English 
In Milan, Italy Province, the first meeting of MSI’s engaged in pastoral and charitable activities took place. Confrontation and reflection: two key words to be one apostolic body and to do together!
On Saturday, 9th February in the community of Milan, the first meeting was held for the sisters who are engaged only in the charitable and pastoral activities in the Italian context. it is usually mostly held in the ambit of missionary animation.
The meeting was the result of a desire shared by several sisters. It was an opportunity for formation, exchange and sharing with respect to some Italian social peripheries, where, as missionaries we find ourselves investing our ever renewed apostolic enthusiasm.
During the day we alternated with moments of prayer and formation, guided by the deepening of our New Constitutions, a document that traces our identity as missionaries and guides our choices.
It was also considered important to present the current Italian context through a political and social analysis of the reality of the Church in Italy. In particular, the ecclesial context, the situations of poverty and the possible peripheries to be selected were deepened, among which the prisons and the marginal situations originated by the migration were highlighted.
In the third part of the meeting the sisters were given the possibility to share their experiences in a mutual interest and growth, bringing out the different pastoral contexts, the present challenges, the goals reached and the desires for the future.
It was very interesting the sharing of the newly born MSI community of Pioltello, present in the Satellite quarter of the Brianza town. From the three sisters who are working in that area it was possible to have updates on the progress of the community and the beginning of the first activities.
The inter-congregational community of Modica (Ragusa), of which Sr. Giovanna Minardi was working due to the emergency of immigration. Sister Giovanna Minardi shared with us her experience having just completed her 3 years of service. Even though no MSI is continuing this work, we still to feel the affection towards this experience shared and supported by all the Italian Missionary Institutes.
At the end of the meeting we were enriched with the awareness and the desire to continue the journey of mutual enrichment by mutual sharing, and to stimulate ourselves to grow in creativity, as well as to respond to the needs of the Mission today in the new Italian context.
Sr. Paola Locatelli, Italy
