BREAK THE CHAINS OF OPPRESION AND THE YOKE OF ...

seeking diation within our congregational life. We call this task “Being Church Together”
(essere chiesa insieme).
Question: What concrete effects would complying with the “paccetto sicurezza”
have had for the Church’s work with refugees and for the social life of the natives
and refugees together in the congregations?
Maria Bonafede: As answer I give you a recent example: In Florence the mayor
decided from one day to the next to clear a Roma settlement which had existed
for years. The Waldensian congregation in Florence saw themselves confronted
with the necessity of taking 75 Roma for six days into their church. Among these
were a two-week-old baby, a woman in her sixth month of pregnancy and a man
in a wheelchair. All these people suddenly found themselves on the street, and
that in temperatures below zero. A place for them to stay simply had to be
found. So the congregation had to seek help from the ecumenical movement and
from voluntary aid organizations, and wrote to newspapers to find at least temporary
solutions for them to be taken in as guests; on Sunday one could then celebrate
a service together in the church.
Question: What were the reactions of the general public to your symbolic fasting
and your opposition to Berlusconi’s laws?
Maria Bonafede: In Italy it is always difficult to have Protestant statements taken
seriously in the media with, but considering the relatively limited publicity
which we succeeded in generating the support produced was considerable.
Question: In the Report on the Synod one could read that, alongside national
and regional politicians � �the Bishop � of Pinerolo �also participated � in this fast. How
was your protest received in the ecumenical movement? Did you get support?
Maria Bonafede: At a local level in Piedmont, i.e. in the Waldensian Valleys and
the neighbouring province of Pinerolo we had the support of the Roman
Catholic Bishop, on a national level there was no reaction.
Question: With this action the Waldensian Church is showing her solidarity
with the refugees and her commitment to justice. How important for the life of
the Church is this stand for justice? Did the Declaration of Accra and the connected
worldwide struggle of Reformed Christians for more justice play a part in
your manifold efforts?
Maria Bonafede: Our congregations have always been concerned with the commitment
for justice and have constantly reflected on the topic of “Peace with Justice”.
Because they themselves always had to keep alert for the protection of their
own rights, they also developed a special feeling for the theme of minorities and
their rights in general. The intensive reflection on the “Declaration of Accra”
which we discussed extensively over a long period, both in individual congrega-
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– „SEARCHING FOR WHAT IS BEST FOR THE CITY“ – 173