Brother Charles Alphonso, General secretary of Formation conducted Heritage program for CCMSI friars here in Rome from 13-31st August. Br. Christy, CCMSI representative for the Formation commission here in Rome organized the program and prepared the friars in FISI, India for three days. There were 29 friars who enjoyed this well organised and animated program. The Franciscan places re-created the initial enthusiam and fervor among the participants. I could not meet the participants as i was away in Uganda and India for meeting. Friars Jaime, Clayton, Damien and Oscar helped the group in various ways to make their stay comfortable and memorable. I had given the following message for the Participants:
Dear Brothers,
Pace e Bene!
Greetings from
Br. Michael Fernandes.
First of all
welcome to Eternal City Rome and Assisi, our spiritual Home. I am not able to
meet you all as I am leaving for Uganda Mission which is celebrating 25 years
of the implantation of the Order. I am sure that you are excited and delighted
to be part of this ongoing formation conducted by the General Formation
commission. This program which has been prepared by Brothers Charles, Jaime and
Christy will offer you an opportunity to deepen your personal relationship with
God through visits to the major sanctuaries associated with SS. Francis and
Clare of Assisi. In the past, the friars from all over the world participated
in this program as part of their ongoing formation and have found it as means
to enrich and transform their lives through participation in rituals, prayers,
Eucharistic celebrations, historical visits and lectures. We invite you to
journey through your capuchin vocation and stories and be sure that St.
Francis, St. Clare and St. padre Pio will help you to “fix our gaze on God.”
Make yourself
spiritually and emotionally available during these days to immerse as a
pilgrim wanting to grow in faith and Franciscan Capuchin Charism. In this
direction the original Franciscan stories and the Franciscan places will help
to deepen your awareness of Franciscan history, spirituality and the Rules
which guide our Capuchin Franciscan way of life. As a Capuchin Franciscan
pilgrim and disciple visit and explore significant and important places that
played a role in the conversion process of SS. Francis and Clare and their
followers. This ongoing formation program would bring back that initial
enthusiasm and fervor of Franciscan Capuchin life. Everyone who comes to “spiritual
home”, Assisi does not return the same but an interior spiritual change takes
place. You will experience the hidden power of Franciscan places, the expositions,
prayers and Eucharistic celebrations will help you to know that you belong to a
rich Franciscan heritage. You will discover and explore the meaning and
significance of the places of Francis loved and spend time in solitude and
prayer. We know well that our Father Francis spent most of his converted life
in solitude and prayer favoring mountain sides, mountain peaks and caves. You
will visit all of them, while you visit ask for the spirit of our father so
that you can go back to share and initiate something of it in your province.
For Capuchins the on-going formation is
a process of renewal by which we are rendered capable of living our vocation in
accordance with the Gospel in the
actual situations of daily living. The on-going formation must develop our
human, Christian and religious life. The Church and the Order has proposed that
the full realization of our charism we must emphasize the urgent need for
on-going formation which is vital in the
whole modern world. The on-going formation like Franciscan heritage is a continuous personal
and community renewal promotes and favours growth in the spirit of the Gospel
and the effectiveness of our witness. On-going consolidates fraternal life,
making dialogue among the different generations easier and aiding in overcoming
some of the unavoidable problems and crises arising with advancing age. The
heritage program should help us to do away certain resistance that our friars
have developed towards on-going formation, at times the reasons being excessive
pastoral or other works but the resistance is based on a wrong notion and
concept of on-going formation itself.
I wish each one of you a spiritual experience and wonderful
Capuchin Franciscan stay in Assisi and Rome. May our father and founder St.
Francis be with you during your spiritual journey and search. May Assisi bring
back to your mind the nostalgia that you felt during your formation. May this
heritage program allow to grow in your Capuchin Franciscan spirituality and
charism. God bless and have a wonderful stay.
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