Milan church concert highlights inclusion ahead of Winter Paralympics

A choir of about 70 singers performed at Milan's Sant'Antonio church on Feb. 18, calling for harmony and inclusion of people with disabilities as the Winter Paralympics approach; the event is presented as part of the Archdiocese of Milan's outreach around the Games.

A choir from northern Italy performed a pop concert inside Milan's Sant'Antonio church days before the Winter Paralympics. Around 70 teenagers and adults from the Terzo Tempo choir traveled from Abbiategrasso for the Feb. 18 performance titled "Like Yeast in the Dough." The event was presented as a call for harmony and inclusion, particularly for people with disabilities. The concert formed part of the Archdiocese of Milan's effort to use the Olympic and Paralympic moment to impart Christian values and to raise awareness of inclusion. Key points: - About 70 members of the Terzo Tempo choir performed on Feb. 18 at Sant'Antonio church. - The program was titled "Like Yeast in the Dough" and drew on a Gospel image of discreet presence that helps others rise. - The Archdiocese of Milan created a branch in 2021 focused on raising awareness of inclusion and its Service for Oratories and Sport spoke at the event. - Oratories are parish spaces used for youth activities, where the church runs training to involve people with disabilities and shares testimonies from athletes, including Paralympians. - The choir's repertoire included Italian and English songs and a Congolese samba, choices described as meant to reflect diversity and values linked to the Olympic spirit. Summary: The concert illustrated the archdiocese's approach of bringing disabled and non-disabled people together through shared cultural and parish activities rather than separate programming. The Winter Paralympics are scheduled to begin in the coming days, and the archdiocese framed the concert as part of its outreach around the Games.