Pope Francis holds a Q&A session with the students of a Catholic school in Padova and tells them to find their main point of reference in themselves, with the guidance of their priests, parents, and grandparents.

“The most important point of reference for the choices we must make is found in yourself, in your own conscience.”

That was the advice Pope Francis gave on Saturday to a thousand-strong group of school-age children who attend the Barbarigo Catholic School in the Italian city of Padua…

Nhar il-Ħamis 21 ta’ Marzu, fil-Jum Dinji tal-Persuni bid-Down Syndrome, l-Assoċjazzjoni Maltija tad-Down Syndrome organizzat quddiesa għall-membri u l-ħbieb tagħha fil-kappella tad-Dar tal-Providenza s-Siġġiewi. Għal din l-okkażjoni attendew ukoll is-Segretarju Parlamentari għad-Drittijiet tal-Persuni b’Diżabilità u Anzjanità Attiva, is-Sur Anthony Agius Decelis kif ukoll il-President tal-Assoċjazzjoni, is-Sinjura Joeanna Xerri.

Il-quddiesa kienet iċċelebrata minn Fr Martin Micallef.  Fl-omelija tiegħu hu saħaq li lkoll iridu ngħixu f’soċjetà li tħares lejn id-differenza mhux bħala theddida imma bħala teżor, soċjetà li ma tħarisx lejn il-persuna b’diżabilità bil-mudell mediku, jiġifieri tara lill-persuna b’diżabbiltà bħal problema, imma bil-mudell soċjali jiġifieri soċjetà li tagħraf li d-diżabilità toħloqha hi meta ma’ taddattax għall-bżonnijiet, l-aspettativi u l-aspirazzjonijiet ta’ dawn il-persuni. 

Għal din l-okkażjoni attendew ukoll is-Segretarju Parlamentari għad-Drittijiet tal-Persuni b’Diżabilità u Anzjanità Attiva, is-Sur Anthony Agius Decelis kif ukoll il-President tal-Assoċjazzjoni, is-Sinjura Joeanna Xerri…

Everything was beautiful. The details came out just the way the bride and groom had dreamed they would. Ana Paula Meriguete and Victor Ribeiro got married in the Catholic Church and received the congratulations of their guests at a brief reception afterwards. But the real celebration was yet to come, and it was not a traditional one: Instead of a typical wedding banquet, the young couple decided to offer a meal for poor children and their families in the coastal city of Guarapari, in the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo…

“One of the biggest problems in terms of governance over water is the lack of participation by those in need. We need to find ways to give these people a voice. They are aware of their needs, and they need to be able to express them… they can help in choosing the best fit solution for their situation”.  

This is the message Richard Connor, Editor in Chief on the United Nations’ World Water Development Report, has for those of us who have the power to help make change in the water crisis…