Annual Retreat of the General Curia

The General Curia went to Frascati to make its annual retreat from the 12th to the 16th of March 2007. The retreat preacher was Fr. Ubaldo Terrinoni,ofm.cap. who accompanied us during the one week.

The talks were throughly biblical. On the first day he dealt with 'The first announcement of the passion' (Mk. 8,31-33). The second day he dealt with 'fraternal life' with the subtitles 1. 'You are the edifice of God' (I Cor. 3,8.16-17) and 2. 'Truth in charity' (Eph. 4. 15). The third day we were with the vow of poverty under the titles 1. 'The panoramic biblical view of poverty' (Deut. 32,10-14) and 2. 'The constitutive elements of poverty' (Mt. 5,3). The fourth day we were with the vow of obedience with the subtitles 1. 'Biblical listening as obedience' (Ps. 80, 9-14) and 2. 'Moses: The man who offers resistence to God' (Ex. 3,10-4,16). The last day we dealt with the vow of chastity with its subtitles 1. 'Blessed are the pure of heart' (Mt. 5,8) and 2. 'You shall love' (Deut. 6,4-5).

The beauty of the landscape and the hospitality of the friars made the retreat all the more attractive with everyone longing to come back to the same place.

Visit to the Northern Circumscriptions of India

ROME It was a moment of great privilege for me to visit the northern circumscriptioins of India from the 30th of January to the 2nd of March 2007. The circumscriptions are: Prem Jyoti Custody, Krist Jyoti General Vice Province, St. Fidelis Province, Marymatha Vice Province, Nirmala Custody and also the North East Delegation of Holy Trinity Province especially the state of Nagaland. What impressed me most was the sacrifice of the brothers working in all those circumscriptions, their commitments and above all their cheerfulness. It was an experience of Franciscan hospitality. Growth in these circumscriptions is phenomenal. The mother provinces in the South have done a marvellous job in supporting the endeavours of these circumscriptions with personnel and finance. The experience over there will always make one to long for the same in the future. It was also a chance for me to renew my friendship with many of the brothers whom I have known from the time of my own formation either as formators or as companions. May the Lord bless them all!