The Pacefatta Community: the works of mercy according to Diana
Interview with Diana Giovannini, author of the short story “The Pacefatta Community,” which has now become a podcast on the theme of mercy
This will be a special interview, in which the interviewer and the interviewee will be the same person, that is, yours truly, Diana Giovannini. I will ask myself questions and give myself answers. Shall we begin?
Do you want to introduce yourself, tell us something about yourself?
Okay. I’m Diana Giovannini and I live in Florence.
Is there anything interesting you’d like to tell us about?
Yes, for example I wrote a short story on the theme of mercy, I would like to tell you a little bit about that.
What do you want to tell us about it? How did this idea come about?
Well, queta idea came to me because in 2015 there was the jubilee. Extraordinary on mercy and it just came naturally to me to reflect on works of mercy. Wanting to write something, I came up with an invented story, just off the top of my head. I took my cue, as a starting point from Captain Pigafetta. So, I often go to a seaside resort where one of these streets is called Pigafetta Street. Now, Pigafetta was a sailor who in 1522 circumnavigated the globe, he was the first ever. This name Pigafetta sounded good to me, and it inspired me to come up with the name of my main character, Captain Pacefatta, all attached. I wanted to tell something about works of mercy, making a journey across the sea, and in fact my captain, with a crew of sailors set out sailing until he reached a landing on an uncharted island. From that moment the whole reflection on works of mercy, corporal and spiritual, takes shape.
How is it that this story, after so long, is back in the news?
Good question that I will answer right away. I had the opportunity to learn about the Space + Swords Association, which performs works of mercy in various parts of the world, and for information, I sent a copy of my story, which seemed to be in tune with the principles enunciated by the founder. After a few months, I received a phone call in which Luigi Spadoni, having read the story, invited me to break it down into several chapters, to record it, and I carried out this task with enthusiasm. I sent it and space + spadoni asked me to make a presentation to get this little project I would say popularized. I would like to take this opportunity to say that the association spazio + spadoni has favorably impressed me because it carries out works of mercy in various places where there are both corporal and spiritual needs and necessities, but especially because of the fact that it helps many people, such as many missionary sisters, with training, in various fields, especially in the headquarters of the Confraternities of Mercy, so that they can then bring the fruits to the various parts of the world where they carry out their mission. This I would say is a policy, very fair in respect of all nationalities and especially in respect of those who have more in favor of those who have less.
I would end this interview like this, with a greeting to everybody and a thank you for listening to me.