Ordo Fratrum Minorum Capuccinorum EN

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updated 11:54 AM UTC, Mar 20, 2024

Italian-language Ongoing Formation Course in Jerusalem

The ongoing formation course for Italian-speaking friars was held in the Holy Land from May 1-28, 2016. For three weeks a group of nine friars made a formative journey of biblical updating (archaeological visits and lectures) to strengthen them in their human and spiritual growth. The course, guided by Br. Giampiero M. Cognigni (International Formation Council) and Br. Roberto Tadiello (professor of Sacred Scripture, PR Venice), was meant to offer content that would let the friars take account of and evaluate their lives, and to ignite anew their image of God after many years of consecrated life. The varied schedule of study days was also enriched by some biblical trips. The contact with the biblical places and the afternoon meetings on Sacred Scripture helped the friars to rediscover the history of salvation in a deeper and more living way. Also particularly touching were the celebrations of the Eucharist experienced in the different places recalled in many pages of the gospels, which assisted in grasping a truly ‘incarnate’ connection with the revelation of the God-with-us.

Furthermore, during this month the friars had the grace of experiencing the holy week of the Orthodox brethren, thus tasting the greatest mystery of our faith by means of these rites, through which they breathed the greatness and richness of a faith that transcends the boundaries of time, of nations, and of the Church in her historical divisions.

The grace of this month is priceless – said the brothers at the end of the course – and perhaps we will only understand its importance and force when we take up again our daily lives in Italy, but we will never finish thanking the Lord who has called us to stay and rest with him (cf. Mk 6:31) after so many years of the apostolate. May our greeting and prayer from Jerusalem go out to the whole Order.