I arrived in Cascia on September 24th 1974 for a first interview with the Abbess and the Vicar : I was amazed by the enthusiasm and love of these augustinian nuns towards the girls and by the figure of Mother Theresa Fasce, who with her will and enhusiasm had created this work of Charity. I didn’t know anything about the history of the Beehive and about “ the Mother”. There was her picture in the main office, the same one that is still there today; she was there smiling, she looked at me and still today seems saying: “ come on, it’s a good job”. I came to Cascia for three days and I’m still here. I asked myself so many times why...because the Beehive wasn’t the “ typical Institution”, therE was something different and special about it. Despite everything, the girls seem happy and I wanted to know why.
Another main element was the way it welcomes these girls under 18 years old, completely free, no fees to pay, completely paid by Saint Rita’s Monastery. Besides, there was something that stroke my attention: the kitchen. This hadn’t the place typical smell of orphanages’kitchens. I know, it sounds strange but it was like that; besides it wasn’t a place for those in the know; during the day, the girls stopped there with the staff and , if they were hungry, there was always someone who gave them something to eat.
I started working with some nuns: Mother Consiglia, Mother Targisa, Mother Theresa, and other young educators who were worried and enthusiastic about the job to do.