it The project
Kerigma Project
A journey between Jerusalem and Ephesus, back to the heart of the Gospel.
At a glance
Two houses to return to the essentials of faith
The meaning
To form young people, seminarians, priests and lay people in the essentials of faith: the kerygma, the proclamation of the Gospel, through living contact with the places of the Incarnation and of the first apostolic communities, in a simple, fraternal, "Upper Room" style.
The instruments
Two houses in the places of the New Testament's "geography of salvation": Casa Kerigma Jerusalem, listening to the events of the Upper Room and of the nascent Church; Casa Kerigma Ephesus, in the footsteps of Paul, John and Mary, between Gospel, Fathers and Councils.
Who it is for
Young people and students; seminarians and candidates for ministry; priests and religious seeking rest and discernment; lay people, families and parish groups; theological faculties and formation institutes. For each there is a page with the proposal.
Isaiah 66:13
In Jerusalem you shall be comforted
Together, the two houses want to be a lamp lit at the service of the flame of the Holy Spirit: places where one can be consoled, regenerated and sent out again, because "in Jerusalem you shall be comforted" and from Ephesus the Church may continue to think and live the Gospel for today's world.
A shared pastoral experiment
At the service of the Church and the dioceses
In close collaboration with the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Archdiocese of Izmir and the Archdiocese of Reggio Calabria-Bova, under the patronage of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches and with the support of various ecclesial and academic bodies.
"To foster ecclesial exchanges, paths of biblical and pastoral formation for priests and lay people through the building of living bonds between the dioceses and the Church of Jerusalem. To gather and enhance experiences, collaborations and synergies, with a view to a wider ecclesial service in the biblical places (Jerusalem, Ephesus, etc.), in the perspective of evangelical consolation."
One story
Attendiamoci, Casa Kerigma, Consolatio
Three names that often appear together. They are three distinct but not separate realities: the second was born from the first, the third within the second.
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2001
Attendiamoci is born, in Reggio Calabria
On 27 September, from the enthusiasm of a priest, Fr Valerio Chiovaro, and four university students.
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2022
Casa Kerigma Jerusalem opens
With the agreement between the Archdiocese of Reggio Calabria-Bova and the Latin Patriarchate: a house entrusted by the Patriarchate to Attendiamoci, which has run it since September.
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2024-25
The new seat in Jerusalem
First Mass in the chapel on 9 December 2024; inauguration with the Patriarch on 29 January 2025.
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2025
Casa Kerigma Ephesus opens
From 1 January, in a house granted by the Archdiocese of Izmir.
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2026
Consolatio accompanies Nino and Manuel
From 22 September, a time of discernment and formation towards the priesthood, at Casa Kerigma.
Read more
Attendiamoci, the association+
Attendiamoci is a volunteer organisation founded in Reggio Calabria on 27 September 2001 from the enthusiasm of a priest, Fr Valerio Chiovaro, and four university students (Giovanni Mazza, Domenico Paino, Alfredo Pudano and Giuseppe Falcone) who shared the beauty of a true friendship and the need to spread goodness. A choice of field: to care for "ordinary" young people, in the awareness that no young person is ordinary but special, capable of choosing the good if, along the great adventure of youth, they meet the right people.
Professionalism, but also familiarity, hospitality, service and gratuitousness have allowed Attendiamoci to grow, becoming a point of reference for Reggio Calabria and today also for young people in Milan, Pavia, Rome and Siena, and to extend its service to Jerusalem and Ephesus. It is the body that promotes the Kerigma Project, administers its resources and answers for it: attendiamoci.it ↗.
Casa Kerigma, the two houses+
Casa Kerigma is the first expression of Attendiamoci's educational model outside Italy. The house in Jerusalem, at 17 Derech Beit Lehem, has been entrusted by the Latin Patriarchate to the Association since September 2022; the person in charge is a priest sent by his diocese, Reggio Calabria-Bova, and serving with the Patriarchate. Since 1 January 2025 the journey continues in Ephesus, in a house granted by the Archdiocese of Izmir.
Consolatio, the fraternity+
Consolatio is an educational fraternity born from the experience of Attendiamoci and Casa Kerigma. In its statutes Consolatio is a private association of the faithful made up of lay people and priests, with its main seat in Jerusalem. Its mission is summed up in a formula: "to console by educating and to educate by consoling". Its members share fraternal life, prayer and educational service to young people and priests, with particular attention to the Churches of the biblical lands.
Since 22 September 2026 the fraternity accompanies two young men, Nino and Manuel, in a time of discernment and formation towards the priesthood at Casa Kerigma: the Consolatio page tells of the journey and how to support it.
Who does what+
| Legal entity, administration, accounts | Attendiamoci ODV ETS (Italian Third Sector register, tax code 92035090809), President Demetrio Maltese |
|---|---|
| Head of the project and of the houses | Fr Valerio Chiovaro, fidei donum priest with the Latin Patriarchate, Spiritual Assistant of Attendiamoci |
| Casa Kerigma Jerusalem | House entrusted by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem to Attendiamoci, which has run it since September 2022 |
| Casa Kerigma Ephesus | House granted by the Archdiocese of Izmir, active since 1 January 2025 |
| Consolatio | Educational fraternity born in the houses; private association of the faithful |
| Donations and receipts | Always to Attendiamoci ODV ETS, on cipermettidi.it (regular donations) or from this site (stays). Offerings for Masses go directly to Fr Valerio |
| Fr Valerio's books | Edizioni Attendiamoci and Terra Santa Edizioni, with royalties donated to the Association |
The websites of the Attendiamoci family+
attendiamoci.it
The Association: identity, board, houses and projects in Italy, transparency (in Italian).
Visit ↗cipermettidi.it
The regular-donations portal, with pages dedicated to Casa Kerigma and Consolatio (English version available).
Visit ↗edizioni.attendiamoci.it
Fr Valerio Chiovaro's books and the Edizioni Attendiamoci catalogue.
Visit ↗parolesensate.it
Attendiamoci's vocabulary, with entries signed by Fr Valerio.
Visit ↗
How to come
The houses welcome on request
After a conversation with those who run them: you tell us who you are, the period and what you are looking for; the house replies and, if it accepts, sends a personal link to complete the stay form and the donation to Attendiamoci that supports the house.
Groups, dioceses and institutes can write to kerigma@attendiamoci.it to build a programme together.
In the photo: a summer dinner in the garden of the house.