At the beginning of 2005, the director and editorial staff of the international monthly magazine 30Days in the Church and in the World wished to make a small gift to cloistered Italian nuns: free subscription to the magazine. From that moment on – some months have passed by now - many letters have arrived in the editorial office of 30Days. Beautiful letters, full of gratitude for our small gesture. Not only: photos, prayers, suggestions arrived. Nor was there some criticism lacking, even if polite. In the letter that senator Giulio Andreotti sent to the convents to explain the reasons for the initiative, there was also the request to be enabled to receive direct collaboration in order to make the reality of the cloister better known: and thus 30Days was able to publish two extensive reports on the Augustinians from Lecceto, Siena and the Carmelites from the convent of Crotone, in Calabria, in the Italian edition. Both written by the nuns themselves. In short, an unexpected channel of communication was established between us and the convents: of windows opened onto a fascinating reality, full of humanity and intelligence about the things of the Church and the world. So in the Summer then we thought to “broaden our horizons”: we allowed ourselves to subscribe the German and Austrian cloistered nuns to 30Days also. And this time too the phenomenon is repeating itself. Our precious sisters from beyond the Alps are responding to us. We decided to publish those letters that had appeared particularly beautiful to us in the foreign editions of 30Days as well, those that most comforted and moved us.

VISITATIONISTS OF THE SANTA MARIA CONVENT
Taurianova, Reggio Calabria

Thank you for the esteem and affection for us “the least ones”

Dear Senator,
We received the second copy of 30Days accompanied by the booklet Who prays is saved. We thank you with all our hearts for the gift of subscription and for the esteem and affection you nurture for us… “the least ones”. In the years when you were in “rough waters” we admired your invincible patience and we are certain that the result of all of this is a boundless interior freedom that pervades your dear soul. When through one’s own choice and that of others one becomes as a … “Persian carpet” beaten and trodden on, one experiences the lovely freedom of being placed in a position from which no one can debase him and the beatings perform the precious service of banishing the “dust”.
With 30Days you are exercising a fine mission as also with all the opportune initiatives and the circulation of books… of “the past” that in our modest view are the most efficient for increasing the faith (Who prays is saved is truly great!) The little catechism Christian Doctrine with all those beautiful drawings brought back to mind so many very sweet memories of childhood.
In your goodness and humility you also expect specific suggestions from us. From our meditative silence we, as a line of future constructiveness, see only one possibility of certain success: the entrusting of everything and in everything to Mary Most Holy. She is the Woman who keeps the infernal Dragon beneath her heel. God has given Her this power… In the life of the late-lamented John Paul II we see how much weight that Totus tuus repeated almost continuously had. A life completely fulfilled and so many fruits of good. With Jesus and Mary one lives well and truly achieves a lot. A needlepoint is a very small thing, but it can cause many balloons inflated with evil to burst.
We have no other claim except to be needlepoints.
In the Lord, Mother and Sisters

P.S. We carry you and your intentions in our heart


VISITATIONISTS OF THE ARONA CONVENT
Novara

Our humble determination

Honorable Senator Giulio Andreotti,
In these past days a large packet of back newspapers arrived. Unfortunately we have been subject to serious postal delays for months. In the packet we found a number of the magazine 30Days directed by you, Senator, and along with it, an enclosure, a booklet entitled: Who prays is saved.
No comment on the booklet: the presentation of the most eminent Cardinal Ratzinger, now Benedict XVI, is more than reassuring!
The magazine? We read the short article A small gift. And on the same page, your much esteemed Letter to the cloistered convents, which explains everything. We wish to thank you, Senator; we must thank you, regretting our involuntary tardiness; and for the fact that you thought also of our small community. How much the esteem and expectation that you place in the cloistered convents edifies us! For our part, we feel so small! Silence and obscurity are the only atmosphere that allows us to breathe. Our «humble determination» is that of continuing in the hidden furrow of simplicity and littleness, certain as we are that the value of life is life itself. Our wish is that the Lord will make us grow in prayer, in silence, in the hidden life. We experienced two weeks of joyous sadness and of intense prayer for the precious death of the Holy Father John Paul II; we awaited, still with confident prayer, the “gift” of the pastor-guide. Divine Providence bestowed on the Church and the world Benedict XVI, “sweet Christ on earth”, to guide us in the faith, in love and in joy.
Honorable Senator, we assure you that we keep you and your worthy collaborators, with all your good intentions in our monastic prayer. May the Sacred hearts of Jesus and Mary fill you with consolation and bless you. We invoke for you a bounteous outpouring of the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.
With religious and devout regards,
Sister Maria Teresa Razzano and community,
May God be blessed!


PASSIONISTS OF THE CONVENT OF COSTIGLIOLE D’ASTI,
Costigliole d’Asti, Asti

Augustine witness of Tradition

Dear Senator Andreotti,
We have recently received the interesting magazine 30Days with the booklet Conferences on the topicality of Saint Augustine. I thank you heartily for the kind thought, a most appreciated complimentary copy, as well as the notes of the fourth lecture of Don Giacomo Tantardini Augustine witness of Tradition. May God be blessed that He continues to illuminate with His light the hearts of men of good will. May He also grant us to grow in that humility required to live and work worthy of our charisma as Contemplative Passionists, complying with Christ crucified to cooperate in the eternal salvation of the Brothers spread throughout he world.
With renewed sentiments of esteem and gratitude, we assure that you are remembered in our prayers and offer our ardent wishes for a Holy Easter rich in all goodness.
Mother Vittoria Beccari and the Passionist Community
of Costigliole of Asti

THE VISITATIONISTS OF THE “VISITAZIONE SANTA MARIA” CONVENT
Padua

We reply wholeheartedly
to your invitation

Long live Jesus!
Senator,
Your most welcome letter brings us inner joy. We reply wholeheartedly to your invitation to prayer from whence to spread values and religious movements for the good of our beloved Italy. We will follow with great attention your monthly magazine 30Days in the Church and in the World, and this will also always be to intensify our humble prayer according to the proposals indicated. May Jesus and Most Holy Mary recompense you greatly for the great good already done and that which, if it pleases God, you will still do. Senator, your well known name is written forever in our heart which we will bring every day to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, according to all your holy intentions and invoking for you particular divine gifts and much support and comfort ever in your high mission in the political sphere.
In constant appreciation, with devout regards.
Mother and Sisters,
May God be blessed!
POOR CLARE CAPUCHINS OF TURIN CONVENT
Turin

We give thanks for the good that grows even if in the midst of evil

Peace and good!
Dear Senator Andreotti,
We received your monthly magazine 30Days with news about: the church, Christianity, the cloister… China, Russia… Many other testimonies of priests and laity involved in the Church and the world. We praise and thank the Lord for the good that grows even in the midst of evil, while on our part we bring to our prayers the anxieties and difficulties of countries tried by so much poverty caused by war and the incapacity of those responsible to help the needy to live according to the dignity of sons of God.
Our cloistered vocation offers us the possibility of remaining longer with God, to talk to Him about the needs of the Church, of the whole world.
Thank you also for your kind letter and the confidence you nurture in our prayers: we wish that the magazine 30Days may do good to many people.
With all the Sisters I send regards and remain most devoutly,
Sister Maria Rosaria


DOMENICANS OF THE CONVENT OF THE most holy rosary
Naples

A life not always appreciated in its just significance

Mister President,
We have received the first complimentary copy of the monthly magazine 30Days in the Church and in the World directed by you.
We thank you greatly both for the thought that you had and, perhaps most of all, for the fine words that you said about us cloistered nuns and about our vocation. We are very grateful that you reserved a space in your magazine for our life, not always appreciated today in its just significance. A voice that comes from a magazine so well produced, will perhaps also constitute a voice from the Lord, the first cause of every vocation. We willingly seize the occasion to tell you that we have always appreciated the testimony of your strength in the faith, your moral integrity, your living of the Gospel both in your private as well as in your public life for the good of Italy, the Church and the world. We wish you many blessings from God and great strength for the fulfillment of your mission and make votive offerings, with constant prayers, that you will continue on for a long time. We promise you that we daily carry your mission to the feet of the sacramental Jesus as we have done in the past. When you wish and when editorial demands permit, we would be very glad to pass on to the staff of the magazine particular moments of our life spent in the seclusion of our convent, situated in a small center of the province of Naples, open (in as much as the structures allow) to hospitality to those who desire to have experience of God and the cloistered life and especially with an ever open heart to the spiritual needs of those who ring on our doorbell.
With respect and cordiality we wish you a happy Lent that will allow the full savoring of the joy of Easter. Most devoutly,
Sister M. Anna Fatone O.P. and fellow Sisters


THE DISCALCED CARMELITES OF THE CONVENT OF SAiNT TERESA
Massa Lubrense, Naples

The joy of the cloistered life

Dear Senator,
It is with great gratitude and enthusiasm that we received your beautiful magazine, that allows us to participate in the life and the debate of our Mother Church in relation to the world that surrounds us and, often, pains us with the terrible events that afflict it in recent years. We can’t but pray and participate in the outside world with our hearts and with sacrifice, and also with the joy of our cloistered life, and we are moved that our presence is noticed and shared in by you so much as to encourage us to involve ourselves in your project of the spreading of the truth of today’s Church, filtered through the sensibility and the culture that the magazine brings to your readers.
In thanking you with great appreciation, we accept also your invitation to make our reality as Discalced Carmelites better known by sending you a copy of a book recently published about the history of our convent, of its past history (and its current vicissitudes) and about the restoration carried out thanks to the contributions of law n. 219 and our own personal sacrifices.
Hoping that we have done something welcome, we assure you of having you with us in our life of prayer, and of being close to you by reading your magazine. Meanwhile in offering you our most respectful regards, we are happy to exchange wishes for the Holy Easter of Resurrection. In Christ most devoutly,
Mother Maria Immacolata Ribera dell’Eucaristia C.S.


VISITATIONISTS OF THE SALESIAN CONVENT
Ratisbon

We pray with joy for your commitment

Dear Director Andreotti,
I thank you with all my heart along with my fellow sisters, by now only ten, for the second mailing of your excellent magazine 30Days! We pray with joy for your commitment in the announcing of the “Good Tidings” and in the spreading of the good news! May the Lord bless your work!
With gratitude and cordial greetings,
Sister Maria Benedicta Döring V.S.M.
VISITATIONISTS
Vienna, Austria

We accept the subscription
with pleasure and gratitude

Dear Director Andreotti,
We accept the subscription gift of 30Days with pleasure and gratitude. May God reward you for your generosity.
With best greetings,
Sister M. Fidelis Krauter


CARMELITES OF THE CARMEL OF THE LITTLE TERESA
Rankwell, Austria

We pray and entrust you and
all to the protection and help of Mary

Dear Director and editorial staff of 30Days, great is the surprise, but equally great is the joy at the subscription gift to your magazine.
The copy sent to us is full of articles about our venerated and beloved Holy Father Benedict XVI, and was for us a source of particular interest. We wish therefore to thank you wholeheartedly.
We assure you with pleasure of our prayer for the Church and the world, for your work and for all the good there is in a society threatened by secularism.
Even though living strictly cloistered – as the patron of our convent, Saint Teresa of the Child Jesus -, we consider ourselves participant in and preoccupied by the multiple necessities of humanity. We bring every apprehension and problem to God in our prayer, the Omnipotent, good and merciful.
May God pour out His benedictions especially there where, in groups, reunions, associations and communications media, there is commitment so that good may triumph in the world.
For this we pray and entrust you and all to the protection and help of Mary, Mother of the Church.
I give thanks in the name of all the sisters,
Sister Theresia of the Child Jesus, Prioress