Martin McNally was one of the first British addicts to enter the Cenacolo Community in the newly opened House at Dodding Green nearly nine years ago. Gradually this shy and seemingly introverted lad began to change, he put behind him his drug addiction and entered fully into the life of the Community. Martin had a great gift for music and was soon part of the music group for the House. He proved too, to be quite a linguist, very quickly picking up Italian which is just as well for he was soon transferred to a Fraternity in Italy. There he continued to move forward on his ‘walk’ becoming more confident in himself and reaching out in his very gentle way to newer lads giving them encouragement. He entered into many facets of the life of the Community. After a while he was one of those who was chosen to open a Cenacolo House in Liberia, the first on the African continent. There, together with the others, he reached out to the children and young people scarred by the recent violent civil war. It was there too, that he contracted Malaria which brought him back to Europe.
It was whilst he was on a course sponsored by the Community that he met Gloria, a girl from the north of Italy, and romance struck! Martin left the Community last year and later married Gloria in a ceremony in Italy. Recently the happy couple came home to Scotland and renewed their vows and celebrate with their British friends.
Martin and Gloria now live in the north of Italy.
This is a wonderful and joyful story of a life changed and a life saved through the Cenacolo Community.