Librino (Italy). On 21 October 2020, on the occasion of the visit of the Provincial, Sr. Maria Pisciotta, of Mother Maddalena Morano Sicilian Province,(ISI), the mural created by a group of pre-adolescents and adolescents from the oratory was inaugurated.
“Project Murals”, was born in July as an activity proposed at the summer oratory to involve children in a path of reflection and internalization of phrases from Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello, up to the graphic realization, to ‘make the walls speak’ of the oratory , transmitting a Salesian educational message to those who enter or pass in front of it.
The Project was coordinated by Sr. Ermelinda Ardita and Sr. Giovanna Cozzo, FMA, who guided the young people in the various stages of implementation, and who illustrated it to the Provincial with their words during the inaugural moment:
“When the Animator of the Community, Sr. Ausilia Mendola, suggested that we get involved using our talents and our time to create a mural in our Oratory, we were amazed, thinking that it was too big an undertaking and that there was no way we could do it. But we trusted and, guided by Sr. Ermelinda, we began to reflect on the meaning of murals and art in general. What is art? It is a form of communication! What a book says with words, art transmits with designs and colors. This illustrated book must speak for itself, it must tell itself independently, stimulating curiosity in the viewer, raising questions and answers in one’s life.” (Aurora)
“For us, this Oratory is an educational environment where we learn to live many important values. It was necessary to convey educational messages through the mural so that anyone who sees it, from children to adults, can grasp a message that helps them grow in life.” (Gabriel)
“We went in search of some phrases of Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello. We read and commented on them to understand their full meaning. Finally, the choice fell on this: ‘There is only one desire, to see you happy in time and in eternity’. A phrase from Don Bosco which, in our opinion, expresses very well what the Sisters and the whole Educating Community transmit to us in the daily life of the Oratory. So we transformed it into: ‘We want you happy in time and in eternity’: this is what the presence of the Sisters in Librino and our being here testify to.” (Silvia)
“Entering this environment through the gate and reading this sentence one wonders: Who wants me happy? What does “in time and in eternity” mean? If you come from the sports field you are stimulated by this expression: “We want you”. The message is clear: Don Bosco, Mother Mazzarello, the sisters, educators, and animators, through constant and loving accompaniment along the stages of our growth, want us to be happy now and later, in eternity, that is, always. It is an accompaniment in human and Christian life.”(Samuel)
“Once we internalized the message, we divided it into multiple narrative scenes like in the comics and we started drawing. We drew many sketches before making the drawings that would give life to the sentence and to what we had in our minds and hearts.” (Raffaele)
“Having composed the draft and made some color tests on paper, we brought the project back to the wall and started painting”. (Semira)
“We present to you the various scenes”:
- Joy: Don Bosco playing with the children.
- Play and closeness: Mother Mazzarello playing basketball expresses closeness and the phrase “love what young people love, and they will love what you love”.
- Formation, to grow together: The adolescent with a mobile phone symbolizes the soul. Just as the telephone must be charged to work, so we need to charge ourselves through prayer and the formative moments. If I am charged, I will have a wide net … if I have God in my heart, I will be able to feel good about myself and about others as well.
- We will be truly happy when each one fulfills her/his vocation as a good Christian, a good animator, a good parent, and …
- But happiness must be lived today, in the experience we have of God and in the relationships we live with our friends. We must live holiness in the present through good example: represented by the followers with their halos.
- We are not alone in our journey of growth: Don Bosco, Father, Teacher, and Friend is helping us … he contacts us through the PC which, not surprisingly, bears the logo of this Oratory, because we see Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello in our Sisters, in our educators, in our animators who, through the testimony of their life, the little word in our ear – which comes today also through the use of social networks – never leave us alone.” (Francesco, Giulia and Gaetano)
“As in a big hug, Mary Help of Christians with her mantle embraces Don Bosco, Mother Mazzarello, families, young people … Today they embrace all of us and give us the Hope that we are never alone”. (Carlotta)
“Many other connections and messages can be drawn every time you look at this mural. We invite you to come and visit us and to grasp the message of novelty that the mural wants to deliver to everyone.” (Alessio)
“For all of us it was a beautiful time of growth and teamwork where we lived the joy of working together, sharing ideas, and also experiencing sacrifice and patience during the sunny afternoons in painting that long wall”. (Dorotea)
“Special thanks to Sister Ermelinda who guided us in this beautiful adventure, transmitting to us the passion for art and beauty; above all, because she listened to our ideas and helped us to accomplish them. Thank you because she trusted us and worked with us.” (Sarah and Marzia)
