cult and institutions for the activities of parishes and communities. In the visit I was impressed by the immense commitment of many to animate the cultural life, To promote forms of solidarity to help fragile people, disabled people, Italian minors, foreign minors, sunshine people, families in difficulty, poor ».
From the phenomenon of immigration the reference to “Church from the people”. “All Catholics in the world, from any country they come, are part of a single church and contribute to making communities beautiful and lively. This dream of the “Church from people” encounters many difficulties, but I think it is a necessary path ». In his speech, the Archbishop traced some characteristics of Milan, accompanying them to precise questions: “Milan”, he said, “is the city of flows. Many people come to the city every day for work and leave the city to reach the family. The question is born: how can a community be formed? To which human group do they feel they belong to those who go and go, they spend a lot of time in the city, but do not live in the city?».
Milan, he continued, “is the city of many wealth, of many rich people. But the poor are increasingly poor. How can you react to the tendency to grow economic inequalities? ». Milan, he added, “It is the city of the audacity of thought: art, history, religion, science, technology offer tools to interpret the past and present and imagine the future of Milan. How can the different disciplines of study and research converge for a shared interpretation of the vocation of humanity and a motivation for the commitment for the common good? ». And finally: «Milan is the city of solitude. Many people live sun. How is it possible to create relationships that favor knowledge and mutual help? ».
Questions that were immediately collected by some consuls such as that of Malawi, Qatar, Finland, Poland and Lebanon, who dialogue with the archbishop. When the decana asked what the priority to act on, Delpini replied the home emergency whose response is essential to be able to give “A vision of the future, hope to people”.
Finally, a hint to the international situation, in particular to the situation of the population of Gaza, on which the Lebanon console had expressed his concern. «It seems to me that each of the two peoples in war thinks of destroying the other, and therefore, in this difficult situation, an international convergence is needed. Lebanon can be an actor of this process ».
