Moments of Pain due to the Earth Quake in Italy & Solidarity

Human tragedies like Earth Quake, Tsunami, accidents, war, violence etc., rend our hearts apart sometimes. One of our contemporary writers Enzo Bianchi recently wrote the following in Avvenire an Italian New Paper. “In the last few days we have two questions that are cries of pain, keep resounding in our ears: Why? & God where are you? These are ancient questions like our world and they are brutally new at the face of every catastrophe. Above all these are all questions which everyone feels surging in oneself suddenly, also very often one is able to delude that it concerns others. Then, even more than the force of the images transmitted by the media, just the evocation of a known place, the similarity to a familiar face, the memory of a friendship far away to make misfortune closer to, ours. "

These are all moments when our roots are shaken and we know not where to go. The recent earth quake in Italy brought untold sufferings to many people in Italy. Starting with the loss of life, injury to the creation, destruction of houses, historical places and so on. Along with the “why” questions and “faith” questions, generous responses begin to unfold in an affectionate and generous way.

When little Julia died caught in the rubbles while saving her own younger sister by keeping her under her bosom, one of the Fire fighters wrote a moving testimony that they arrived late could not help that little angel.

A Capuchin Response:

As human beings our response gets manifested with personal solidarity and fraternal affection. It is so encouraging to see many people coming forward to do all that they can to help the affected people. From the Formation Secretariat we appreciate the immediate responses of our Italian Capuchin brothers, Formators and particularly our young & energetic student friars who rushed to help the victims of the earth quake. Many of our friars have reached the affected areas and trying to do what they can in the relief work and preparing for the rehabilitation work that is going on side by side. These fraternal and human responses reveal that we are people of Faith and responsibility. And we are moved to compassion and action when encountering any pain and suffering of our needy neighbours and others.

Power of grace & Affectionate presence:

I still remember the letter written by St. John Paul II when he was Pope, to the victims of Tsunami in India, Sri Lanka and other neighbouring countries. He wrote: “My dear brothers and sisters…I am with you during this moment of pain and loss with affection and prayers. …. When we face this reality all alone we loose hope and that leads to depression. But when we associate our suffering with that of Jesus’ suffering it gives us redemptive meaning…Let us in solidarity do all that we can to help the victims of this tragedy and prove our humanity…”
Those words were full of affection and could only can come from a person who himself has suffered loss and pain. They were full of love of an affectionate Father who cares for his children and is moved by their suffering. As our Italian Capuchin respond now, let us also become instruments of Redemptive healing, meaning and compassion!

Our Response:
-We join our hands and hearts in prayer to our Eternal & compassionate Father in heaven to lead kindly our brothers and sisters who suffer into light and safety.
-Do all that we can to do our little part to alleviate the suffering of people who lost many things they valued in life.
-Those of us who are in Italy gift the affected persons with consolation if you have the possibility to reach there.
-As Capuchins there is an invitation from our CIMPCAP to join the volunteers to accompany the suffering people with our presence and ministry.

For further details do contact:
Fra. Orazio Renzetti Ofm Cap., Postulato Interprovinciale,
Convento Cappuccini, 02016 Leonessa (RI), Italy

May God help all our bretheren who suffer loss and pain!

Brs. Charles Alphonse & Jaime Rey Ofm Cap.,
[Grazie di cuore a Fra. Umberto Losacco Ofm Cap., Segretaria per la lingua italiano, Curia Generale Dei Cappuccini, Rome, per suo aiuto da correggere questo articolo]