On 7 June, the new 'Fratelli Tutti' house of the Community of Sant'Egidio was inaugurated in Madrid. Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Community, Cardinal Carlos Osoro Sierra of Madrid, and Tíscar Espigares of Sant'Egidio were present at the inauguration, together with many friends, including homeless people and children from the Schools of Peace with their families.
The "Fratelli Tutti" House is located in a central street in Madrid and has been renovated by the Community of Sant'Egidio in a building given by the Archdiocese of Madrid. A five-storey building that will house a day centre for homeless people, equipped with a canteen, kitchen, laundry and showers. In addition, there will be a School of Spanish Language and Culture, a School of Peace, a care home for the elderly and emergency accommodation.
The house was set up during the pandemic, at a difficult time for everyone, but particularly for people who had lost their homes. Indeed, when selfishness tends to make us close in on ourselves, this house reminds us that "no one is saved alone", as Tíscar Espigares pointed out. She also thanked Cardinal Carlos Osoro Sierra for his support in realising this dream, saying that the house will always be linked to his name. Cardinal Osoro expressed his thanks to the Community of Sant'Egidio for its tireless commitment to making Madrid more human. He stressed that praying the Lord's Prayer is an invitation never to forget those in need, as they are our brothers and sisters. He emphasised how important it is to have more and more places where fraternity can be lived concretely.
Andrea Riccardi carried on this theme by stating that when the Lord's Prayer becomes life, it means 'Fratelli Tutti'.
Living fraternity with everyone, especially with the poorest, along the street, in encounter and friendship, is what the Community of Sant'Egidio has been doing for over half a century and is the vocation of this house. However, he stressed that it is not enough to live fraternity in the street, it is necessary to have a home, because families grow in maturity when they have a common home.
