Four months ago, God gave me the opportunity to return to my second home here in Brooklyn. After 3 years of being back from my mission in Argentina, I could no longer resist this longing, this thirst, for immersing my life once again in the charism of Con-solatio. Over the course of my past three years in Alabama, I realized that this charism of compassion and love was so profoundly a part of my life now that I needed to once again find a way to surround myself with a community that could help me share in this life of joy. Similarly to when I first went on mission, I arrogantly came to Brooklyn with the mindset of wanting to give to the community without any realization of how much I, too, needed this compassion and love of Christ. Life quickly began to throw many challenges and personal struggles at me, so it became clear that God had a reason for bringing me to Brooklyn at this time. The compassion and love that I have received from my Con-solatio family is truly humbling and beautiful.

I call Brooklyn my second home because every time that I set foot into a Con-solatio community, I instantly feel the peace and joy of being with my family. Whether it is visiting friends of Con-solatio together on weekends, joining them for I-School on Mondays, or simply sharing a meal together during the week, I am constantly moved by the simplicity and freedom in our friendship. It is humbling to realize that my longing to be a part of this community is a reflection of how desperately I long to and need to receive God’s love, living through each one of these friends here in Brooklyn. I thank God every day for bringing this family into my life, and I truly cannot imagine my life without them.