APRA Solidale: The Gift that Unites, the Solidarity that Illuminates
Christmas is a time for giving, sharing, and hope. It is the time when we rediscover that the truest joy comes from giving of ourselves, from reaching out to those in need, from sharing what we are and what we have. This year too, the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum organizes initiatives that bring together the entire academic community—authorities, faculty, students, employees, and friends—with activities that celebrate not only knowledge but also compassion and fraternity, reminding us that faith translates into concrete acts of closeness and brotherly love.
Sense of Community and Mutual Responsibility
The KILO AMICO collection of goods in favor of the Trionfale Solidarity Emporium of Caritas, starting Monday, November 17, with a dedicated corner at the entrance of our Pontifical Athenaeum, and then on Saturday, December 13, the CHRISTMAS LUNCH served here in our facility by our community to 100 people in need—are a sign of an Athenaeum that embraces the preferential option for the poor, as indicated by the Magisterium, and which is strengthened thanks to the support of partners who share this mission. In this journey, the Athenaeum is honored to collaborate once again with the Pellegrini Group which, thanks also to its own Foundation, is actively engaged in combating new forms of poverty and building human relationships, with excellent projects such as the Ruben Solidarity Restaurant in Milan. These simple gestures remind each of us that every gift, when born from love, becomes light for those who receive it and for those who offer it. Together, as an academic community and in solidary partnership, we want to renew the certainty that charity is the highest form of knowledge and that every act of good contributes to building a more just, more human, more Christian world. As highlighted by Pope Leo XIV regarding the centrality of charity for the World Day of the Poor on Sunday, November 16, 2025: “The poor are creative subjects who challenge us to find ever new ways to live the Gospel today.” They are not only recipients of charity but a stimulus to our conversion and commitment.
Be Part of the Gift
The profound meaning of these initiatives, thanks also to the support of the local Gruppo Panormama/IN’s as a partner, lies in the deep “sense of community” that we aim to build, a fundamental value for both entities. Paraphrasing Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia on the National Food Collection Day, these actions are also: “A way to rethink life and the sense of community.” These words remind us that solidarity is not just an isolated gesture but an opportunity to rediscover the value of relationships, mutual responsibility, and care for those who live alongside us. “God made himself a gift for us. And every time we give something of ourselves, Christmas is fulfilled again.” We invite you to actively join the initiatives of APRA Solidale; your participation and involvement are essential to make the light of charity shine during this season. Discover how to make your donation, joining the giving heart of our community.
