In the “Perri” room of Palazzo Alvaro, the final ceremony of the “San Gaetano Catanoso’s competition. The light that shines” was held in the “Perri” room, organized by the administration led by the mayor Giuseppe Falcomatà and aimed at young people of high schools, associations and religious movements of the area to remember the works, commitment and human experience of the patron saint of the metropolitan city.
To welcome participants and winners were The mayor Falcomatàthe councilor delegated to culture, Filippo Quartuccio, Sister Daniela Maesano e The Congregation of the Veronic Sisters of the Holy Face of San Gaetano Catanoso, the officials and managers of the sector of the Body, as well as members of the Evaluation Commission, Anna Maria Franco, Robertina Parisi, Paola Surace and Massimiliano Severino.
“Each of us – said the mayor Falcomatà – needs examples to follow, of people indicating the route, who stimulate to fulfill our dreams despite the difficulties. We, as an administration, are making a path of rediscovery of our roots, of a trimillenary history that is the result of different contaminations, uses, customs, religions that have led us to be what we are. And San Gaetano Catanoso is one of the people of our territory who entered the Pantheon of the righteous because they have transmitted us the values of solidarity, welcome, closeness to others, of feeling the sufferings of others “.
Then, drawing inspiration from the message used by the carabinieri weapon on the 211th anniversary of its foundation, Giuseppe Falcomatà spoke of “a story called future”, a concept that “can also be applied to the celebrations in honor of the patron saint of the metropolitan city”. So, he thanked the boys, girls, schools, principals and teachers, the veronic nuns of the Holy face as well as the official’s officials and the director Quartuccio. First, however, continuing to reflect on the “good examples”, the mayor focused on the “day of the victims of migration”, remembering the tragedy of 3 June 2016 and the spirit that animated institutions, associations and volunteers in the dramatic hours in which the ship Vega returned the 45 bodies of those who “lost their lives by chasing the last blame of hope”. The reference went to the cemetery of Armo, born by the will of the Municipality to welcome the remains of those migrants: «These are things that we do naturally because the concepts of closeness, empathy, welcome and brotherhood we have them in our ropes. And we need cultural moments like these to renew these feelings and remember where we come from and what extraordinary cultural heritage have left us our ancestors, acquiring ourselves the responsibility to leave it to those who come later ».
For the councilor Filippo Quartuccio, the “San Gaetano Catanoso San Gaetano. The light that shines” “gave voice to the boys and girls of the area with respect to the attention that the metropolitan city wanted to turn to the only Santo Reggino”. “The most beautiful memory of Father Catanoso – he added – is enclosed in the beautiful, profound, important and significant jobs of our young people”. “Today – concluded Quartuccio – we want to celebrate the beginning of a new commitment to an important figure of the entire area, a good person who, with his works, has done a lot for many”.
The winners of the “San Gaetano Catanoso. The light that shines” were: for the short wise category Daniele Giordano High and social high school of the human and social sciences of Reggio Calabria, e Salvatore Laganà, Giuseppe Manti, Syria Visalli And Filippo Cleanò of the “Family” Institute of Melito Porto Salvo; For the historical writing category: Kevin Alfieri of the “Family” Institute of Melito Porto Salvo, Alfredo Mario Caccamo of the “da Vinci” scientific high school in Reggio Calabria, the group of “family members” composed of Gray Sgariglia, Ilenia Calabrò, Agata Rita Iorfida, Francesca Calabrò, Melissa Tomasello, Chiara Rosa Quattrone and Giorgia Scopelliti, and Teresa Pizzimenti of the “Piria-Ferraris-Da Empoli” Institute of Reggio Calabria.
A mention also for all the other participants Salvatore Laganà, Giuseppe Manti, Syria Visalli, Filippo Pulianò, Giuseppe Curatola, Alessia Nastasi, Arianna Foti, Mariastella Mafrici, Matteo Barilla, Marisa Antonia Suraci, Miriam Guarnaccia, Daniele Giordano And for the Scientific High Schools “Leonardo Da Vinci”, “Family” Institute, High School of Human and Social Sciences “Gulli” of Reggio Calabria and the “Piria-Ferraris-Da Empoli” Institute of Reggio Calabria.