More than a thousand people, including students and professors, nurses and doctors, researchers and administrators, technicians and volunteers, accompanied by family and friends. 12 buses overflowing with participation and hope departed from the Trigoria headquarters, in addition to the hundreds of colleagues who reached the meeting point in Piazza Pia on their own. The people of the Campus Bio-Medico gathered yesterday afternoon for an event destined to remain in the more than thirty-year history of this institution: the pilgrimage along Via della Conciliazione, the passage through the Holy Door and the Mass inside St. Peter's Basilica, to celebrate the Jubilee of Hope together and reaffirm, at the same time, the sense of a common mission in the service of others.
A commitment inspired directly by the blessed Alvaro del Portillo, who first – according to the teaching of the founder of Opus Dei St. Josemaría Escrivá – dreamed of the birth of a university and a polyclinic active in Rome and dedicated to the education and care of people, starting with the youngest and most fragile. A vision that has become reality thanks to the passion of a community that with joy, self-denial and love works daily with the aim of always continuing to combine progress and humanity, education and care, innovation and attention to the dignity of the person.
The afternoon of meeting, prayer and meditation was sealed by the Holy Mass held at the Altar of the Chair of the Vatican Basilica, concelebrated by His Eminence Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, Archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica, by the Vicar of Opus Dei in Italy donation Giovanni Manfrini and by the Director of the Chaplaincy of the Bio-Medico Campus Don Luca Brenna accompanied by all the other chaplains, with the songs and music of the university choir.
"In an era where technology and medical science are making giant strides, it is essential not to lose sight of the human aspect of training and care" the President of theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma and the Campus Bio-Medico University Polyclinic Foundation Carlo Tosti, who then continued: "The Jubilee is for us the opportunity to reaffirm our original mission and our commitment to always and in any case put the person at the center".
"Rise is the verb of resurrection, that is, stand in your dignity, do not forget the condition from which you come, and walk. The mystery we celebrate is this: healing and delivery of a mandate, especially for you, for those who care for others" Cardinal affirmed during his homily Mauro Gambetti, who then concluded the liturgy with a thank you to the community of the Campus Bio-Medico gathered in prayer: "I would like to thank you and encourage you in the mission you have embraced, so that you can truly show everyone how Jesus treated and healed, to the point of not being able to distinguish the human from the divine, so great is the humanity in the approach to others".
Hence also the exhortation of donation Giovanni Manfrini: "May each of us know how to cast our affectionate and merciful gaze first of all on our colleagues, with eyes of understanding and trust, as well as on students and patients, so that St. Josemaría's wish to be sowers of peace and joy can become a reality."
The importance of this event for the people of the Campus Bio-Medico has also been highlighted by Don Luca Brenna: "The Jubilee is a time of prayer and an experience of communion that reminds us how the journey of every day takes place in faith and in service to the most fragile. Seeing so many people united in this pilgrimage is a sign of great hope for the future, demonstrating the strong commitment that characterizes us as a community".
Today there are seven entities that make up the Bio-Medical Campus System and that work daily to carry forward and try to best realize the original project of the founders: Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital Foundation, Alberto Sordi Foundation, Biomedical University Foundation, Association of Friends of the Bio-Medical Campus of Rome – ETS, CBM Spa and Campus Bio-Medico Association.
As evidence of the great personal and emotional involvement aroused by this shared moment, also the words of some of the participants. "Every day our work puts us in front of challenges and suffering, but this pilgrimage reminded me that care goes beyond the technical gesture: it is a journey of closeness and hope alongside patients and their families"Said Claudia Pagavino, nurse at the oncology Day Hospital of the Policlinico Campus Bio-Medico. She echoed her Marianna Amura, third year student at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the University: "Walking alongside my fellow students, teachers and all the people present was a tangible sign of what it means to be part of this community: moving forward together for a better future".
