Today’s Mass was presided over by the newly elected Assistant General for the Federazione Intermediterranea Ministri Provinciali (FIMP) Friar Giovanni VOLTAN.
In his homily, Friar Jude WINKLER invited the Capitulars, especially the new Definitors, to work as a team. St. Paul, in his preaching, teaches us precisely this aspect of fraternity; we should proclaim the Good News of the Lord, not as individuals, but as a community.
Best wishes were expressed to Friar Mirosław BARTOS for his 32nd anniversary of priesthood.
Discussion in the Chapter auditorium today began with Chapter IV of the General Statutes entitled, “The Mission of the Friars”. In particular, the Capitulars focused on inviting the confreres to go on mission to other countries, besides the ones to which they belong. So many Jurisdictions are in need of personnel. Collaboration should be fostered between the Provinces and Custodies in order to overcome the tendency to stay in one’s own back yard.
The Capitulars then moved on to Chapter V, “The Formation of the Friars”. There was extensive discussion on the norms concerning houses of formation, the specificity of those who are not oriented to the priesthood and the formation of formators. Because there is a shortage of well-trained friar formators, the need to identify friars who are called to this delicate mission was reiterated.
The afternoon was almost entirely dedicated to the meeting of the Steering Committee and the Central Commission. The many iuxta modi that were brought forward must be evaluated and then be presented in the Chapter auditorium tomorrow.
Friar Aurelio ERCOLI, Chronicler
In today’s First Reading we hear how Paul arrives in Corinth and lives and works with Priscilla and Aquila. Furthermore, he preaches with the aid of Silas and Timothy. Even though Paul was a person with a high estimation of himself, he worked as part of a team. We especially see that in the First Letter to the Thessalonians where he almost never uses the first person singular, “I”, but almost always uses the first person plural, “we.”
This reminds me of a goal which friar Marco gave our definitory in the past two mandates, to work as a team. We give witness by what we do, but also by how we do it.
This is something which friars are not always good at doing. I have been so edified by the example of our young friars in Vietnam who do everything as a team. Part of this is due to the influences of their culture, but it is also a stated goal among the friars.
We are challenged in these days to work as a team. We are challenged to work with our own definitories as a team, spending time in building up that community in work, prayer and recreation. We are called to share that call with our friars so that when people speak about us, they do not say that friar Paul or friar Michael or friar Tizio does this, but rather say the friars do this.
