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

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

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

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.

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