by Angelo Forti

In the Gospel, Jesus accomplished the most significant and joyful moments around food: he began in Cana of Galilee with wine, then, near the lake of Galilee, bread and fish; the dinners of mercy always have sinners at the centre, until the final moment in the Cenacle, in Jerusalem, the last one completed with his apostles, which became the model for all dinners.
Even in our culture, sitting at the table is always a moment of sharing and joy; it is for a birth, a wedding, an important achievement in the world of work, a diploma or degree in the field of study, a reunion with friends. Eating a shared meal is a fundamental element of our life.
October 23, 2011, both for the universal church, but in particular for us who try to live the spirituality of Don Guanella, this date becomes a milestone in the history of the Church. The Pope with his solemn magisterium will indicate in the person of Don Guanella a model of holiness who was able to live in his earthly days with enthusiasm and passion the same feelings of Jesus towards God the Father and in his relationship with his most fragile and wounded brothers in life.
Then it will be a day of celebration for everyone and we would like with all our strength that it becomes a banquet of brotherhood especially with the poorest in the world spread across the various continents of the earth where the Don Guanella Work is present.
On that day we would like no elderly, handicapped, orphan, street child or "homeless person" to remain alone and we would like to shout out loudly the appeal of the prophet Isaiah when he proclaims: "Thirsty come to the water [...] eat wine and milk". And to us citizens of well-being, the prophet says: “Why do you spend money on what is not bread? Listen to me and you will eat good things and enjoy succulent foods."
The Pious Union, born from an intuition of Don Guanella to be close to all extreme poverty, wants to be the spokesperson and executor of the cry of the prophet Isaiah to put the thirsty and hungry at the table on October 23rd in the hope of the solidarity of many in all Guanellian houses in mission lands organize a community lunch, illuminated by the luminous embrace of a rainbow which has its source of colors in the Philippines and its point of arrival in extreme Patagonia.
A joy continued without interruption for a long day of light and brotherhood.
A meal for a big day of celebration.
In order to be able to organize this "banquet of joy" in time to feel loved by God with a very tender love and, in the wake of Don Guanella, to be blessed and pointed out by the mother and teacher Church as authentic disciples of Christ, we open a subscription among the our associates to contribute to this "meal" on a blessed day.
The subscription can be made either with the usual postal current account..... or with a bank transfer....
We truly pray that on that day no one will be without bread and without joy, but for everyone a laid table and, above all, the joy of feeling loved.