One week ago, against the timeless backdrop of Naples’ historic center, CNEWA organized a charitable event aimed at sharing and advancing its mission on behalf of vulnerable communities across the Middle East, Northeast Africa, India and Eastern Europe.
The program began in the afternoon at the church of the Pio Monte della Misericordia, where guests were invited to a private conversation on art centered on Caravaggio’s masterpiece, “The Seven Works of Mercy.” With remarkable intensity, the painting offers a concrete vision of Christian charity — not as an abstract ideal — but as an embodied practice that fully engages human fragility.
The reflection was led by Dr. Renato Versace, director of Thoracic Surgery in Cagliari, lecturer in bioethics, and art scholar. Dr. Versace thoughtfully combined artistic interpretation with profound spiritual and existential insight. During the evening, he highlighted the distinctive nature of CNEWA’s commitment, observing that “we speak often about poverty, guilt and global crises, but this organization rolls up its sleeves and acts. That is what makes it worthy of recognition.”
Organizers of the event — CNEWA President Msgr. Peter I. Vaccari; Marina C. Perna, member of CNEWA’s international board of trustees; and Alfredo del Plato, CNEWA’s legal counsel in Italy — were on hand with invited guests from throughout Italy, a testament to a mission that brings together global vision and concrete responsibility on the ground.
Later in the afternoon, the cultural itinerary continued with a guided visit to the Neapolitan cathedral dedicated to Our Lady’s Assumption, followed by a private visit to the Museum of the Treasury of St. Januarius, the patron of the city. The group was led by Msgr. Vincenzo De Gregorio, abbot prelate of the Royal Chapel of the Treasury of St. Januarius, who offered a passionate and insightful presentation of Naples’ artistic and devotional heritage. His reflections revealed how deeply faith and history are interwoven into the city’s identity.
The day concluded with a charity dinner at the Grand Hotel Vesuvio. What began as a convivial gathering became an occasion for meaningful sharing around CNEWA’s mission. In his closing remarks, Dr. Versace reflected on the deeper meaning of Christian action in history, saying “the presence of the church today —especially in the wounded places of the world — is not only about standing beside the poor, but also about taking upon itself the burden of sin, as Christ did.”
Reflecting on the Gospel reading of the multiplication of the loaves, Dr. Versace recalled how Jesus, before feeding the crowd, asked the people to sit down — a gesture that is anything but incidental. In the Jewish culture of the time, only free people were allowed to sit at table, while servants remained standing.
“By asking the crowd to sit,” he explained, “Jesus proclaims the dignity and freedom of those men and women,” reminding listeners that freedom lies at the very heart of the Christian proclamation.
“Jesus does not exercise power, but authority,” Dr. Versace continued, “and true authority is that which helps others grow.
“Augere,” he continued, “means precisely this: To help others grow.” Seen in this light, charitable work itself becomes a place of mutual growth — one that has the power to liberate both those who receive and those who give.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Versace shared a personal testimony based on a recent visit to a shantytown in Cape Town. “I met people living in absolute uncertainty, yet they welcome the Word without the doubts we often carry. They believe Christ can make them, ‘sit down.’ ” An image that once again recalls that Gospel gesture, a concrete sign of freedom recognized and bestowed.
Quoting St. Anthony of Padua, Dr. Versace concluded: “No one can proclaim God’s love unless they feel they have twelve baskets,” invoking once more the Gospel account of the multiplication of the loaves, in which the baskets left over become a sign of unexpected abundance.
“Only those who know they are loved in abundance can truly give. Genuine generosity is born from fullness, not from lack.”
The exceptional beauty of the settings, the patronage of the Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia, and the depth of the reflections shared made this gathering far more than a cultural event. It became an experience that brought together art, faith and responsibility, offering a powerful reminder that beauty, when shaped by mercy and genuine concern for others, can become a space of encounter and an authentic sign of hope.
