On May 9, the Vedruna Center of Campinas, Brazil, as it does every year, opened its doors to the neighborhood community, welcoming children, adolescents and their families to share and strengthen the culture of reading in a morning specially prepared for this purpose.
Each year we work on a different theme. On this occasion, the theme chosen was ecology, “Pruning and flourishing”, which invites us to deepen in an integral and ecological spirituality, promoting the culture of care in its multiple dimensions: care for oneself, for the community, for the impoverished and sick people, as well as care for creation, plants, animals and our common home.
Throughout the week we carried out various activities in the classrooms, through dialogues, debates, listening moments, drawings, poster making, readings, book selection, organization of spaces, preparation of invitations and experiences of direct contact with nature, as part of the preparation for the Day of Reading in the Park.
As Vedruna is an open-door house, committed to the care of Mother Earth and with a deep sense of closeness and communion with all of creation, we took advantage of the richness of this meeting to share readings, take books home and give vegetable seedlings to those who committed to grow them. We also offered spaces to draw, play outdoors, talk, share something delicious and reconnect with friends, family and neighbors.
We ended this day with a grateful heart for a moment full of life, simplicity and welcome, especially renewing our conscience and commitment to the care of our common home.
Sr. Maria do Socorro Vieira, ccv
