As Frank Viviano in his article pointed out a week ago, it was about time that somebody put some of the earthquake fears into context.
A some readers had already noticed, the last article concerning seismic events was no longer titled an “earthquake” but instead was “earth tremors”
Frank mentioned – in the 532 years since 1480, a total of fewer than 100 people have died in earthquakes in Barga.
In the famous 1920 quake, 171 people died in the entire Garfagnana-Lunigiana region. But the vast majority of the victims were from the Fivizzano area, center of this year’s swarm of tremors.
That is less than the number of deaths registered by auto accidents in the Province of Lucca in the 5 years between 2007 and 2012 — a mortality rate more than 100 times greater than that posed by earthquakes.
All well and good and that concise logical article was just what was needed as a kind of “earthquake hysteria” was starting to take hold in this area, especially in some of the press articles but there is also the other side of the coin which must not be ignored – that of the hidden problem that people have to deal with when ancient buildings are starting to show signs of stress due to the tremors.
Last month the following email arrived at barganews, we published it here in full (here) and in both languages to illustrate the point.
My name is Imogen McNamara. I am an Australian resident in Italy for nine and a half years. I am an qualified Italian Sommelier. I work representing Italian wineries in the international market.
I was on holiday in Australia when an earthquake struck the small town of Brucciano in the Garfagnana, Tuscany where I live. The earthquake damaged an old belItower, the large village church, the canonica, a chapel and the village hall. I returned to Brucciano on the 20th February to find a notice on my front door forbidding entry to my home under threat of arrest and imprisonment.
My office is located on the second floor of my home, which is sited under the belltower.
I moved to a vacant house of friends in Brucciano which had no fixed phone. The snow was so deep that after a week access to the house became extremely difficult. I moved to another house across the valley for 3 weeks, then returned to a house of friends in Brucciano. In mid April I moved again to a house of English friends who had returned to England. On the 11th June they returned and I moved again. I have moved house a total of 6 times.
Without files, documents, computer equipment and internet it has been impossible to continue with my work.
Although entitled to a small amount of compensation from the region I have been told I will have to wait 70 days to be given this.
The Sindaco of Molazzana gave the Curia of Lucca 90 days in which to secure the damaged buildings.
Today, a month later comes the following email with an update on the situation in Brucciano –
A COMMUNITY UNDER THREAT.
Brucciano is a small village situated high in the Apuane mountains. We are a small community, noted for the strength of our bonds with each other, and the spirit of co-operation, tolerance and acceptance which prevails amongst us. The resident community are Italian, except for myself, an Australian who has been living in Brucciano for 9 years. Other people who are Irish, Hungarian, English, German and Taiwanese have holiday homes in or near the village. We all work together and if there is a need in the village we work together to resolve it.
The focal point of our village life is the piazza and the little chapel and the small theatre which border it. Here as a community we gather to talk, to celebrate, to plan and to resolve issues.
Due to the earthquake in January the chapel, the theatre and part of the piazza are cordoned off and out of bounds. This has struck at the heart of our community, disrupting the processes which cement our community spirit.
I have learnt much in this small community. There is always an awareness of each other, and people if they see a need reach out to help. There is warmth and humour and great kindness. My neighbour has looked after my garden for the 6 months that I have been prevented from returning to my home. Conflict is handled, not head on but in such a way as that each person is left with dignity and room to find a solution. Sometimes we do have rows, but they are like summer storms, over quickly with no lingering rancour.
We may be only a small community, but the values present amongst us of tolerance co-operation and generosity of spirit are to be admired and respected.
I have watched over the past 6 months, people who I love and respect become increasingly disillusioned, angry and bitter about the Catholic Church, in particular, the Curia of Lucca for the way in which our community has been abandoned, by their failure to respect any of the orders to restore our chapel, our little theatre and our belltower.
I recall the words of a spiritual friend of mine in Rome, “One doesn’t meet Christ in the Church on Sunday, you meet him during the week, on the street.”
Imogen McNamara
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SAN SISTO – 2013
(Dopo la Santa Messa in piazza Don Bertozzi)
Caro Don Antonio, Sig. Celebrante e caro Parroco Don Emiliano, doppiamente caro per essere figlio di un vecchio amico e perché è l’unico sacerdote che mi ha fatto visita all’ospedale nelle mie due ultime degenze.
Mi permetto quale ANZIANO della comunità, dopo il ricordo del sacrificio di Cristo per noi, di rilevare una grave assenza: quella del Vescovo della nostra Diocesi Mons, Italo Castellani a cui pure nella Santa Messa è dedicata una speciale preghiera.
Mi sono recato da lui (mi pare) il 17 giugno, dopo un appuntamento richiesto per lettera e con la motivazione di rappresentare le esigenze della comunità, piccola ma coesa e necessaria di uno spazio di riferimento adeguato per le funzioni religiose.
Mi disse di conoscere la situazione, ma di non poter far nulla perché mancano i mezzi finanziari.
Affermo che la parrocchia era abbastanza ricca e doveva disporre almeno degli oltre 100.000 euro ricavati dalla vendita del podere di Montaltissimo.
Rispose in modo deciso che non conoscevo i termini del Nuovo concordato che passava tutti i beni parrocchiali al fondo per il sostentamento del clero e che in Garfagnana erano tante le parrocchie senza la chiesa disponibile.
Non approfondì il discorso nel merito che non conoscevo, ma gli ricordai che Papa Bergoglio raccomanda sempre di andare incontro alle “Periferie” e noi siamo la sua periferia che NON conosce perché non l’ha mai visitata, mentre ai miei tempi (anni 40, Mons.Terzi da Massa) non mancava di venire, almeno ogni qualche anno, per somministrare la cresima ai giovani.
A Brucciano più di un terzo degli edifici è di proprietà della curia e sono quasi tutti interdetti, dopo la scossa di terremoto del 25 gennaio.
Non risposi male, ma andai al Genio Civile e spiegai la cosa ad un giovane ingegnere che mi disse “considerata la psicosi del momento i VV.FF. non potevano che segnalare tutte le piccole e magari vecchie lesioni (crepe), ma sarebbe bastata la verifica di un ingegnere per rendere abili quelle non lese dal terremoto”.
Il fatto grave è che non si riesca ad usare la Chiesina e l’adiacente teatrino recentemente restaurati e se hanno piccole crepe sono evidenziate da anni.
Rimane il problema del campanile: anch’esso non cadrà, ma proprio a causa di questo rischio evidenziato, l’amica Imogen, ultimo membro acquisito dalla comunità venuta “dalla fine del mondo” (Australia), non può vivere nella sua casa dove ha tutta l’attrezzatura per lavorare e guadagnarsi da vivere.
Queste cose il Vescovo le avrà sapute da Don Emiliano che è troppo buono e non credo abbia fatto pressioni più di tanto.
Mi premeva mettere in risalto questa situazione nella giornata più solenne della nostra comunità e, se vecchi e nuovi parrocchiani l’approveranno con un applauso, inviarne una copia a Sua Eccellenza Mons. Italo Castellani perché si ricordi e – magari venga a conoscere – questa piccola comunità.
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A questo punto è seguita una Prolungata Standing Ovation di approvazione da parte di tutta l’Assemblea dell’intervento così eloquente del Sig. Luigi Moscardini
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