peter's blog

Happy Holidays

2011-07-26T10:34:00.000-07:00

Greetings to one and all, this time from Mtayleb, just outside Beirut on a hillside overlooking the city where the friars of the Vice-province of the Middle East have gathered for a chapter without elections. So it is a very relaxed, hard-working meeting. There are friars here from Syria who have reported on happenings there. In the Lebanon itself there is no official side-taking; the one wish is for peace.The speed at which Beirut is rebuilt after every one of the wars is amazing. It gives confidence to the many tourists who are beginning to return to fill the thousands of bed spaces, and who are an essential element of the Lebanese economy.
Travels since Easter took me to many corners of the world, but most of the time was spent in Europe at various chapters and meetings. Holland had a chapter in two parts and have fixed the date for part II on the third Friday in September. In the meantime, they have got the dispensation to have only two definitors.
There was torrid heat in Rome for the first two weeks of July, which coincided with the meeting of the Constitutions commission. Maybe that helped to speed up the work as the third week was free. Unfortunately many of the friars with long-haul air tickets had to hand around, as changing the ticket would have cost too much. But they had time for personal work and even a little tourism!

Happy Easter 2011

2011-04-13T05:01:00.000-07:00

As we come close to Holy Week, we are also coming close to the end of our Spring definitory meeting. Once again, I remain struck by the great richness of our international fraternity: so many different expressions of the Capuchin vocation, such variety and yet, at heart, the same vocation.

Greetings to one and all for a prayerful and reflective Holy Week, and an Easter celebration filled with joy and hope. Càisc fé shéan is fé mhaise dibh go léir.

Desert Storm

2011-03-27T01:17:00.000-07:00

Back in Dubai once more after visiting the friars in UAE, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait. It was in Kuwait on Friday night that we thought of President Bush and his Desert Storm, as we experienced the real thing. A vicious sand-storm hit Kuwait from Iraq and Saudi Arabia about 5.30 pm, blotting out the sun and sending people running for shelter. Because of the volatile political situation in many of the neighbouring lands, at first many of the locals thought that the oil fields had once again been bombed. The effect was much the same as what had been experienced back in the early nineties during the Iraqi invasion - but it turned out to be Mother Nature this time. The following day, clean-up operations began. There was sand everywhere, trees down but, in general, relatively little damage given the ferocity of the wind.
There is instability in many of the countries in the region and uncertainty as to what will happen next. Communication is limited so it is often difficult to have accurate information, but people keep up their good spirits. Dubai has been badly hit by the recession but Abu Dhabi seems to be relatively untouched.

La 'le Padraig

2011-03-13T11:44:00.000-07:00

Greetings to one and all for Saint Patrick's Day. I will be somewhere in the UAE with my Capuchin brethren, so it is unlikely that I will find some fellow Irish people to celebrate with. But we will all be united in spirit, le cunamh De.
Tomorrow morning I leave for Dubai to visit the many frairs working in that part of the world. They come from many countries, principally from India and the Phillipines and their task is to offer pastoral care to the millions of immigrant workers in the countries of the Arabian Peninsula. I hear talk of some trouble in Bahrain and rumblings in Kuwait, but , please God, all will be quiet while I am there.
The last few weeks were spent in Austria and Alto Adige, in view of the forthcoming unification of these two provinces. There are few vocations in that area of the world and the hope is that, by combining forces, the brothers there will be able to create something new together. We hope for the best.

Update - at last!

2010-09-09T06:28:00.000-07:00

In spite of all my good intentions and New Year resolutions, I slipped again!
Volcanic ash from Iceland kept myself and Terence in San Francisco for a week longer than anticipated. But we were well cared for by the friars at Our Lady of Angels and suffered no hardship except for some cancelled meetings - unlike other people, especially those travelling with children or on a tight budget. It was a relief to get back to Europe .
Next on the agenda was the international meeting on Migration held in Bangkok. It was a very good meeting - informative, practical and provided an excellent space in which to hear from the friars about all the work that is being done in this area. One of the highlights was certainly a visit to a refugee camp near the border with Myanmar where it was very moving to hear the young refugees share their dreams and hopes for the future.
I visited Pakistan towards the end of May. The weather was too hot for Northern Europeans like myself, and the situation was not helped by regular power cuts, night and day. The atmosphere was tense because of recent killings in a mosque quite close to the Capuchin friary in Lahore and the incursion into the hospital the following night to finish off those who had survived. Reading the newspapers and watching the TV, one gets the definite impression that Pakistan is a very violent society where life is cheap. The friars there, however, continue to live the Capuchin life with hope and courage.
A number of chapters took place during the summer: Malta, Germany, Switzerland, Ireland, Lebanon, the latter followed by some time in Ireland for a rest.
I came to Quebec on 26th August to conduct a visitation of the province. The province here is ageing, without many vocations, but the presence of young Indian friars from Kerala brings much hope for the future. Together with the young local friars it will be possible to open up new paths to bring the Gospel message to a society that has passed from being a staunch Catholic presence in North America to a very highly secularised one with little interest in religion. The history of Quebec reminds me very much of the story of the church in Ireland, except that what took 50 years in Quebec has happened much more quickly in Ireland.
Back to Rome on Saturday next and the merry-go-round takes off again. Pray for us.

Stranded in San Francisco

2010-04-20T21:52:00.000-07:00

We have had great fraternal and pastoral celebrations for the centenary here in San Francisco, the most recent one in Burlingame on Thursday last. Because of missed information, I should not have been present in Burlingame, as I was booked back to Europe on Thursday afternoon. But Mother Nature intervened, and after three hours at San Fran Int airport my flight was cancelled - along with many others - because of the hazards created by the volcano in Iceland. Terence also was cancelled and we have both been working hard at trying to make the most of the ill-wind.It has not been too difficult for us as the friars are experts in hospitality.And the friary is only ten minutes from the airport
But my heart goes out to all those stranded at airports, especially those caught without money or with children. Please God things will straighten themselves out soon.
In the meantime thanks to all who are showing humanitarian and christian concern by feeding the hungry and looking after the needy.

100 Years of Mission

2010-04-20T21:42:00.000-07:00

The main celebration for the friars of the Western America Province of Our Lady of the Angels took place yesterday (13th April). It began with a liturgy of thanksgiving in the friary of San Lorenzo, during which the General Minister outlined the history and growth of the Capuchin presence in those parts, as well as throwing out the challenge to the present-day friars to continue the mission animated by the values of prayer, poverty and preaching. Br. Terence Harrington, the Provincial Minister of Ireland responded with words of congratulations and good wishes on behalf of the Province of Saint Patrick and was presented with a specially written icon of Our Lady of the Angels.
After a festive meal, the friars went to the Old Mission at Santa Ynez to celebrate the Eucharist with a large congregation of local people. The singing and the music were a joyful celebration of thanksgiving, with the participation of people from many different linguistic groups, including a prayer as Gaeilge. The mission continues, we were reminded in the homily, as does the promise of Christ's presence.

Happy Easter 2010

2010-04-08T20:05:00.000-07:00

Why do you look for the living among the dead. He is not here. He is risen!".

May Easter be for each of you readers a time of new hope and peace.

I am in California as I write, out to celebrate with the friars of the Western American Province one hundred years since the first Irish Capuchins came over. The re-constituted Irish Province was only in existence for some 26 years when the bishop of Baker Diocese invited the Irish friars to come to help with the evangelization of the area. And they came. First came two friars, and stories abound of the missionary treks of one of them, Br. Luke Sheehan, on horseback, sharing food and a blanket with a lonesome but hospitable cowboy, meeting Ku Klux Klan opposition on the way, but persevering despite the odds. Two friaries were founded in 1910 in Hermiston and Bend in Oregon.
The area became a full-fledged Province of the Order in 1979 when Brendan O'Mahony was Provincial Minister in Ireland. Our General Minister will be arriving for the occasion, with celebrations in 5 venues: Watts (South Los Angeles), St Francis High School in Pasadena, the Old Mission in Santa Ynez and San Lorenzo, and finally in the parish in Burlingame. A good fraternal celebration is assured!

2010-03-20T02:10:00.000-07:00

Saint Patrick's Day

The world - or some of it, at least - goes green for the 17th of March. That is not, however, true of Rome except for the Irish community living here. I did not manage to connect with them this year as we had a meeting of the General Definitory this week, and noblesse oblige, as we say in Irish! Beannachtai na Feile libh go leir!

After the return from India we went straight into a meeting of the Constitutions' Commission, to work on a text for Chapters 7 and 9 - which we managed to do. It is now in the hands of the translators, and no doubt will soon see the light of day in seven languages. The work is tedious and time-consuming but, hopefully, worthwhile although some doubtless well-meaning friars tell us that the commission should be prepared for a negative reaction fromt he Order as a whole. No sign of any major negative tsunami so far. So we continue the work we were asked to do by the General Chapter.
That meeting was followed by a visitation of the two German provinces, which are preparing to unite in May of this year. Br. Ephrem Bucher of the Swiss province had agreed to help, and Charles Serignat, our excellent linguist, came with me to uphold my drooping German! Snow, freezing temperatures but warm welcome awaited us everywhere. With the rising age-average and few vocations most of the friars see the forthcoming unification as inevitable, It has been well prepared over a number of years, and the hope is that it will give some new energy to a part of the world where the Capuchin presence has a very long and rich history. The was much beer, herring salad and sausage, much to the delgiht of Charles, but he remains committed to his first love, i.e. Apfelsaft, or apple-juice for the uninitiated!

Back from Bangalore

2010-02-15T23:55:00.000-08:00

At the end of January I left Rome with John Antony for visitation in Karnataka, South West India. I had been looking forward to this visitation as I am always happy to be among the Indian people. I find them a very welcoming and courteous race. And I love Indian food!
I was not disappointed. The Capuchins in Karnataka are a great group of friars. They have many vocations: young, energetic and seriously searching young men, eager to learn about Francis and the Capuchins, eager too to give themselves to the Lord in the Order. Obviously all of them will not remain, but the experience of spending some years in formation houses of the Order will be of certain benefit to them in the years ahead.
The economy in India is booming, but, as in many other places, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Bangalore had become one of the world's centres for IT, literacy rates are high but there are still many visible signs of poverty, neglect and abandonment. The traffic is horrrendous. Going for a walk in the evening meant stepping out into blue air, so great was the volume of traffic and the noxious emissions, especially from the autorickshaws.
But the sense of hospitality is wonderful: garlands, cultural programmes, specially prepared food, personal accompaniment everywhere - all combine to create a great sense of being valued and welcomed. We have much to learn! We were graciously welcomed into his home by a grand-nephew of one of the friars who, together with his wife and two sons, entertained us royally.

The friars are engaged in all kinds of apostolates: parish, schools, social work, formation. Most of their work is among the very poor. The schools cater for all religions; Catholics/Christians are a minority in all of them. There is a very successful programme for the empowerment of women in the villages, carried out in several centres throughout Karnataka. Initially the men were suspicious, but now that the women have become earners some of this opposition has drained away. There is still opposition from some Hindu groups, who look upon this work as an invitation to convert to Christianity, but gradually they are realising that this is not so.
There are pockets of fundamentalist Hindu opposition, resulting in attacks on churches and shrines but a protest demonstration in Mysore drew thousand in to the streets, including several thousand Hindus and Muslims, who wanted to dissociate themselves from such behaviour.
All in all, a great trip, hard work, lots of miles. But worth it.

It's almost Christmas again

2009-12-11T02:57:00.000-08:00

So Season's Greetings to everybody. I am in Malta at present, just coming to the end of two weeks of Visitation. Like other Capuchin provinces of Western Europe,
Malta is experiencing a downturn in vocations which, together with the ageing process, is causing them to review their ministerial commitments - which is always a painful process.
This morning I went to visit an open centre for refugees a few miles outside Valetta. It was set up by a Capuchin friar, the late Br. Crispin Tabone, who with sound Capuchin judgment saw the growing problem of refugees in Malta and decided to do something about it. He got an old trade school from the Government and it now houses 700 men, almost all of them from sub-Saharan ?Africa. We got a guided tour from the Manager, Ahmed, himself an Evangelical Pastor. As well as sleeping accommodation, it has three restaurants - Somalian, Sudanese, Eritrean - run by the men themselves, with shops, games centre, training centre (for IT and English classes) and a football pitch. Great work. At weekends, the number swells to about 1,500.
The year has been a busy one, with visitations, meetings with the conferences, definitory meetings, commission metings etc. To all I met during the year, and to all who read the Capuchin blogs: Happy Christmas and blessings for 2010. Nollaig shona dibh!

Sorry it's been so long

2008-07-15T08:09:00.000-07:00

ROME
I wrote an update the other evening and lost in in trying to publish it! Needless to say, IT is not my forte!
The meeting of the Constitutions' Commission has just finished and a communique will appear shortly. It was during the previous meeting of the same commission that I wrote my last blog, so in a sense we have come full circle!
After holidays in August I went to Algeria to visit the French friars there. Because of circumstances their presence there is a very discreet one, but they have been given permission to act as chaplains to the Catholic students from sub-Saharan Africa who attend the university in Tiaret, the city where the fraternity is situated.

Visitation of the French province in October was an opportunity to revisit Strasbourg, where I had studied many years ago, and also to visit friaries I had never seen before. There are still over two hundred friars in the provinces, but more than one hundred are over eighty years old. But there is still plenty of energy, as witnessed by the new presence in Algeria (which began two years ago), and the preparations for a new multi-cultural fraternity in a poor area in the Paris region. Preparations are underway for the chapter in February 2009.

November saw the entire definitory headed for Dar es Salaam to meet the African conferences, and then on to Bangalore to meet the Indian conference. From there we headed to Penang in Malaysia to meet the Asia-Pacific conference. Each of the visit was very short but gave us an opportunity to have some insights into the the positive and negative sides of Capuchin living in these areas.
Coming from the ageing region of Europe, for me it was very invigorating to see so many young friars, especially in Africa and India. Also fascinating was to see first hand the variety of ways in which the Capuchin charism has been incarnated, while all the time retaining the simplicity and fraternal spirit which characterised our family. It was a great trip, tiring but satisfying, which hopefully has helped to create a new sense of unity and purpose in the wider Order.
Happy Christmas to one and all. Nollaig fe shean is fe mhaise dibh go leir, as we say in Gaelic!

Recent travels

2008-07-14T11:36:00.001-07:00

BLOIS : The friars of the Province of France met for their Chapter of Mats at the sanctuary of Notre Dame de la Trinite in the Loire-valley town of Blois from the 9th to the 13th of June. The main item on the agenda was the preparation of the ordinary Provincial Chapter which is due to take place next February. The chapter closed with the celebration of the Perpetual Profession of Br. Jean-Louis. Photo above shows part of the group on a visit to the Benedictine abbey of Saint Benoit -sur-Loire, where the body of Saint Benedict is in the crypt.

BEIRUT was the setting for the closing session of the Chapter of the Vice-Province of the Near East from the 16th to the 18th of June. The main items for discussion were the re-organisation of the friars' presence in Beirut itself, in the rest of Lebanon and in Syria, as well as a proposed statute for the schools in the care of the friars. The cease-fire was just one month old, and fervent prayers were offered that it would hold. The city and the country were en fete for the beatification of the Capuchin friar Br. James of Ghazir which took place in the Square of the Martyrs the Sunday after the Chapter.

I went back to Rome for the week of the Definitory meeting which began on 23rd June. The previous meeting had finished before Palm Sunday so a long time had elapsed. The agenda was packed but we managed to get through all the important points. Then I headed for the Province of Eastern Canada which covers all of the French-speaking part of Canada.

LAC BOUCHETTE, about 250 km north of Quebec city, was the beautiful setting for the canonical chapter of the Province (30th June to 4th July). We had rain, it was not warm and the black stinging flies were buzzing. But none of this prevented the chapter from being a great fraternal exercise at which the friars tried to discern how to use their diminishing resources for the good of the Church in that part of the world. A great source of hope and encouragement for them is the presence of a number of friars from the Province of Saint Francis, Kerala in India (pictured above). The was a very significant moment at the chapter when one of the Indian friars (Br. Manual 2nd from right in photo) was elected one of the definitors.

I am now back in Rome once again where, this morning (14th July), we began the meeting of the Commission for the Constitutions. It looks as though we have three weeks hard work ahead of us in the heat of the Roman July. Orate pro nobis!

Update

2008-05-23T13:54:00.001-07:00

I have been heartened recently by a number of negative remarks I received about this blog and about how dilatory I am in keeping it up to date. It showed me at least that three people are reading it!
Since the defintiory meeting in March, I have had a failed trip to Algeria (could not get a visa), followed by a meeting of CENOC in my home town of Dublin. It was a great occasion, hardworking but relaxed, with a nice trip around Dublin as well as a visit to the Capuchin Day Centre for Homeless People and to the Overseas Mission heritage centre in Church Street. A festive meal that evening, hosted by the Provincial Minister, Br. Terence, brought the meeting to a close.
March 30th saw me heading for Quebec, for the first time to the Capuchins in that part of the world. Evidence of winter was still around, low temperatures with the odd snow shower. It was a great trip, meant to help me to understand some of the issues which will surface at the Provincial Chapter in Late June. I look forward to going back to meet the friars again - and to higher temperatures!!

On 12 May I arrived back in Europe, to Salzburg in Austria, for the business chapter of the new province of Austria which was created just a year ago by joining the Provine of Vienna and the province of North Tyrol. Much progress has been made in the past year, with a great spirit of unity and fraternity among the friars who gathered in the Pallottinerhaus overlooking the beautiful city of Mozart. Work, weather, food , fraternity - all 10 out of 10.

From Austria I went to the chapter in Holland, which began on Monday 19th of May. Twenty friars gathered in a former Capuchin theologate in the south of the country to talk about Capuchin life in that part of Europe and to elect new ministers. Discussions were serious but serene, and a new provincial team was elected this morning headed by the provincial minister Br. Piet Hein van der Veer.

Next week I will go to Great Britain to conduct a pastoral visitation of the province. I look forward to meeting the friars there.

2008-03-11T04:09:00.000-07:00

Life has been busy since Christmas.
Immediately after the Feast of the Epiphany, we had the first Definitory meeting of 2008 at the General Curia. It lasted for two weeks and was followed by another week's meeting, this time with the new Ministers of the Order. This latter meeting is an annual event, but does not take place the year of the General Chapter. Therefore, this time we had the Ministers elected during the last two years, which made a group too large to meet in the house of ongoing formation in Frascati. So we met instead at the International College. All were pleased with the meeting, which afforded the new ministers the opportunity to meet and to exchange on common problems, as well as the opportunity to become acquainted with the various services of the Curia and the friars involved.

The next three weeks I spent in the Arabian Gulf, an area of the world confided to the Capuchin Order. Over the past number of years, the number of immigrant workers in this area of the world has rocketed. Many of them are Catholics from India and the Philippines, anxious to continue to practice their faith in a society which is almost exclusively Muslim. The friars have established parishes in the various Emirates and countries of the Arabian Peninsula and work very hard to cater for the huge numbers which come to the Masses and other services offered. I was most impressed by the faith and devotion of the people and the commitment of the friars.

The last week in February was the annual opportunity for the fraternity of the General Curia to go on retreat to the friary in Frascati. In the hills overlooking Rome, the friary provides a wonderful locus for prayer and reflection: it is beautiful, it is quiet, it is peaceful. The animator this year was fr. Constantino from the province of Venice, who based all his inputs on the Book of Revelation. All returned to the Curia renewed and refreshed.

Sunday 2nd of March saw the entire definitory, together with some other firars, head for San Giovanni Rotondo for the exhumation and recognition of the remains of Padre Pio. The ceremony began at 10 pm on the Sunday night with the celebration of the Office of Readings, and included addresses form the Provincial Minister of Foggia and from the local Archbishop, as well as the reading of innumerable official documents. The remains of Padre Pio are being sent for special treatment for the purposes of conservation and will be presented for the veneration of the public from 25th April onwards.

At the moment we are in our second week of a Definitory meeting which began on the morning of 4th March, looking forward to finishing before Palm Sunday.

May the joy of the Risen Lord be with you all.

Holy Land

2007-12-14T08:57:00.000-08:00

BETHLEHEM: On a visit to the friars in Jerusalem, we were privileged to spend an afternoon in Bethlehem and to celebrate Mass at the Grotto of Saint Jerome, just behind the Grotto of the Nativity. There were not many pilgrims there that day. Access to Bethlehem has been made more difficult in recent times by the wall built by Sharon, which separates Bethlehem from Jerusalem.
At Bethlehem we prayed for all parents and young people, and for vocations to the Capuchin way.
Shalom to all for Christmas. Pace e bene.

Visit to Sri Lanka

2007-09-22T04:48:00.000-07:00

Mawila (Kinakele Estate) is where the friars have built the new novitiate for candidates from the Vice Province of Pakistan. It is situated about 60 kms. due north of Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. The opening ceremony and blessing was on 8th September, in brilliant sunshine, and attended by many local clergy and religious, as well as a large numbers of local residents.
My principal reason for being in Sri Lanka was to discuss a revision of the formation programme. It was a pleasant bonus to be there for the joyful and memorable ceremony. This year there are 4 novices from Pakistan. 2 from Karnataka (India) and 1 from Sri Lanka.

Feast for Mariano in the College

2007-03-30T11:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday in the International Capuchin College of Saint Laurence of Brindisi just outside Rome many friars gathered to say thanks and goodbye to Br. Mariano di Vito, who had been rector of the College for the last eight years.

Hello all. This is my very first blog message.

2007-02-06T11:37:00.000-08:00

ROME - Benvenuti. This is my first time using this way of communicating. Do you have any advice for me? Greetings from Rome.