Fr. Luigi Usubelli, who ministers to Italian Catholics in Barcelona, boarded one of the boats used by the Spanish NGO, Open Arms, to rescue people in the Mediterranean Sea.
FR. LUIGI USUBELLI
“This was a very special experience. Being in the middle of the sea and seeing firsthand the boldness of these people who hop on a boat, without resources, and wait in the middle of an agitated sea, is a powerful experience.”
He had to return earlier than expected because one of the boat's motors broke down. But he was able to participate in the rescue mission of a wooden boat carrying 70 people, among them four children and six women.
FR. LUIGI USUBELLI
“You can't just stand by when you see that. You can't just watch. You have to act.”
Fr. Luigi lives surrounded by Italian immigrants in Spain, but now he's seen an entirely different category of migrants who face especially challenging situations. Fr. Luigi used to be a missionary in Cuba, but he says that these days at sea have been eye-opening.
FR. LUIGI USUBELLI
“For me, this was, first of all, a spiritual experience. It's an experience with myself, with my person, with my own vision, my own condition, with my sensibility, with my spirituality. Getting closer is essential.”
His current responsibilities ministering to Italian Catholics in Barcelona don't allow him to return to the boat, but Fr. Luigi would like to go back to the Mediterranean as soon as possible.
BGA
TR: CT
