SANT'EGIDIO - May Updates

Dear user,

Sant'Egidio rejoice for the abolition of the death penalty in New Hampshire, the last state on the East Coast of the United States maintaining it.

"Live free or die" is the motto of New Hampshire, the "State of Granite” and first American colony to secede from England and one of the 13 states that founded the United States of America. Today, 30th May 2019, following a long-lasting battle, the New Hampshire Senate approved the abolition of the Death Penalty with an overwhelming majority, 16 to 8. The current Governor's veto of 3rd May has been permanently canceled. There had been other attempts to abolish the death penalty in New Hampshire: once a Governor canceled the vote of the State Parliament, and in 2014 the abolition had not passed because the final vote had been in a tie.

Indeed, it is a great response to Pope Francis’ appeal to the American Congress for the overcoming of the Death Penalty, in the direction traced by the definitive formulation of the catechism of the Catholic Church (n.2267) defining the death penalty always "inadmissible". This historical event, which saw republicans and democrats united, came to fulfillment thanks to the tireless work of Democratic Deputy Renny Cushing, among the founders of the Murder Victims' Families for Human Rights Movement, which unites relatives of the victims of capital punishment.
Sant Egidio welcomes the political courage of New Hampshire legislators and will celebrate this event together with the city of Rome by extraordinary lighting up the Colosseum. (Find out more)

News from Beira: ”The city will rise again”

"Beira will rise again" is the title of the article published today on Diario de Mozambique Newspaper. The author, Nelson Moda, is a member of the Community of Sant'Egidio di Beira and is actively involved in the victims rescue operations following Cyclone Idai. Since the first hours after the catastrophe and still today, Nelson Moda supervises the development of the intense interventions put in place by Sant’Egidio. We love to share with you some passages.
The title of the article is the Easter affirmation that comes from listening to the friendly words of Andrea Riccardi, elder brother, careful and never pessimistic friend. A Mozambican (he is an honorary citizen) who nourishes, since the most difficult time of war in Mozambique, the hope that everything can change. After the Cyclone Idai, in Beira there is only tears, despair, abandonment, loneliness, indifference and a more serious pessimism. On one hand, the cyclone has torn the structural and human fabric of the city, but on the other has tested solidarity (inseparable from spirituality).
In the name of solidarity the whole world got to known Beira. On that dark night of 14th March, Beira was the city that most of all in the world invoked the holy name of God. I also invoked it more and more. In the face of such huge destruction, may thought that this was it. Many other claimed Cyclone Idai was a punishment from God. No. God has infinite mercy for his children. In front of that satanic scenario (the lord of evil), God reveals himself in his great power.
Our life today, our hope, our getting back up, all men and women helping us day and night, the strong solidarity, are unequivocal signs that God does not abandon us and that, for this reason, Beira will rise again. Resurrection “is not the work of men”, but “the maximum expression of God's mercy that does not abandon his people”. You must know how to hope. We need an even stronger solidarity.

From Cyclone Idai we learn how fragile life can be. We learn how to be more sympathetic with others. We affirm that nobody is too poor to help another poor person. The wind of solidarity has blown among families and neighbors, who opened their doors to welcome those who had lost everything. Beira is victim of one of the biggest environmental disasters. From here we learn the importance of taking care of the environment and being aware that the city belongs to everyone and that everyone has the responsibility to take care of it.

Therefore it is urgent to let pessimism go. All together we can, with no selfishness, rebuild Beira.
Nelson Moda (Find out more)