«I met Don Giovanni by chance through a mutual friend and I found an extraordinary man of the church». Marco Erbawriter and professor, talks about Don Giovanni Salatino in the aftermath of the choice to dedicate, in his oratory of 600 children, a moment of prayer also to Muslims which caused such a sensation. «He is a man of incredible sensitivity who knows how to be among people, knows how to understand problems, has a vision of the world not like certain idealists who fill their mouths with great words, but knows how to concretely accompany people and knows how to listen before speaking, keeping together the plurality of experiences with a great ability to stay in the middle. This is why for me it is a gift: every time I talk to him, that I am with him I feel a hug. I feel welcomed on a personal level and I know this is the case for many. And then he is an evangelizer who creates culture. He announces the word of God in a concrete and present way, he embodies the evangelical message in an amazing way, always being with the least. Many times he worked on the outskirts with people who are never seen by anyone.”
What do Erba think of the choice he made?
«I absolutely agree. The Church has its doors open. Don Giovanni is passionate about the Balkans and knows that multi-ethnic and multi-religious reality where you can have your belief and your religion and be open to other people’s religions without erasing your identity, on the contrary. Albania comes to mind where, under the regime of Enver Hoxha, with the first atheist Constitution in the world, Muslims, Orthodox and Catholics prayed together, sometimes they hid together, sometimes they shared prayer spaces. So I absolutely agree with him: the oratory is an inclusive place, the Church is inclusive. The meaning of Catholic is universal: we open our arms to others, the weekday oratories often lend a hand to families so I don’t see why we shouldn’t welcome people of all religious orientations. And if I welcome you into my home I respect your identity, I don’t impose mine on you. This is the beauty of welcoming.”
Marco Erba in the classroom with his students
Opening doors does not mean questioning one’s identity, rather, if anything, strengthening it through comparison.
«If I am aware of who I am and if I am proud to be Milanese, Lombard, Italian, European and citizen of the world; if I know my cultural roots, if I have studied, if I know where I come from, every opportunity to interact with a culture different from mine is an enrichment. Because it forces me to get involved and question myself, it trains me to listen to others and makes me discover a common identity.”
Reading about Baggio’s oratory I thought about the classes of our children and teenagers. Quoting her, I would say: “Long live diversity, long live discussion, long live listening!”
«We can discuss immigration laws, the social model we want. The reality of the facts, however, is that today here among us, among us, society is multi-ethnic. There are many foreigners, they exist and you cannot erase them or redesign the world you have in mind. Faced with this, you can do two things: either include them, confronting this diversity, dialogue with them or close yourself in your little fields believing that by doing only Catholic prayers – and I say this as a practicing Catholic Christian – you have saved the world. Instead, you just closed the fence and it is a fence that is not evangelical. No fence is, when – among other things – the horses have already escaped for decades.”
Raising children today in comparison allows us to build a better and more peaceful, more aware society tomorrow…
«This touches the foundations of every school and every educational institution. Our job is not to water it down and say everything is the same. I don’t believe in the syncretic, melting pot style at all costs. I believe it is right for everyone to know who they are, on a cultural level and – if one has faith – on a religious level but also to compare themselves with others in a respectful way and using the Don “Giovanni style” that is, listening, empathy, truly feeling the other, knowing them before judging: this is the thing that most helps us grow. Manzoni also said it. Talking comes much easier to us and now we are in a hyper-polarized world of sharp judgments on everything, judgments that do not build or edify but destroy. We have to take another path. I know Don Giovanni personally, he does it every day and I send him a big hug.”
