Sun Myung Moon's death -- a witnessing opportunity

Rosa Bofenda
December 2012

Rosa (right) and Claudia in Milan with the Italian edition of the book

My friend Claudia Poloni and I had always discussed the newspaper articles concerning our movement in Italy -- both positive and negative -- about our large wedding ceremonies, about Archbishop Milingo, succession in the True Family, our True Father's illness, his going into hospital, the children visiting him there, etc. With True Father's ascension to the spirit world, the articles became more extensive but also more objective and serious.

We came up with an idea: Let's visit all the daily newspaper offices in our city of Milan. The news of Father's passing was fresh; we felt there was no time to make an official presentation or approach book, an official letter or even appointments. We would simply go and present them with Father's autobiography, and speak about him with affection to those who were ready to receive, in faith that the spirit world would work.

In the event, we found that editors or public relations directors received us immediately with a respectful attitude towards us as followers of our founder.

For example, Ugo Cennamo, editor of the Il Guiorno newspaper, said: "Sometimes I wonder about the meaning of this rat-race, this troubled life, wondering where does it bring us to, and for what end? I really need to stop, meditate, evaluate, listen to my own existence, feel Him, God that is so far away yet, when you stop for an instant, is so close..."

We listened to each person with interest, took their questions, and gave them answers.

While they held in their hands True Father's image, they showed much respect and admiration; their eyes would turn to rest on us, seeming to express a need, yet seeming to be lost. They understood that although their newspapers had reported much about True Father, their stories had been incomplete or off track because they were written without the direct testimony of those who knew him.