On the occasion of the Christmas initiatives, Archbishop Claudio Maniago celebrated a Holy Mass at the Penal Institute for Juveniles of Catanzaro, as part of the Center for Juvenile Justice for Calabria, meeting the minors detained and the children welcomed into the ministerial community of Catanzaro.
The homily
During the homily, Maniago recalled the meaning of Christmas as a message of closeness and responsibility towards the most fragile people, underlining how no one can be reduced exclusively to their own mistakes. «Christmas – he stated – reminds us that every person always retains their dignity and that there is always the possibility of getting back into the game».
The Archbishop highlighted the educational and social value of juvenile justice, reiterating the importance of paths that favor recovery and reintegration, especially for the youngest: “Even when you pay the price for your choices – he said – the possibility of starting again never ceases”.
A passage of the reflection was dedicated to the attention to be paid to each person, particularly in contexts of fragility: «Dealing with problems always means having an attentive and sensitive eye towards those in front of you».
Day centre
At the end of the celebration, Maniago visited the new multifunctional day center for minors and young people, attached to the ministerial community of the Center for Juvenile Justice for Calabria, a structure designed as an educational and support facility for the territory.
Present at the Mass were, among others, Francesco Pellegrino, director of the juvenile penal institute, Massimo Martelli, director of the ministerial community, the director of the Center for Juvenile Justice for Calabria, Alan Gron, representatives of the Criminal Chamber of Catanzaro and the diocesan Caritas of Catanzaro, as well as civil, educational and juvenile justice penitentiary police personnel.