Rosaria's part

Thirty-three years have passed since May 23, 1992: that day in Capaci, Judge Falcone, his wife Francesca Morvillo, and three of his bodyguards died: Vito Schifani, Rocco Dicillo, and Antonio Montinari.

For Rosaria Costa—Vito Schifani's wife at the time—the pain is still alive. The memory never fades; in fact, it is more necessary than ever to share it. A few days ago, she was a guest at my school (the "Amaldi-Sraffa" Institute in Orbassano) to discuss her experience and the issues of legality and justice.
Many insights emerged and reflections were shared with me by students and colleagues. Some emphasized her strong and decisive character, considering her an example. Another student wrote: "I'm happy to have had the fortune of learning about the stories of these 'silent heroes.'" I learned that sometimes fate is unpredictable, but the message that stuck with me most is how difficult it is to be "right" in a world of evil and wicked people.

The strongest invitation to the students was to choose which side to be on and to believe in their deepest, most authentic, and true dreams. "Thanks to everything I've learned about the Mafia," one girl wrote, "I know for sure which side of the scale to place my pebble on."

This also sparked a discussion in some classes about what it means to "choose a side." "We've come to the conclusion," the teacher wrote, "that it means not lying to ourselves. In many circumstances, much less dramatic, we find ourselves having to choose between doing what's most comfortable and doing what's right. There's no third way. We need to be aware of what we're doing, to understand when silence is discretion and when it's cowardice."

So many seeds have been sown and so many ideas have been offered, like the example of a law colleague, who at the end of the emotional meeting thanked Rosaria because 33 years ago he had decided to study law after attending Falcone's funeral and the speech she had given. Rosaria and so many witnesses can share their pain and joy, their dreams and hopes; the rest is not ours, but some fruits will come because at least some of those seeds scattered will transform into a true life choice.

Roberto Lerda
NP June/July 2025