68 Novembru 2007 - Franciscan Province – MALTA

Beati Martiri di Granada(1936)Altri Frati Minori Martiri dellaguerra civile che afflisse laSpagna negli anni 1936-1939sono i 7 appartenenti allaProvincia francescana diCastiglia e dimoranti nelconvento di Fuenteobejuna(Còrdoba).Il 18 luglio 1936 sicostituì a Fuenteobejuna ilcomitato comunista cheusurpò il governo el’amministrazione della città,palesando da subito aperteminacce alla vita religiosa.Con l’infondato pretesto ditrovarvi armi, il pomeriggio del20 luglio i miliziani assalironoil locale convento francescano.Poiché ne era statopreavvertito, il guardiano P.Felix, cercò di mettere in salvoda ogni eventuale pericolo il più anzianodei frati, p. José Azurmendi, inviandolopresso una famiglia amica. Questi, però,ben presto fu raggiunto dai rossi, ai qualisi consegnò senza resistenza, riunendosialla comunità.Il 21 luglio e il 22 luglio ci furono ancoraperquisizioni in convento ma senza trovarearmi. Il passo successivo per poterprocedere all’eliminazione della comunitàfu il trasferimento forzato presso l’ufficiotelegrafico e la detenzione dal 27 luglio al14 agosto. Il 28 luglio il convento venivasaccheggiato e la chiesa profanata, i fratiintanto iniziavano una novena di preghierealla Vergine della Regola chiedendo la loroincolumità.Il 14 agosto i frati furono trasferitinel palazzo della Marchesa di Valdeloro,divenuto ormai carcere per altri detenuticattolici, e qui restarono fino al 20settembre. Quel giorno, temendo diperdere la preda per l’avanzatadell’esercito nazionale, Rafael Maltrana,capo ribelle rosso e uomo particolarmentemalvagio e perverso, giunse aFuenteobejuna con 300 miliziani colproposito di portar via tutti quelli cheerano in carcere e fucilarli.Senza essere condotti davanti adalcun tribunale e contro il parere dellostesso comitato comunista cittadino, 57detenuti, tra cui i 7 francescani caddero inmano dei miliziani di Maltrana, che siorganizzarono per portarli ad Azuaga equindi ucciderli. La deportazione avvennenella notte tra il 20 e 21 settembre 1936con sette camion da carico. Il primi sei diquesti camion si fermarono davanti alcamposanto di Grana de Torrehermosadove furono fucilate 43 persone; il settimoautomezzo con i religiosi francescaniproseguì verso Azuaga sotto strettasorveglianza dei miliziani.I sette francescani, messi tutti insieme nelcarcere, furono sottoposti a pesanticondizionamenti psicologici, con minacce,umiliazioni e mortificazioni di ogni genere,nel tentativo di farli bestemmiare, al chespesso replicavano: “Viva Cristo re!. Essiaffrontarono il martirio in tre distintimomenti.Verso le ore 11 del 21 settembrepadre José Azurmendi fu prelevato dalL-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 4PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

carcere e condotto a pulire il pavimentodella Chiesa del SS. Cristo delHumilladero. Ritenuto erroneamente ilsuperiore del gruppo a motivo dell’etàavanzata, fu il primo a cadere sotto i colpidel fucile in un patio del carcere di Azuagaessendosi più volte rifiutato dibestemmiare e gridando fino all’ultimo:“Viva Cristo re!”. Subito dopo il suo corpofu avvolto in una copert, che poi permisela sua identificazione, e portato alcimitero.I due padri Luis Echevarrìa e FranciscoCarlés e i tre frati Antonio Saez de Ibarra,Miguel Zarragua e Simon Rodriguez conaltri sette secolari furono fucilati , a gruppidi 4 presso il cimitero di Azuaga, tra le ore1 e le 3 del 22 settembre.Il martirio di padre Félix Echevarrìa,poiché era il superiore della fraternitàfrancescana, fu l’ultimo e il più crudele,tanto da assomigliare a quello deiprotomartiri. Era infatti stato trattenuto incarcere mentre gli altri erano statitrasferiti al luogo del martirio, così nelI Martiri:Félix Echevarria Goriostiaga , OFM, SacerdoteLuis Echevarria Goriostiaga , OFM, SacerdoteJosé Azurmendi Larrìnaga, OFM, SacerdoteFrancisco Carlés Gonzales, OFM, SacerdoteAntonio Saez de Ibarra Lopez, OFM, StudenteMiguel Zarragua Iturriaga, OFMSimòn Miguel Rodriguez, OFMtentativo di farlo bestemmiare e poichéaveva fermamente dichiarato che non loavrebbe mai fatto preferendo cento volte lamorte, oltre alle percosse e alle offese a cuireplicava: “Viva Cristo re! Viva lareligione!”, condotto fuori dal carcere glifurono amputate le orecchie, strappati gliocchi e infine tagliata la lingua. Mentre lotrasferirono in barella verso il cimitero,non potendo egli più camminare, fu finitocon un colpo di fucile alla testa e un altroalla bocca.I corpi dei martiri, già interrati inuna fossa comune del camposanto diAzuaga,furonoidentificatiil 1dicembre1936 e ilgiornosuccessivotraslati aFuenteobejuna.Umberto Betti, O.F.M. appointed Cardinal by Benedict XVIUmberto Betti, OFN, was born in Pieve Santo Stefano (Tuscany) on the 7th March 1922.He began his novitiate in the Province of St. Francis Stigmatised in Tuscany on the 23rdJuly1937, made his first profession on the 2nd August 1938 and his solemn profession on the31st December 1943. He was ordained priest on the 5th April 1946.Having obtained his doctorate in Dogmatic Theology and followed specialised studies atthe Catholic University of Louvain, he was appointed professor at the Pontifical UniversityAntonianum in Rome, where he taught until the 27th September 1991. He was a consultant to thePreparatory Theological Commission for the II Vatican Council, in which he was also an expert.He contributed to the writing of the Dogmatic Constitutions “Dei Verbum” and “LumenGentium”. He held many important posts in the Roman Curia. He was Rector Magnificus of theLatern Pontifical University from 1991 to 1995. Also of note is the conferring of the DiplomaEmeritus, on the part of the Pontifical Academy of Theology, as well as the ‘Fiorinod’oro’ (golden florin) award present to him in the ‘Salone de’ Dugento’ in Florence as thepersonal theologian of the Archbishop Ermenegildo Florit. Br. Betti is living at the ProvincialInfirmary of ‘St. Francis’ on the hill of Fiesole at the moment.L-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 5PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

UFME MeetingEurope, Be yourselfJosé Rodríguez Carballo, OFMMinister GeneralQed nippublikaw l-ewwel parti tad-diskors li l-Ministru Āeneral għamel fil-laqgħa tal-MinistriProvinëjali ta’ l-Ewropa (UFME), li saret f’Sarajevo bejn it-8-13 ta’ Ottubru u li għaliha ħasehem il-Ministru Provinëjal Paul Galea, OFM. It-tieni parti tad-diskors tidher fil-ħarāa lijmiss.Our old and beloved EuropeEurope is a multi-cultural and multi-religious reality. The multi-cultural natureis clear. It is enough just to look at the make up of the UFME. However, if it is certainthat Europe was never monolithically one from the point of view of religion, today it isless so. Its multi-religious nature is growing by the day. In Europe today, Christians(Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants), Jews and Muslims, to mention the three greatreligions, live side by side as they did before. But something is changing. On the onehand, those who declare themselves members of what we could call a secularistreligion, professing moral relativism and secularism, are increasing. On the otherhand, Islam is again presenting itself as a force and valid spiritual substitute beforethe purely political and economic mentality of Europe. The great religious traditions ofAsia are also springing up as spiritual powers against a Europe which denies itsreligious and moral base and roots. The domination of a European culture based onlyon technology, science and commerce has ended up in technical-secular cosmo-visionwhich has forgotten its internal riches: the world of values (just think of the family orof life itself) and of faith.Europe has been defined “not only as a geographic concept, but as an historicaland moral greatness” (Cardinal J. Ratzinger), the result of the contributions ofdifferent peoples and cultures: Greece, Rome, the German and Slavic peoples. Butamong them all, without any doubt, Christianity influenced it the most: “There can beno doubt that, in Europe’s complex history, Christianity has been a central anddefining element, established on the firm foundation of the classical heritage and themultiple contributions of the various ethnic and cultural streams which havesucceeded one another down the centuries. The Christian faith has shaped the cultureof the Continent and is inextricably bound up with its history” 1 . Europe would not beEurope without Christianity: “On our continent, Christianity has been a primary factorof unity among peoples and cultures and of the integral promotion of man and hisrights. There can be no doubt that the Christian faith belongs, in a radical anddecisive way, to the foundations of European culture. Christianity, in fact, shapedEurope” 2 .But Europe is going through a profound identity crisis today, “a profound crisisof values” 3 . There is no lack of hope, for an attentive observer, but the shadows whichobscure the future of our continent are not lacking either.In this situation, unthinkable in some of our countries a few years ago, gospel valuesare no longer a reference point for the behaviour of Europeans, or for legislation in ourcountries. Every means are being used to reduce faith to a private matter and,evermore frequently, “Christians are denied the very right to enter into the publicdiscussion, or their contribution is discredited as an attempt to preserve unjustifiedprivileges” 4 . It can be no surprise that, in this situation, Christians and the Churchitself feel like guests and pilgrims, as strangers, in this society in which attempts arebeing made to take away their authority and to marginalise them as much as possible.L-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 6PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

Europe: a place of missionEurope, Benedict XVI repeated many times,cannot deny its Christian roots. The “Europeanhome”, the present Pope said recently, “will be agood place to live for everyone only if it is built on asolid cultural and moral foundation of commonvalues drawn from our history and our traditions.[…] Christianity has profoundly shaped thiscontinent” 5 .What has to be done so that Europe can be apleasant place to live in and that its Christianroots will not to be denied? The Church, for sometime already, has pointed out the way: Europeneeds to be evangelised through an evangelisationwhich, in various parts of Europe, will imply “a firstproclamation of the Gospel“ 6 ; evangelisation whichimplies “a renewed proclamation is needed even forthose already baptised“ 7 . In any case, Europetoday is a mission territory and, in many cases, an“ad gentes mission“ 8 .The Friars Minor on missionIn this task, to which the whole Church issent on mission, and which is “the commitment andthe responsibility of everyone“ 9 , we 9,000 FriarsMinor who live and work in Europe cannot remainon the margins or sitting on the fence. Europe iscalling us and expects us to feel we areprotagonists or a leaven in the great task ofevangelising the culture and of inculturating theGospel on our ancient continent 10 ; Europe iscalling us and hopes we will respond byannouncing the Gospel of hope, the Gospel ofreconciliation; Europe is calling us and hopes wecan offer an alternative project to our society.We do not begin from scratch in this serviceof evangelisation. Francis, in fact, lived in a societyno different to ours: in a very religious society, butvery far from living Gospel values. Francis was awitness to a nearby God, a God of love, a God ofmercy, pardon and reconciliation. He proposed, ina profoundly divided society, a project of life infraternity where all could feel they were brothersand equal. He proposed, in a violent society, aproject of peace and reconciliation. He proposedand lived, in a society wounded by inequalities, aproject of life in minority where all could feel theywere “servants” of all, including their enemies theSaracens and other non-believers.Almost eight hundred years have passed since thePenitent of Assisi, Francis de Bernardone,responded to the call of the Lord and to thechallenges which society of the time presented himby walking, bare-footed and in an attitude ofradical poverty and profound humility, the roads ofa divided Europe in the process of a profoundEurope today is amission territoryand, in many cases,an “ad gentesmission“.L-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 7PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

transformation; by bearing in his body and soul the anxieties and hopes of the menand women of his time; and by contributing a gospel project, a project of fraternity,peace and of equality on the basis of minority and being sine proprio.The love which sent the disciples of Jesus out on the roads and led them toannounce the Gospel to the entire world and to every creature, is moving us toannounce to all “that there is no one almighty, except Him” 11 . The love which movedFrancis to travel the roads of Europe, that very same love, is calling us to drop ourfears (caused at times by numerical reduction and progressive ageing) and ourcowardice (often caused by our little faith), and to leave our restricted cloisters(provincialism, comfort of our own work, being middle-class…), in order to announcethat love is not loved and to give witness, in word and in deed, to Him as “the onlyGod…, the good, all good, supreme good…, beauty…, security…, gladness and joy, ourhope…, our riches to sufficiency” 12 .To respond to this call from Europe, it is important that, like Francis, we taketime to ask the Lord: Lord, what do you want the Friars Minor, who live and work onthis old continent, to do?, and that, at the same time, we ask each other: Brothers, whathave we to do?. These two questions, which accompanied us during the year 2006, thefirst year of preparation for the VIII Centenary of the foundation of the Order, cannotstop accompanying us in these critical times for Europe and for our life in Europe.I am not unaware of the difficulty of such an undertaking, but I, personally, amconvinced that the message, of which we have to be the first spokesmen, could helpEurope not to lose its Christian soul. It is the time, not only to proclaim that Europeneeds to be evangelised, but to feel we are in a permanent state of mission, or, if youprefer, it is time to renew the missionary ardour which characterised Christians and,more concretely, the Franciscans of this old continent until very recently. The hourhas struck for us to get out of our sacristies, it is a time of mission.The mission, as we well know, is our reason for being: we have been called to be sent,to be missionaries 13 . The mission is part of our identity 14 . The mission is the keyelement for understanding and re-dimensioning the religious life in its differentaspects: spirituality, community life, signs of the times, government and authority,formation and theology. The mission is the dimension which unifies the other valuesand aspects of the franciscan life: contemplation, fraternity, minority and poverty,formation and studies, structures and finances. The mission alone will make usovercome the egocentric temptations and tendencies which are expressed inprovincialism, in the many Friars who are becoming middle-class and in the fact thatour life is becoming “worldly”. The missionary dynamism is a therapy for the internalproblems which spring up in our fraternities. When missionary tensions are weakened,other tensions increase.For these and other reasons, we Friars Minor of Europe are called to place ourselves inan attitude of mission. It is urgent, we cannot leave it until “tomorrow”.What the Spirit is saying to the Friars Minor of EuropeWe Franciscans of Europe, in an attitude of discernment, have to ask ourselves:What is the Spirit asking of us in this situation of the old continent? Discernment isthe key to our future and mission in Europe. This is how we can understand what wasasked of us by the Extraordinary General Chapter: an ongoing, constant attitude ofdiscernment 15 .Taking into account the challenges which come to us from the situation ofEurope, I will point out some paths which I believe we European Franciscans mustkeep in mind at this time in order to give a suitable response on the basis of theGospel and of our form of life.1. Assuming Europe as a “sign of the times”Europe, for us Friars Minor, has to be considered a sign of the times, a place fora profession of faith. The Chapter invited us to examine the signs of the times, torecognise them, to read and interpret them in the light of the Gospel 16 . This attitude,L-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 8PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

which certainly demands big eyes, the eyes of an owl which would allow us to see atnight, leads us to discover that contrary to all appearances, the Father continues towork and act in the here and now of our history and of that of our Europeancontemporaries. Though at times it may seem He is asleep, He is there, in the sameboat as we are. When His face seems most disfigured and least visible, He makesHimself present, but we must feel we are questioned by Him and called on to give agospel response.Reading the signs of the times and interpreting them properly, “we ourselves willbe capable of being readable signs of life for a world that is thirsty for “new heavensand new earth” (Is 65, 17; Ap 21, 1)” 17 ; the contrary, however, would make us “run therisk of becoming installed, of repeating himself, of nullifying the deepest dreams, oflosing, little by little, the contagious joy of faith” 18 .Is it not, perhaps, that it is in this incapacity to read the signs of the times, in ourincapacity to listen to the voice of the Lord in the events of history or to detect His everactive presence, that the reason for so much pessimism among us lies?2. Being custodians of hopeThe European Continent, and the Churches of Europe, feel they are oftenaffected by a dimming of hope. In our Europe “many men and women seem disoriented,uncertain, without hope, and not a few Christians [nor a few Franciscans also] sharethese feelings” 19 . The Spirit of the Lord asks us, in this context, to be “custodians ofhope”. But how can we respond to that vocation if we do not feel we are not indwelledby Him, who is our hope? 20 How can we transmit to our brothers of Europe valueswhich they have lost if we are not able to “open our eyes of faith and hope in order todetect, in the midst of the crises, the emerging dreams of” [our brothers in Europe] and“to open up channels for them in our own life and, in this way, anticipate the Kingdomproclaimed and lived by Jesus Christ” 21 .We wish to be realistic, but we cannot consent to being victims of a realismwhich impedes us breathing and seeing new possibilities; we wish to have our eyeswide open so as not to fall into false utopias, but we cannot renounce guarding hope inourselves and of infecting others with the same hope; we wish to keep our feet on theground, but we cannot renounce the announcement of a new heaven and a new earth,begun and consolidated there where a man of a woman, where a Friar Minor, “clearlyannounces the possibility of an accepting, just, tolerant and pacified world” 22 .There are many problems in the Franciscan Europe; some are visible to all: thereduction in the number of Friars, the increase in the median age, few vocations, littleperseverance… This should certainly worry us, a lot. Me also. But what should worryus more is the rejection of the utopia, of thinking of the future and of preparing itconfidently, to live the present with real passion.It certainly is not necessary to be fortune-tellers or prophets to see that ourpresence in Europe will diminish in the future. But what nothing, or no one, must takefrom us is our absolute trust in the Lord, who is the same “yesterday, today andalways” (Hb 13, 8). Franciscan Europe will be reduced over the coming years withregard to the number of Friars, but we cannot refuse to manifest “the beauty of thediscipleship of the Lord” 23 . We will be fewer and, with every certainty, more advancedin age, but the commitment to seek and love God “with our whole heart, with ourwhole mind and with all our strength” (Dt 6, 5) and others as ourselves (cf. Mt 22, 37-39) cannot weaken. We will continue to decrease and to age, but we cannot refuse tobegin again, at whatever stage of life we may find ourselves, the process of growth andof dynamic and creative fidelity to Christ, the Church, our Order and to the men andwomen of our times with renewed enthusiasm 24 .There is no need to be many or young to do this. All that is necessary is to wantto and to believe in it: to want it even though it may cost us and we may have torenounce certain acquired comforts; and believe that it is worth while, to really believethat the Lord did not trick us when He invited us to follow Him more closely 25 . If onlywe could begin to believe! If only we would dare! How many things would change in theL-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 9PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

life of each one of us and in the life of our Provinces! How many miracles the Lordwould continue to work in and through us!Dear Brothers: it is time – and we cannot leave it until tomorrow, because itwould be too late – to cast our nets (cf. Lk 5, 4); it didn’t seem to be the mostpropitious time to fish, but we know that Peter and his companions, having trusted inthe word of the Lord, “caught a great quantity of fish” (Lk 5, 6). Are we ready? Are wedisposed to renounce our securities in order to trust the Lord a little more?Being custodians of hope: here is a nice and urgent mission for us all, Brothers ofEurope. But the first thing that is required in order to do this is to renounce the logicof feasibility: “Things are as they are” is often heard; or, “We are so many and such”,as the doorman responded bad-humouredly to Francis, as the fragment on perfect joytells us. Hopefully I’m wrong, but I think that the exaltation of what is established andthe uncritical acceptance of simple feasibility reigns among us. So often we are,consciously or unconsciously, victims of a deep set scepticism that makes usimpervious to any new proposal. We are often victims of a declared joy at grandiosewords which hinder us in dreaming. But when a man is incapable of dreaming, thesituation is graver than what it appears to be. Not infrequently we are also victims of aresented disenchantment with the great promises, which ends up discreditingproposals which can seem to be utopias. We lack the audacity and prophetic capacitynot to allow ourselves be entrapped by short term plans and we domesticate thedemands of our vocation and mission as if it were an extra order of the day.It is time to recover a certain self-esteem in order to know how “to sell” our best clothsand not to change them into mere remnants; it is time to recover a healthy andrealistic optimism, if not in our own strength, then at least in the Lord and in themany Friars who continue to seek new responses to the new times we are living. It isundeniable that sanctity and misery go hand in hand, as it is undeniable thatalongside the Friars who try to prepare a different future with all their strength, thereare Friars profoundly affected by discouragement and undermined by the termites ofthe lack of prospects. I ask the first not to become discouraged, even when they aremisunderstood and, at times, criticised. I ask the second group to listen to theexhortation of Francis: “Let us begin, Brothers”; or, better still, let then listen to theLord, who, in this concrete situation in which we live, invites us “to set out into thedeep” and to “cast our nets again”.We have a future in the measure in which all the Friars, each according to hispossibilities, feel they are seeking and in a process. We will have a future in themeasure in which we are capable of calling the challenges by name, facing up to themwith depth and intelligence and give them suitable responses. I underline that of all,without excluding any one. No one has the right to sit on the fence and watch thegame from a distance for fear of being hurt on the pitch. Less still would he be justifiedto lie in wait to see how others make mistakes. We must all feel involved in this taskand all must give himself the opportunity to seek new areas of reflection, new way ofentering into relations, new offers of franciscan life, new challenges to respond to.Notes1Ecclesia in Europa = EiE 242EiE 108.3EiE 108.4Benedict XVI, Discourse to theparticipants in the Congress “Fiftyyears of the Treaty of Rome”, 24-3-2007.5Benedict XVI, Discourse duringthe meeting with authorities and theDiplomatic Corps in Austria, 7- 9-2007.6EiE 46.7EiE 47.8EiE 46.9EiE 33.10Cf. EiE 58-65.11LtOrd 9.12PrsG 1ff.13Cf. GGCC 1, 2; V, 1.14Cf. In the Legenda Maior of St.Bonaventure, the mission formspart of the identity of the Order andis closely linked to fraternity (cf.Fernando Uribe, El proyectoapostólico de Francisco de Asís enla Legenda maior de S.Buenaventura, Rome 2003, 139-184.15Cf. LSR 35.16Cf. May the Lord give you peace= LgP, 6.17LgP 7.18LgP 6.19EiE 7.20Cf. EiE 19.21Cf. LgP 7.22Cf. LgP 40.23Vita consecrata 66.24Cf. VC 37. 71. 110.25Cf. GGCC 5, 2.L-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 10PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

Francis and Clare: InLove, But With Whom?Raniero Cantalamessa, OFMCap.It has become commonplaceto speak of the friendshipbetween Clare andFrancis in terms of fallingin love. In his essay "Fallingin Love and Loving," the sociologistF. Alberoni saysthat "the relationship betweenSt. Clare and St.Francis has all the characteristicsof falling in love,sublimated or transferred tothe Godhead."Francis, like any maneven if he is a saint, maywell have experienced theattraction of woman andthe call of sex. The sourcestell us that in order to overcomea temptation of thiskind the saint once rolledaround in the snow in thedepths of winter.But it was not Clarewho was the object of thetemptation! When a manand woman are united inGod, this bond, if it is authentic,excludes all attractionof an erotic kind, withouteven a struggle. He orshe is, as it were, sheltered.It is another kind of relationship.Between Clareand Francis there was certainlya very strong humanbond, but it was paternal orfraternal in kind, notspousal. They were like twotrees joined by their foliage,not by their roots.The extraordinarilyprofound understandingbetween Francis and Clare,which features so stronglyin the Franciscan epic, doesnot come from"flesh andblood," like thatbetween Eloiseand Abelard, orDante and Beatrice(to quotetwo equally famousexamples).If it had doneso, it might haveleft some tracein the literature,but not in thehistory of sanctity.In one ofGoethe's wellknownexpressions,we couldcall the friendshipof Francisand Clare an"elective affinity,"as long aswe understand"elective" notonly in thesense of peoplewho have choseneach other, but whohave made the same choice.Antoine de Saint-Exupéry wrote that "beingin love does not mean lookingat each other, but lookingtogether in the samedirection." Clare and Francisreally didn't spend theirwhole lives gazing at eachother and feeling good together.They exchanged thefewest of words, probablyonly those reported in thesources. There was a tremendousreserve betweenthem, so much so that attimes the saint was affectionatelychided by hisbrothers for being too harshwith Clare.Only at the end of hislife do we see this rigor inthe relationship soften, andFrancis visits his "littleplant" more and more frequentlyin search of comfortand confirmation. As deathdraws near and sicknessconsumes him, SanDamiano becomes his refuge,and it is at her sidethat he intones the Canticleikompli paāna 26L-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 11PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

Caravaggiou San FranāiskNorbert Ellul-Vincenti, OFMGhac-cokon taghna f’Malta,zgur li attivita’ artistika qedtkun tal-genn. Ta’ spiss niltaqa’ma’ organizzaturi ta’attivitajiet kulturali lijistqarru li difficli jsibu granetli ma jkunx hemm tnejnjew tliet attivitajiet kulturaliflimkien.Fost l-affarijiet sbieh likellna, ta’ min isemmi l-kantanti popolari li gew, ilwirjatas-suldati Cinizi, uissa il-wirja ta’ Caravaggio.Malta sirna xxurtjati blokkorrenzaspissa ta’attivita’ artistika u kulturali.Dan l-ahhar kellna lill-Maestro Muti f’kuncertsplendidu fid-dar tal-Mediterran, ta’ l-opra DonPasquale, fejn ghaxxaq lilkulhadd bis-serjeta’ tieghu,l-originalita’, u l-kreattivita’anke fejn wiehed seta’ forsima jaqbilx, jew ma’jissahharx b’kollox.B’mod partikolarihadna pjacir fid-dar talglorjaartistika taghna l-Maltin, “showcase eterna”,il-kon-katidral ta’ SanGwann, fejn smajna kuncertta’ muzika dedikata lill-Madonna, Salve Regina ta’Porpora u Stabat Mater ta’Pergolesi. Tghaxxaqt uqabizli d-dmugh ghall-dikis-sbuhija, imma anke għalldik l-istqarrija pubblika ta’qima lejn Alla u lejn il-Vergni Marija li ispirat tantletteratura, arti, u kultura.Fil-veru sens tal-kelma ittwemmintaghna,irregalalna pakkett ta’ artikultura u civilizzazzjoni.Mhux ta’ b’xejn ghandnaninsistu li l-Ewropatitradixxi lilha nfisha jekktinsa l-gheruq Insarataghha. U anke l-artistitaghna, mhux bissghandhom japprezzaw l-imghoddi imma anke jfittxuli jzidu mal-patrimonjureligjuz.Ftakart f’zewgokkazjonijiet ohra (izjedimbeghdin) meta lhaqnaqcacet gholjin u missejna s-sema b’idejna f’dak l-istesstempju: il-Messa daRequiem ta’ PaolinoVassallo, u l-Messa Grandeta’ Giuseppe SpiteriFremond. Ma ninsewx dawniz-zewg esekuzzjonijietstupendi. Fil-veru sens talkelmal-arti toghla l-izjedmeta thares f’wicc is-Sbuhija Ewlenija.Il-kolp kbir iehor lighadu gej huwa dak il-gest li qed joffrilna l-Caravaggio ghallkontemplazzjoniu ghallistudju,mill-Heritage,Malta. U billi fl-4 ta’ Ottubruniftakru f’San Frangisk ta’Assisi nixtieq nikkummentafuq il-fatt straordinarju li sejingiebu Malta, mhux inqasminn erba’ San Frangiskijiet,kollha ta’ Caravaggio,wiehed mill-Amerka u l-ohramill-Italja.Jinghadu hafnaaffarijiet vojta u koroh dwaril-karattru ta’ Caravaggio, ujidher car li kien jitlefkontroll fuqu nnifsu malajr.Imma ma nhossx li nistghunikkundannaw bniedemminghajr ma nkunu nafufuqu hafna izjed milli nafu.Hafna affarijiet li jinghaduhuma sthajjil biss.Kelli okkazjoninitkellem fuq il-Qtugh ir-Ras ta’ Gwanni l-Battistatieghu, imma llum nixtieqbiss nitlob li nharsu lejn is-San Frangiskijiet tieghu unaraw jekk kienx jafx’jigifieri qdusija, x’inhutalb, x’inhi ghaqda ma’ Alla.Hawn ghandna l-chiaroscurokemm trid (mhuxchiaroscuro bl-addocc immabis-sens proattiv), ughandna wkoll dak irrealizmuli huwa maghrufghalih u li bih Caravaggio taspinta gdida lill-pittura;imma nahseb li Caravaggiogharaf lil San Frangisk minngewwa, mhux dak SanFrangisk li jidher facli, lijidhaq u jghanni u jhaddanil-hlejjaq kollha, ghax dakkulhadd jaf jarah, imma l-iehor li jissallab fuq ilmortalita’taghna l-bnedmin,fuq il-grajja tragika talbniedem,fuq il-Passjoni ta’Sidna Gesu Kristu ghalina,fuq it-tensjoni li tinholoqbejn min irid ihobb u minjaghraf id-difetti tieghustess. Harsu lejn dawn l-erba’ San Frangiskijiet ughiduli jekk minnpingiehom, kienx jaf x’inhul-gisem u x’inhu l-ispirtu.Ma nixba qatt inhareslejn dawn l-erba’ SanFrangiskijiet, filwaqt liniftakar u nghozz dak is-San Frangisk li sahharnib’hajtu u gibidni warajh.L-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 12PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

informazzjoniIL-MISSJONIFIL-LIBJAIl-Ministru Provinëjal PaulGalea, OFM jinsab Rumagħal-laqgħat li qed isiru fil-Kurja Āeneralizja, dwar ilmissjonital-Libja. Dawn illaqgħathuma tkomplija ta’laqgħat oħra li saruf’Settembru fil-Libja u ligħalihom kien hemmpreŜenti l-Ministru ĀeneralJose’ Rodriguez Carballo,OFM. Din kienet l-ewweldarba fl-istorja ta’ l-Ordnili Ministru Āeneral Ŝar il-Libja.Għal dawn il-laqgħat,barra l-Ministru Āeneral ul-Vigarju Āenerali, qedjieħdu sehem ukoll Mons.Silvestru Magro, OFM,Mons. Giovanni Martinelli,OFM u patri rapprezentattaŜ-Ŝewā komunitajiet,jiāifieri dik ta’ Tripli uBenghazi.NOMINA MINN MONS. ARêISQOFL-Arëisqof ta’ Malta, Mons.Pawlu Cremona, O.P.għaŜel lil MarcellinoMicallef, OFM bħalarapreŜentant fil-KunsillPresibiterali għat-tliet sninli āejjin.Mons. Arëisqofgħandu l-fakulta li jagħŜelŜewā reliājuŜi u tlietqassisin djoëesani fil-Kunsill Presbiterali.Wieħed miŜ-Ŝewā reliājuŜili għaŜel huwa FraMarcellino. Awguri.KUNGRESS NAZZJONALI TAR-RELIĀJUśIIl-Konferenza tas-Superjuri Maāāuri tar-ReliājuŜi setorganizza Kungress Nazzjonali tar-ReliājuŜi s-sena d-dieħla. Id-dati huma dawn:9 ta’ Marzu 2008 Tnedija uffiëjali tal-Kungress17 ta’ Marzu 2008 L-ewwel sessjoni14 ta’ April 2008 It-tieni sessjoni21 ta’ April 2008 It-tielet sessjoni27 ta’ April 2008 Sessjoni ta’ għeluqOn 4th October, feastday of Saint Francis, on our website was lauched a new section,dedicated to Franciscan Studies. The new section features articles and studies by NoelMuscat OFM, as well as the Franciscan Quarterly Review “Spirtu u Hajja” (Spirit andLife). In the future the section will also include other Franciscan texts and notes onFranciscan history and spirituality. The new section is a boost to the “FranciscanStudies Corner” section which has been included in our website for these last coupleof years. The site can be accessed at ofm.org.mt/noelmuscatL-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 13PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

Our Order has carried out a noteworthy process of redefining the itineraries of initial andon-going formation in recent years. Today we are aware of the steps which still have tobe taken, especially in the area of Ongoing Formation, which constitutes the greatestchallenge for a profound and lasting renewal.It was in this spirit that the General Chapter of 2003 asked the General Secretariatfor Formation and Studies to "convoke all those entrusted with Ongoing Formation toformative meetings" (LgP, proposal 7) during the six-year period. The same Chapterrequested all the Entities to "redact and put into practice an ongoing formation projectthat includes the whole existence of the person and should pay special attention to theformation of Guardians..., to the accompaniment of the Friars after their solemnprofession... [which] should span five to ten years" (LgP, proposal 32).The priority of Ongoing Formation and the difficulties of promoting it in a way thatwould be really influential in personal and fraternal life, has pushed the GeneralDefinitory into promoting an international meeting in order to ask ourselves preciselyabout these demanding topics.Marcello Ghirlando, OFM participated in this II International Congress forFormators..Piccola Familgia Francescana CongressDuring the second week of October Albert Micallef, OFM participated at the Congress ofSpiritual Assistants of the PFF (Piccola Famiglia Francescana) which was held in Brescia,Italy.The PFF is a Secular Institute in the Roman Catholic Church, the first one to beofficially recognised as such, during the pontificate of Pope Pius XII. A Secular Institute is away of Christian life in which persons consecrate themselves to God by taking the vows ofobedience, poverty and chastity, but without the obligation to live in community. Theynormally live in their own homes. The PFF had its beginning in Brescia, Italy in 1929,through the initiative of Ireneo Mazzotti OFM, who founded the first fraternity of PiccolaFamiglia sisters. The first sisters were Secular Franciscans, or Tertiaries.Nowadays it has spread far and wide and is numerous in such countries as Italy andBrasil. In Malta it was founded in the 1950’s through the initiative of Serafino Scerri, OFM.The PFF follows the Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order.L-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 14PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

EVANGELIUM OBSERVAREII International Congress for Moderators of Ongoing Formation OFMSt. Mary of the Angels, 13 th to 28 th October 2007Final MessageDear Brothers,We, the Moderatorsof Ongoing Formation, havegathered over recent daysin Assisi for our IIInternational Congress. Wecome from all the Entities ofthe Order and, from thevery beginning, had the joyof sensing the beauty of afraternity which embracesevery race, language andculture. These days, passedin a serene and joyfulclimate, have been a realprocess of OngoingFormation in which we havebeen helped to improve thequality of our fraternalrelationships, to appreciatethe importance of theCommunity Life Project forour fraternal life and tofocus our attention on theneed for continuouspersonal growth so that ourlife may be always full ofsignificance for us, for theFriars with whom we liveand for all those we meet inthe ministry we carry outdaily.It became evidentthat the identification ofsuitable keys and meanswhich would facilitate ourprogress was an urgenttask. We hope, therefore,that the new Document onOngoing Formation, theresult of what emerged,may be a useful instrumentand a valid help so that weall may bring theindications found theredown to the practical levelsof our realities.The rewriting of thisDocument, the previousedition was that of 1995,was not only motivated bythe need to take intoaccount the many thingswhich emerged from ourreflections as an Orderduring the last fifteen years,but also from ourawareness of the changes inthe historical-culturalsituation in which we liveand the need for acorresponding rethink ofour style of life.At the end of thistime, a spontaneousdesire is born withinus to give thanks forthe gift of our vocationand for the wondersthat the Lord does ineach one of us and inour fraternities.In drawing up theDocument we sought topropose a vision of nondepartmentalisedongoingformation, but rather onewhich would help to bringunity into our life. We,therefore, held that it wasimportant to integrate somefundamental areas of ourcharism, such as the spiritof prayer and devotion,fraternity, evangelisationand mission, thecommitment to justice,peace and the integrity ofcreation, dialogue,collaboration with the laity,etc., into the Document.At the beginning ofthis third stage ofpreparation for thecelebration of the VIIICentenary of the foundationof the Order, we wish toentrust this Message toyou, Brothers, to you oldermen and to you who are ill,so that you may face thisdelicate moment of yourexistence with faith and, inthis way, continue to be ourteachers of life; to youyounger Friars and you whohave undertaken the way ofFrancis, so that you mayalways keep yourenthusiasm alive and helpus to face the future withcourage; to you of a matureage, so that you may knowhow to remain always opento the challenges andchanges which life calls onus to face. We also greet theFriars who live in situationsof tension and difficulty invarious parts of the planet,thus giving witness to theGospel.We return to ourProvinces and Custodieswith a desire in our heartsto communicate all that theLord has given us to liveduring these days to you. Atthe end of this time, aspontaneous desire is bornwithin us to give thanks forthe gift of our vocation andfor the wonders that theLord does in each one of usand in our fraternities.May the Lord giveyou peace!L-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 15PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

FUNERAL TA’ MISSIERFRA ĀUśEPP DEBONONhar it-Tlieta, 30 ta’ Novembru 2007 sar ilfuneraltas-Sur Salvu Debono, missier ħunaFra ĀuŜepp, fil-knisja Arëipretali ta’Għajnsielem.Huwa miet fl-isptar Āenerali ta’Għawdex, fl-eta’ ta’ 80 sena. Kemm il-Ministru Provinëjal Paul Galea, OFM udiversi patrijiet tal-provinëja ħadu sehem fl-Ewkaristija tal-funeral.Agħtih, O Mulej, il-mistrieħ ta’ dejjem.KALENDARJUMISSJUNARJUIs-Segretarjat għall-Missjonijiet għadukif ippublika l-Kalendarju Missjunarjugħas-sena 2008. Din id-darba āieddedikat għall-missjoni tagħna āewwaLondra. Ħidma li Stephen Sciberras,OFM u Charles Diacono, OFM qed iwettqumal-morda li jitilgħu minn Malta ul-familjari taghħom. Min jixtieq kopjajista’ jikkuntattja lil Lorrie Zerafa, OFMjew jikteb lis-Segretarjat. E-mail: missions@ofm.org.mtĦUTNA L-MORDAIl-kundizzjoni ta’ saħħet Tony Briffa, OFMmarret ‘il quddiem, wara li sofra minn attakktal-qalb. Wara jiem ta’ mistrieħ għand ilfamiljaritiegħu huwa rritorna fil-kunvent ta’tas-Sliema.Mr. Lino Muscat, missier Noel Muscat, OFMjinsab għall-kura fl-isptar San Luqa. F’dawnil-jiem, Noel āie Malta għal ftit āimgħat.Nitolbu għalihom.Tifkirata’ ħutna litelqu qabilnau qed jistrieħufis-sliemIs-Sibt24 ta’ Novembru 200710.30 a.m.Kappella tal-Provinëjafië-êimiterju MarijaAddolorataL-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 16PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

25th AnniversaryTel: 21459640Email : edtau@ofm.org.mtWebsite : http://ofm.org.mtThe Franciscan Order celebratedthe 800 anniversaryof the birth of Saint Francisof Assisi in 1982. For thatoccasion the Friars Minorin Malta took care to introducevarious initiativesaimed at giving a newthrust to the Franciscanpresence and witness in theMaltese islands, on a moreprofessional basis. Suchinitiatives had the aim tocontinue the praiseworthyand more traditional effortsof the Maltese Franciscansin past decades. Amongthe new initiatives born inthe years 1982-1984 onecould mention the FranciscanVisits to parishes(«śjara Franāiskana»),which started on 1 April1984 in the fishing villageof Marsaxlokk, and the«Servizz Nisimgħek» telephonecounselling service,introduced on 1 May 1984.These apostolatescontinued to flourish, exceptfor the telephone counsellingservice which had tobe abandoned after someyears because of lack ofpersonnel. The most innovativeamong the initiativesintroduced in 1982, however,was the establishmentof a publishing house of theMaltese Franciscan OFMProvince.It was Fr. RaymondCamilleri OFM who, on 4October 1982, officially inauguratedthe TAU Edition(«Edizzjoni TAU»). His ideawas that of helping MalteseFranciscans to publishtheir works in the fields ofbiblical studies, historicalresearch and literature.The Maltese Franciscanshad already someprominent figures in thesefields in the local scene,such as Fr. Marjanu VellaOFM, a well-known poet.From that moment theMaltese Franciscan Provincehad a unique opportunityto dedicate its energiesin a more professional wayin favour of the apostolateof the printed word, in atime when printing was stillthe most prominent meansof information and formation,before the onset ofcontemporary mass-mediain the fields of digital andelectronic information.The aims of EdizzjoniTAU were explained at thevery beginning during ameeting of the editorialboard, chaired by Fr. RaymondCamilleri, on 24 November1983. EdizzjoniTAU had to be a publishinghouse of the Maltese FranciscanProvince, specializingmainly in two kinds ofpublications, namely biblicalpublications regardingthe Franciscan presence inthe Holy Land, and publicationsin Franciscan spiritualityand culture, with theaim of providing materialfor the ongoing formation ofFranciscan friars, sistersand seculars.From the very beginning,Edizzjoni TAU tookcare to continue the publicationof the only biblicalreview in Maltese at thattime, which was known bythe name «Leħen l-Art Imqaddsa»(Voice of the HolyLand), and which had beenfirst published in1955. The same reviewcontinued to be publishedin a new format, with thenew title «L-Art Imqaddsa»(The Holy Land), in collaborationwith the FranciscanCommissariat of theHoly Land in Malta.In the field of Franciscanstudies, Edizzjoni TAUintroduced a new quarterlyreview of Franciscan culture,called «Spirtu uĦajja» (Spirit and Life) inApril 1986.The directors ofEdizzjoni TAU during theselast 25 years have been Fr.Raymond Camilleri (1984-1997), Fr. George Bugeja(1997-2005), and Fr. JosephMagro (since 2005).L-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 17PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

Ministru Provinëjal ĀdidAwguri lil ĦunaSamwel Chetcuti, OFMConv.Prot. No. 200704\64Fra Samwel Chetcuti, OFMConv.Ministru Provin/jalKunvent San Fran;iskTriq ir-RepubblikaValletta.4 ta’ Ottubru 2007G[a]i] {ija f’San Fran;isk,Il-Mulej jag[tik is-sliem!F’isem l-A[wa kollha tal-Provin/ja ta’ San Pawl Appostlu(Patrijiet Minuri), nixtieq nifra[lek mill-qalb g[al g[a]la tieg[ekb[ala Ministru Provin/jal. Sinjal tal-fidu/ja li l-Mulej g[andu fik,kif ukoll ta’ l-A[wa tal-provin/ja tieg[ek.“Intom ilkoll A[wa” (RnB 22,33). Il-ministeru li huwa afdat f’idejna, it-tnejn li a[na, m’g[andux inessina l-prin/ipju fundamentali ta’ l-identita’ tag[na. L-a[wa kollha, bil-professjoni, humaugwali, bl-istess drittijiet u bl-istess obbligi. Dan is-servizz, li [afna drabi isir fis-skiet, jitlobminna ;enero]ita’ kontinwa lejn l-A[wa. Dan il-ministeru, li ili naqdi g[al dawn l-a[[ar [ames snin,g[allimni li l-awtorita’ titlob minna li nisimg[u u nobdu dejjem l-Evan;elju. G[alhekk il-programmta’ tmexxija mhux li nag[mlu r-rieda tag[na, jew li nimplimentaw l-ideat tag[na, imma li nisimg[u,flimkien mal-Knisja kollha, g[all-kelma u r-rieda tal-Mulej, u mmexxija minnu.{ija Samwel, ;ejt fdat b’missjoni li kif taf int, mhix fa/li. I]da bl-g[ajnuna tal-Mulej lidejjem issostnik, ]gur li se taqdi l-missjoni li tibni l-fraternita’ “li tkun b[ala familja mag[quda fiKristu” (Ecclesiae Sanctae II, 25), fejn qabel kollox Alla ji;i mfittex u ma[bub. }gur li l-mixjatieg[ek tal-[ajja konsagrata, kif ukoll l-esperjenza vasta u hekk rikka tas-sa/erdozju ministerjali,kemm Malta u fl-artijiet tal-missjoni, jg[inuk sabiex tisma’ bil-qalb l-opinjonijiet ta’ kull wie[edmill-A[wa u t[e;;i;hom juru fehma wa[da.Il-[ajja hija sabi[a aktar milli forsi nimmaginaw, i]da wkoll taf toffrilna sorpriŜi li lanqasbiss no[olmu. Irridu nkunu m[ejjija biex na//ettaw il-[wejje; sbie[, kif ukoll niffa//jaw il-;rajjietli ma nistennewx.Jalla nkomplu nkunu [addiema [awtiela fil-g[alqa tad-dwieli tal-Mulej, u li Hu l-g[ajn talfrottli na[sdu. Jalla nobdu l-Kelma, u nobdu l-Ispirtu qabel kollox. Jalla n;orru dan is-salib li ;ejnamg[obbija bih u li t-tbatija hija kumpanija ne/essarja biex nanimaw il-fraternita’ tag[na. Jalla nkunustrumenti ta’ ;ustizzja, pa/i u rikon/iljazzjoni fil-fraternitajiet lokali u dik provin/jali. Jalla dejjeminsa[[u t-team work u li na[dmu b’vizzjoni. Jalla l-A[wa jg[inuk bil-qalb kollha f’dan l-impenn, lifuq spallejk ;ie mqieg[ed piŜ itqal, billi juruk bil-miftuh kif ja[sbuha, u fi spirtu ta’ fidi u bil-qalb ittajba.Nemmen li t-talb personali huwa tant me[tie; biex ma nispi//awx amministraturi. Inweg[dekil-kollaborazzjoni kollha tieg[i biex na[dmu flimkien [alli l-valuri fran;iskani jinxterdu aktar fil-;]ejjer Maltin. Marija Immakulata tigwidana u tg[inna nkunu wkoll ‘ommijiet’ fil-provin/ji tag[na.Pa/i u ;id!Fra Paul Galea, OFMMinistru Provin/jalL-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 18PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

Nitħejjew għall-Kapitlu Provinëjali 2008SEMINARPorziuncolaRetreat House,Baħar ië-êagħaq15-16-17ta’ Novembru 20079.00 am - 12.30 pm Fr. Fabio Attard, SDBIl-Ħamis Il-ĀimgħaIs-SibtGalea BenjaminAquilina CamillusSchranz JohnMeilak Peter PaulCamilleri SebastianAzzopardi ArthurSchembri GuidoVella AnthonyTonna IvoSant BernardinoMintoff DionysiusMicallef JohnMicallef GodfreyGalea CherubimVella JosephTabone AlfredTonna CharlesEllul Vincenti NorbertSciberras AlfredEnriquez MarkSciortino JustinAquilina GeorgeCamilleri JosephPace EdwardAzzopardi JohnCachia Adrian JosephCamilleri RaymondGalea PaulMicallef AlbertCaruana JosephBorg AlexanderDebono JosephSammut JulianMicallef MarcellinoFarrugia ChristopherBriffa AnthonyChircop AnthonyBugeja GeorgeGrech Richard StanleyScicluna RaymondAttard PaulGrech CharlesGhirlando MarcelloColeiro MartinMagro StephenCiantar MarkCiantar LeonardFarrugia AntonFarrugia PierreZerafa LoretoMagro JosephFarrugia AntonZerafa LoretoMagro JosephCiappara JosephVassallo WalterKull āurnata grupp differenti. Imxejna skond l-eta’,barra dawk li jgħallmu fl-iskejjel.L-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 19PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

ĀuŜepp Beneditt Xuereb, OFM1. DatiData tat-twelid: 01.07.1935, Għargħur.Āenituri: Wistin Xuereb u Carmela nee’ Azzopardi.Vestizzjoni: 30 ta’ Settembru, 1951.Professjoni Sempliëi: 02 ta’ Ottubru, 1952.Professjoni Solenni: 12 ta’ Awwissu, 1956.Ordinazzjoni Saëerdotali: East Bergholt, Essex, fl-Ingilterra, 12 ta’ Marzu,1960.Titli: Dottorat fit-Teoloāija, speëjalizzazzjoni Teoloāija Morali.2. Studji.Skola primarja f’Ħal-Għargħur u Naxxar.Skola sekondarja fil-Kulleāā ta’ St. Albert the Great, il-Belt Valletta. Wara n-Novizzjatfil-kunvent ta’ S. Antnin, Għawdex, u kompla l-istudji tal-letteratura u l-filosofija filkunventtal-Belt Valletta.L-istudju tat-Teoloāija għamlu fi ħdan il-Provinëja Franāiskana fl-Ingilterra (1956-1960).Wara l-Ordinazzjoni, għal sena għallem ir-Reli[jon u l-Malti fil-Lyceum, il-Hamrun.F’Settermbru 1961 mar jistudja t-teoloāija morali fil-Pontificio Ateneo Antonianum,Ruma. Spiëëa l-kors bid-difiŜa tat-TeŜi dottorali, f’Novembru, 1964. Suāāett: Il-Tqarbin ta’ Spiss.Wara li spiëëa minn Ministru Provinëjal għamel sena studju fil-Franciscan Study Centre,Canterbury, l-Ingilterra. Ħa Diploma fl-Istudji Franāiskani li jorganizza dan iëêentru.Tagħlim: Beda jgħallem l-istudenti tat-teoloāija fil-kunvent tal-Belt. Imbagħad komplafl-INSERM. Inħatar ukoll Viëi Rettur tiegħu.3. Xogħolijiet ta’ kitba.- Ktejjeb bit-titlu, Regola u Ħajja (1983).- Flimkien ma’ P. Marjan Vella OFM, qaleb il-Kitbiet ta’ San Franāisk (l-ewwel edizjoni1975). Fit-tieni edizzjoni Ŝdiedu wkoll il-kitbiet ta’ S. Klara (1986).Xogħol ta’ traduzzjoni bil-Malti.- Ħafna lezzjonijiet fil-Proprju Franāiskan (1980)- Klara ta’ Assisi, Għejun Medjevali dwar ħajjitha (Il-Leāāenda u l-Proëess tal-Kanonizzazzjoni - 1993).- Il-Fjuretti ta’ San Franāisk ta’ Assisi (1990).Il-Legenda Maior, Lignum Vitae u Itinerarium mentis in Deum, ta’ San Bonaventura(1998)- Fil-ktieb, “Min kien S. Antnin ta’ Padova”, kiteb l-artiklu Leāāendi medjevali dwar il-ħajjata’ S. Antnin (1995).- Franāisku, il-Mixja u l-Ħolma,ta’ Murray Bodo, The Journey and the Dream (1999).- Traduzzjoni tal-Kostituzzjonijiet Āenerali u l-Istatuti Āenerali ta’ l-Ordni (1998).- Ma’ diversi patrijiet, Il-Fonti ghall-Hajja ta’ San Frangisk (2005)ikompli paāna 22L-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 20PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

MESSAĀĀMILL-MINISTRU PROVINêJALPaci u Gid minn Sarajevo, lilkom ilkollmigbura biex taghtu l-ahhar tislima lilHuna P. Guzepp Beneditt Xuereb ofm.Maghkom nixtieq inrodd hajr lil Alla ghaddon kbir li tana fil-persuna ta' huna P.Guzepp Beneditt. Verament kien don ghalKnisja f'Malta, ghal Ordni Frangiskan,ghall-Familja tieghu, ghal Parrocca ta'rahal twelidu, ghal kull Kunvent fejnkien, ghal dawk li ghallem b'tant zelu, ughal kull min kien ifittex l-ghajnunatieghu.Ghandna ghax naghmlu kuragg ghaxHuna P. Guzepp Beneditt ma marx iduvojta quddiem il-Mulej. Veramentghandna ghax inroddu hajr lil Alla lighadu jaghtina dawn l-ezempji ta'sacerdoti bi spirtu veru frangiskan.Gheziez P. Guzepp Beneditt, f'isem il-Provincja nghidlek grazzi ta' kollox.B'qalbi maqsuma ikolli mbierkek unsellimlek minn art tant ‘il boghod. Immala ohtna l-mewt ghogobha issejjahlekf'dawn il-granet li jiena ninsab f'Sarajevo,nghidlek biex bil-kuragg kollu mur iltaqa'ma Dak li tant emmint fih u li tantxandart bil-kelma hajja tieghek.F'isem l-ahwa kollha fi hdan il-Provincja,nirringrazzja lill-familjari, id-Dar tal-Kleru, it-tobba, lil dawk kollha li kienuta' ghajnuna u farag tul dawn l-ahharxhur u lilkom ilkoll li ghogobkomtinghaqdu maghna ghal din iccelebrazzjoniEwkaristika.Mieghi jinghaqdu wkoll il-MinistruGeneral u l-Provincjali kollha ta' l-Ewropali jinsabu hawn Sarajevo.Niehu l-okkazjoni biex inwassal l-apprezzament ta' Hutna l-Frangiskani tal-Bosnia-Hersegovina meta ghal zewgt' isjuf fiz-zmien l-ahhar glied li kellhom,ilqajna fostna l-istudenti taghhom.Il-Mulej jaghtikom is-sliem.P. Pawl Galea, OFML-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 21PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

MESSAĀĀ MINN MONS.ROBERT CAMILLERI, OFMGhaziz Patri Marcellino,Il-Mulej jaghtik is-sliem!L-ahbar tal-mewt ta' Patri GuzeppBeneditt konna qed nistennewha u filkorrispondenzatieghu kien jghid li ilhafnatalb li ghamilna ghalih kien jaghtihil-kuragg u l-paci ghalkemm kien qed ibatimill-marda tieghu.Nixtieq ninghaqad mal-patrijiet tal-Provincja f'dan il-mument ta' niket immafl-istess hin ta' tama u ta' ferh nisranighax nafu li Patri Guzepp Beneditt jinsabfi hdan Alla u ghandna intercessur iehorfis-sema! Kien ghalina huna ghaziz,missier twajjeb, mghallem u ragel t'Alla.Hallilna hafna tifkiriet sbieh fi kliemu uf'ghemilu.Illum stess nibda xahar quddies ghalruhu. Hu, jitlob ghalina llkoll.Nibghat inselli ghalik, ghal PatriPawl, Provincjal u ghall-ahwa kollha! Jallal-hajja ezemplari ta' dan huna f'SanFrangisk tnissel fina lkoll ix-xewqa talghaqdam'Alla f'din il-hajja u fil-hajja ta'dejjem.+ Mons Robert Camilleri, OFM.Isqof ta’ Tegucigalpa - HondurasP.S. Inkun spiritwalment prezentimaghkom fil-quddiesa tal-funeral tieghu.MESSAĀĀ MINN MONS.GIOVANNI MARTINELLI, OFMPartecipo al dolore della Provincia per laperdita di P.Giuseppe Benedetto di cui hoapprezzato lo zelo apostolico e la suaamabile fraternita'...Sono uno con voinell'Eucaristia!+ Mons. Giovanni Martinelli ofmIsqof ta’ Tripli.ikompli minn paāna 20- Il-Fonti għall-Hajja ta’ Sant’Antin:volum li hadem fuqu għal dawn l-aħħarsena u nofs flimkien ma’ patrijiet oħra ujinsab għall-istampa.4. Uffiëëji.- Surmast ta’ l-Istudenti fil-kunvent tar-Rabat: 1964-1970; 1973-1976; 1979-1982.- Kummissarju Nazzjonali tat-Terz’OrdniFranāiskan, 1970-1973.- Definitur Provinëjali: 1976-1985; 1999-2002.- Gwardjan: Belt Valletta, 1976-1979 uRabat, 1982-1985.- Ministru Provinëjal: 1985-1990. Ħasehem fil-Kunsill Plenarju ta’ l-Ordni li sarf’Bangalore, Indja, bħala rappreŜentant tas-SubKonferenza tal-Lingwa IngliŜa.- Kappillan: 1999-2002- Diversi drabi Direttur Spiritwali tal-Leājun ta’ Marija.- Ministeru Pastorali: qrar, predikazzjoni,konferenzi, irtiri (saëerdoti, reliājuŜi u lajëi),direzzjoni spiritwali ecc.5. Ħidmiet barra l-Provinëja.- Fi Djar taħt id-dipendenza tal-MinistruĀeneral:- Gwardjan fil-Kulleāā ta’ S. Bonaventura,Grottaferrata, Ruma: 1992-1993.- Segretarju Āenerali tal-Pontificio AteneoAntonianum, Ruma, 1993-1999.Din is-sena huwa baqa’ jagħti s-servizz bħala AssistantSpiritwali ta’ l-O.F.S., fil-fraternitajiet tal-Ħamrun u r-Rabat, kif ukoll viëi Mastru u l-pastorali tal-familja.DAR TAL-KLERUSe tiāi ëëelebrata quddiesa għalruh ħuna ĀuŜepp Beneditt Xuereb,OFM, nhar it-Tnejn, 12 ta’Novembru 2007, fl-4.30 pm.FAMILJA FRANĀISKANA KOLLHAfestafranāiskanafl-okkazjoni tal-Qaddisin Franāiskani, nhar il-Ħamis,29 ta’ Novembru 2007. Post: CAK, B’Kara, fis-6.00 pm.Mistieden Mons. Arëisqof Pawlu Cremona, O.P.L-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 22PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

Omelija tal-funeral ta’ ĀuŜepp Beneditt Xuereb, OFMĦabbejt il-kariŜmafranāiskanaMarcellino Micallef, OFMIl-mewt mhix bhal meta titfi d-dawl u jigi d-dlam, imma bhal meta twarrab il-musbiehghax tkun telghet ix-xemx. Dawn kienu l-ewwel kelmiet li bihom beda l-omelija tieghuP. ĀuŜepp Beneditt, OFM hawn, minn fuq dan l-artal tal-Kelma, fil-funeral ta’ ohti, issenali ghaddiet.Ir-realta’ tal-mewt hija realta’ iebsa: hija mument serjissmu, ghax fl-istess hinilaqqaghna mal-Mulej; hija mument tal-verita’, imma anke passagg, it-transitu taghnaminn din id-dinja ghal ghand il-Missier. Ohtna l-mewt, kif kien jindirizzha MissiernaSan Frangisk (il-Kantiku tal-Hlejjaq), mhix qawwa li teqred, imma mezz li jaghti l-hajja.P. ĀuŜepp Beneditt ghazel li f’hajtu jistrieh fuq l-imhabba u fuq il-grazzja ta’ Alla.L-esperjenza ta’ l-Appostlu Pawlu kienet tieghu wkoll: “Gesu Kristu habb lili.” GhalihGesu’ Kristu hu dejjem il-Protagonist. Kien jgħidli: jekk ma nimxix wara Gesu’ Kristu,wara min? U jekk ma jimlilniex qalbna Hu, min jista’ jimlielna jew jabbastana? BhalSan Frangisk kien konvint li Alla biss jimla kull rokna ta’ qalbu. Li s-salvazzjonitaghna ma tiddependix minn xi formola jew ideologija, imma minn Persuna hajja –Gesu’ Kristu Rxoxt – haj u jinsab fostna hawn, illum, issa u dejjem, u li jassigurana:“Jiena maghkom.”Gesu’ sejjahlu ghall-Hajja Konsagrata u ghas-Sacerdozju Ministerjali: Hu kien ilkunsilliertieghu; Hu kien il-pedament li fuqu bena hajtu; Hu l-mudell li mexa fuqu filhajja;Hu l-uniku mghallem, il-mexxej, u t-triq li minna mexa.L-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 23PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

F’dawn it-23 sena li ili sacerdot hdimt spalla ma ‘ spalla mieghu. U kellnahbiberija sabiha fil-Mulej. It-talba komuni li dejjem smajt minn fommu kienet: “Mulejkattar/sahhah fija l-fidi.” Qatt ma hadha for granted: kien jitlobha f’kull quddiesa,waqt il-konsagrazzjoni. Il-fidi, kien jghidli, mhix xi haga passiva, tiksibha darba udaqshekk, imma trid tmantniha, tkabbarha, tippurifika u thalliha timpenjak: fidigenwina: bhaz-“zerriegha tal-mustarda”, li ghalkemm zghira, ghandha fiha l-qawwa lissir sigra; fidi ta’ kwalita’, tixbah lis-sigra tat-tut: ghandha gheruq fil-fond, li hadd majkun kapaci jaqlaghha.Huna kien ihaffer fil-fond dejjem izjed u jibni fuq katekezi serja u sistematikamibnija fuq il-Kelma ta’ Alla - Lectio Divina: mixja ta’ qari mimli talb tal-kelma. Kienihalli lill-Mulej imiss il-kordi ta’ qalbu. Ressaq widnejn qalbu u obda l-lehen ta’ Alla...il-progett ta’ Alla ghalih. Hares b’qalbu lejn il-kmandamenti u wettaq mill-ahjar l-parirtieghu. Fix-Xandir tal-Vangelu kien iwasslu fir-radikalita’ kollha tieghu, minghajr mahalla barra l-esigenzi li fih: minghajr ma ccensurah. Dejjem, kien itennieli, wassalmessagg ta’ tama, “tat-tama li ma tqarraqx bina.”Is-Sagramenti, speëjalment ta’ l-Ewkaristija u tal-Mahfra, kien jiëëelebrahombid-dinjita’, attent u b’devozzjoni. Jaghti wkoll mportanza lis-Sagrament tal-Mahfra, l-ewwel rigal ta’ Kristu Rxoxt. Permezz ta’ dan is-Sagrament kien jghin lin-nisrani ihobbaktar lill-Mulej u ghall-imhabbtu ninhabbu bejnietna. Kien verament strument ta’ paciu rikonciljazzjoni. Kien jghidli kemm huwa mportanti li ahna s-sacerdoti mhux bissinqarru, imma nqerru wkoll.Kien haddiem hawtiel fil-ghalqa tad-dwieli tal-Mulej. Full timer: mhux impjegatimma mpenjat. Ghallem ir-Religjon u l-Malti, il-Liceo tal-Hamrun, sakemm marjispecjalizza Ruma, fit-teologija Morali. Diversi drabi Direttur Spiritwali tal-Legjun ta’Marija, membru fil-Kunsill Presibiterali. Ta’ konferenzi (sacerdoti, religjuzi u lil-lajci),irtiri, priedtki, ezercizzi spiritwali, direzzjoni spiritwali. Imbotta kemm felah,specjalment meta kien vici Rettur INSERM. Ghallem lil hafna minna r-religjuzi. Kienukoll kappillan tal-Parrocca tal-Madonna tas-Sacro Cour, tas-Sliema: “Alla hu l-kappillan tad-dinja”, imma iddecieda li jwassal lill-bnedmin ghas-sema permezz taghnas-sacerdoti, qaddejja tieghu u ta’ hutna”. Surmast ta’ l-istudenti ghal 12-il sena.Gwardjan fil-kunventi tal-Belt u tar-Rabat. Definitur u Ministru Provincjal—ministeruli ma kienx facliWettaq diversi xogholijiet ta’ traduzzjoni bil-Malti… lista shiha ta’ kotba littraduca, fosthom ma’ patrijiet ohra: il-Fonti ghall-Hajja ta’ San Frangisk, aktar minn1,200 pagna. Kif ukoll il-Fonti ghall-Hajja ta’ Sant’Antin: volum li hadem fuqu ghaldawn l-ahhar sena u nofs… anke f’dawn l-ahhar xhur u issa lest biex imur ghallistampa.Mas-Salmista kien jghid u jitlob: “Nigbor fi flixken id-dmugh tieghi.” Mhux bisstal-mumenti iebsa, ta’ tbatija, ta’ sagrificcji mhux zghar, ta’ qtigh il-qalb, ta’ metathossok wahdek, isolat: ghaliex anke ahna r-religjuzi u s-sacerdoti, bhalkom gheziezħuti, nghaddu mill-istaguni kollha tal-hajja. Imma anke tal-mumenti sbieh, li makienux skarsi… insemmi biss 3!- Wara li temm il-ministeru ta’ Provincjal, ta’ 55 sena, mar sena studju fil-Franciscan Study Centre, Canterbury, l-Ingilterra. “Zgur ta’ siwi kbir ghalija kienet issenasabbatika... tghallimt u fhimt ahjar min kien San Frangisk u l-karizma tieghu.”Dejjem aggornat u dejjem ippreparat.- Meta s-sena li ghaddiet b’sorpriza ghalih kellu opportunita’ ikellem wiccimb’wicc lill-Qdusija T. Papa Benedittu XVI.- Esperjenza qawwija f’hajtu, meta f’Hamis ix-Xirka ta’ xi 10 snin ilu, flimkienma’ 11 sacerdot, il-Papa Gwanni Pawlu II hassillu riglejh u bieshomlu.Bhal lum gimgha stajt naghmel l-isbah meditazzjoni fuq il-vjagg tal-hajja...Cemplitli s-Sister (li wetqet mieghu servizz straordinarju)... ikun ahjar illum tagħmillul-aħħar sagrament milli għada l-Hadd... Iccelebrajna flimkien l-Ewkaristija uamministrajtlu l-ahhar dilka - is-sagrament tal-Grizma. Imbaghad mort niccelebrasagrament iehor, il-maghmudija tan-neputi! Il-meditazzjoni li rriflettejt hija li l-hajja hidon tal-Mulej: huwa li jaghti l-hajja, u Huwa jerga’ jehodha. Bejn dak it-twelid u dik il-L-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 24PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

mewt, f’hajjitna jkollna ngarrbu bosta esperjenzi ta’ twelid u mewt. Lil Nikodemu,Gesu’ qallu: “Jekk wiehed ma jitwieledx mill-gdid, ma jidholx fis-Saltna ta’ Alla.” Filwaqtli, lid-dixxipli tieghu, l-istess Gesu’ qalilhom: “Jekk il-habba tal-qamh ma tmutx, matistax taghti frott” Forsi ahna bhalhom imdarsin illum, ghaliex nammettu l-mewt fuqhaddiehor, izda mhux fuqna!.Huna P. Āuzepp Beneditt issa ghadda mill-mewt ghat-twelid tal-hajja ta’ dejjem.Kif ghadda dan il-lejl, bis-swidija u l-kruha tieghu. Dalghodu sebah jum ahjar, li tanahajja gdida bid-dija tieghu. Sebah ghalih futur ahjar u li ma jintemm qatt, qatt! L-istess kif iccelebrajna fil-knejjes frangiskani fid-dinja kollha t-transitu ta’ Misserna…nhar l-Erbgha tal-gimgha li ghaddiet.Ktieb li qrajt xi snin ilu: The gift of peace. Miktub minn Joseph Bernardin,Kardinal ta’ Chicago ftit qabel ma’ miet. Kitbu wara li daq jew ahjar dewquh l-Getsemani; l-esperjenza tal-Gnien taz-Zebbug. F’pagna 99, il-Kardinal jghid li wara l-operazzjoni tal-kancer u l-kimo therapy, la kellu x-xewqa u l-anqas is-sahha biex jitlobu qal lill-hbieb tieghu: “Kunu zguri li titolbu meta intom f’sahhitkom ghaliex meta intitkun marid probabilment ma tkunx tista’ titlob.” P. Āuzepp Beneditt gabarna hawndalghodu biex jghidilna hbieb: « Kunu zguri li titolbu… » Fl-istess qed jerga’ ifakkarnafil-kelma ta’ Gesu li ghadna kemm smajna fil-Vangelu “Zommu genbejkom imhazzmin ul-imsiebah taghkom mixghula... kunu intom ukoll imhejjija.”Huna ken imhejji, ippreparat. Inghaqad mal-Mulej nhar il-Hamis, propju fil-festatal-Beatu Papa Gwanni XXII – tifkira ghaziza ghalina l-frangiskani. Dakinhariccelebrajna t-tnejn flimkien il-quddiesa fil-kamra. Il-Vangelu kien “Itolbu ujinghatalkom... ghax min jitlob jaqla’.” Tlabna ghar-rigal ta’ l-eternita’. Kellu devozzjoniu mhabba kbira lejn dan il-Papa... kemm kien jikkwotah. Lilna li ghallimna kienjghidilna lspiss il-frazi tal-Papa Gwanni: “Il-bagalji lesti”. L-agunija tieghu kienetesperjenza qawwija ghalija u nahseb anke ghal dawk li konna madwaru, P. Martin, ilgwardjantieghu u ghas-sorijiet. Esperjenza ta’ Alla tal-konsolazzjonijiet u mhux ilkonsolazzjonijietta’ Alla. Matul il-marda tieghu li jghidli ta’ spiss, meta zzur lill-morda,tistaqsix lil marid kif int, imma ghidilu fiducja.P. Guzepp Beneditt investa f’hajtu fid-dimensjoni umana, spiritwali, frangiskanau ntelletwali. Kien uman ukoll, bhalna lkoll u ghalhekk kellu n-nuqqasijiet tieghubhalma ghandna lkoll kemm ahna. Ghalhekk qed nitolbu ghalih u naghtuh kelmadalghodu li nibqghu nitolbu ghalih. Ghax bhal San Filippu Neri kien jghid: “Gesu’ huhsieb lil Guzepp Beneditt, ghax Guzepp Beneditt jaghmilielek”.Lill-erba’ hutu u l-mara ta’ huh u l-familji taghhom, fosthom 25 neputi u proneputijiet. Naghmlu kuragg u nerfghu qlubna ‘l fuq.Il-Liturgija tal-Kelma, il-lejla u ghada nigborha f’kelma wahda: gratitudni.Nemmen li l-gratitudni hija l-muzika tal-qalb.Grazzi P. Guzepp Beneditt :- Habbejt u ghallimtna nhobbu lill-Provincja bil-kliem u isbah bil-fatti.- Habbejt il-karizma frangiskana.- Qdejt lill-Ordni b’mod generuz: Grotta Ferrata u Segretarju ta’ l-Universita’Pontificja l-Antonianum, Ruma.- Sa l-ahhar inghatajt ghall-kura pastorali tal-familja u lill-Frangiskani Sekulari- Xerqitlek it-tonka frangiskana.- Ahfrilna!- Itlob ghalina ghall-Provincja, ghall-Knisja, ghal tant nies li habbewk u l-prezenza taghhom hawn hija xhieda ta’ dan.Prosit Mulej!Gejna hawnhekk mhux biex nilmentaw mieghek,imma biex nirringrazzjawk li tajtulna ghal 71 sena:fosthom 56 sena religjuz frangiskan, 47 sena sacerdot,u mieghu tajtna tant gid u tant barka.Aghtih, O Mulej, il-mistireh ta’ dejjem.L-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 25PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

kompli minn paāna 11f Brother Son and SisterMoon, with its praise of"Sister Water," "useful,humble, precious andchaste," which might havebeen written with Clare inmind.Instead of looking ateach other, Clare and Francislooked in the same direction,and we know what"direction" that was in theircase. Clare and Franciswere like two eyes alwayslooking in the same direction.Two eyes are not justtwo eyes, I mean, not justone eye repeated. Neither ofthe two eyes is just an extraor a spare eye. Two eyeslooking at an object fromdifferent angles give depthand relief to the object, enablingus to enfold it in ourgaze. That is how it was forClare and Francis.They looked at thesame God, the same LordJesus, the same crucifiedone, the same Eucharist,but from different "angles,"each with their own giftsand the sensitivity proper toa man and a woman: masculineand feminine. Together,they understoodmore than two Francises ortwo Clares could have done.Recently, a good televisionfilm was made, called"Francis and Clare," producedby Fabrizio Costa. Itwill run on Channel 1 ofItalian Television (RAI Uno)on Oct. 6 and 7, and willsoon be seen on Englishlanguagetelevision, as itwas originally shot in English.Better than FrancoZeffirelli's "Brother Sun andSister Moon," it manages toavoid the romantic charmof a human love story.In the past there wasoften a tendency to presentthe personality of Clare astoo subordinate to that ofFrancis, exactly like a"sister Moon" who lives inthe reflected light of"brother Sun." The latestexample of this is John M.Sweeney's study "Light inthe Dark Age: the Friendshipof Francis and Clare ofAssisi."All the more praiseworthy,then, the fact thatthe authors of this televisionfiction have chosen topresent Francis and Clareas two parallel lives, interweavingand unfolding synchronically,with equalspace given to the one andthe other. This has neverbeen done in this form before,and it echoes the sensitivitiesof today and contemporaryefforts to highlightthe important presenceof women in history.But in this case, it is not amatter of ideological spin,but a portrayal of reality.Watching the previewof the film "Francis andClare," what struck memost was the symbolicopening scene. Francis iswalking through a meadowand Clare follows him, almostplayfully putting herfeet in the footsteps left byFrancis. He, asks her: "Areyou following in my footsteps?"She replies brightly:"No, much deeper ones."Ftit tal-ħin ilu sirt naf li l-Mulej sejjaħ għal għandu lil ħuna Patri ĀuŜepp BenedittXuereb, OFM. Proprju f'dawn il-āranet qiegħed naħdem fl-indiëi li bih se nikkonkludix-xogħol fuq il-Fonti għall-Ħajja ta' Sant'Antnin, volum li ilna naħdmu fuqu jiena uPatri ĀuŜepp Beneditt għal dawn l-aħħar sena u nofs, u li issa hu lest biex naħsbuħalli nistampawh. Patri ĀuŜepp Beneditt ma kellux ix-xorti jarah lest, imma komplajaħdem fih sa l-aħħar, ukoll meta kien jaf bil-marda terminali li kellu.Lil Patri ĀuŜepp Beneditt nibqa' napprezzah bħala patri li ħabb il-Provinëja, liħabb il-kariŜma Franāiskan, li qeda l-Ordni b'mod āeneruŜ, u li sa l-aħħar ingħatagħall-kura pastorali tal-Franāiskani Sekulari, li tagħhom kien Assistent. It-tluq tiegħuse jħalli vojt fil-Provinëja. Dan hu mument li fih, filwaqt li nitħasseb dwar il-futurtagħna, inħoss li għandi nkabbar il-fiducja li l-Mulej, li ħadilna minn magħna patrijietvalidi, mhux se jħallina waħedna.Jalla nkomplu fuq il-passi ta' Patri ĀuŜepp Beneditt u ta' ħutna patrijiet oħrajnli, minkejja d-difetti umani li ëertament kellhom u li l-Mulej jaħfirhom fil-ħnienatiegħu, kienu persuni li xerqitilhom it-tonka Franāiskana li libsu bil-fedeltà sa tmiemħajjithom.Ningħaqad miegħek u ma' l-aħwa kollha fin-niket tagħna u fit-talb għal ħuna PatriĀuŜepp Beneditt.Il-Mulej jagħtik is-sliem,Noel Muscat, OFML-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 26PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

Imsiebaħ li jidduP. Franāisk Saverju Cauchi, OFMKan. John CiarlòPatri Franāisk SaverjuCauchi magħuf għall-ħidmamissjunarja tiegħu fië-êina,twieled il-Belt Victoria,Għawdex, fit-22 ta’ Ottubruta’ l-1905. Meta kiberhuwa ħass is-sejħa għallħajjareliājuŜa u ta’ 18-ilsena daħal mal-PatrijietFranāiskani (Minuri). Warali għamel l-ewwel studjitiegħu f’Malta, intbagħatjistudja t-teoloāija fit-Toscana fl-Italja fejn āieordnat saëerdot fil-21 ta’Āunju ta’ l-1931 fl-età ta’26 sena.Ftit wara li āie ordnatsaëerdot, huwa marmissjunarju fië-êina.Huwa kellu jagħmel vjaāāta’ 32 āurnata bil-baħar saShanghai u minn hemmdam sejjer fuq trakk għalltlitt ijiem sħaħ u jumejnmixi sa ma wasal filmissjonifid-distrett ta’ Lun-Shan-Huo. F’dan il-posthuwa sab 219 insara li kienilhom snin sħaħ bla majaraw saëerdot. Huwa millewweltgħallem ië-êiniŜ, l-aktar bil-għajnuna tat-tfal.Kemm dam jaħdemfië-êina, Patri FrangiskSaverju Cauchi kien dejjemimwerwer li se jaqbŜu fuqul-briganti li dak iŜ-Ŝmienkont issibhom ma’kullimkien. Ta’ spiss kienjgħid lil sħabu l-patrijiet:“Il-mewt kont narahaquddiem wiëëi seba’ darbietkuljum, imma l-Mulejdejjem ħelisni mill-perikli.”L-ewwel ma għammed kienraāel ta’ 73 sena li semmiehPawlu.Ftit jiem wara rahimut kuntent u baqa’ jħossdejjem l-interëessjoni tattalbgħalih. Huwa kelluwkoll il-konsolazzjoni lijikkonverti kap tal-briganti.Dan, flimkien ma’ numrukbir ta’ suldati, darba kiengħaddej minn ħdejn ilknisjau ried bilfors jidħoljorqod fiha. Patri FranāiskSaverju Cauchi offrielu l-għarix tiegħu imma mariedx iħallih jidħol jorqodfil-knisja u qallu: “Fid-darta’ Alla ma tidħolx, lest liniddefendiha sal-mewt.Jien ma nibŜax mill-mewt.”Dan il-kliem tant laqat qalbdan il-bniedem li sena unofs wara kkonverta u sarnisrani. Darba meta ltaqa’miegħu qallu: “Sirt nisranibis-saħħa tiegħek. Grazzi!”Darba wkoll kellu x-xorti jgħammed tifel ta’ħdax-il sena li kien jattendil-iskola tiegħu. Huwagħammed lil dan it-tifelwara li dan kien ilu tantjitolbu biex jitgħammed.Allavolja missieru, wara lisar jaf li kien tgħammed,kien tant isawtu, iŜda t-tifelbaqa’ sod. U qabel ma PatriFranāisk Saverju telaq miëêina,kellu l-konsolazzjonijarah saëerdot. U ‘lquddiem meta kien Malta,kien sar jaf li dan kiensaħansitra sar Isqof ta’Sianfu.Wara li ntemmet ittienigwerra dinjija, PatriFranāisk Saverju Cauchikien āie Malta għal ftitmistrieħ u biex jara l-qrabatiegħu. IŜda meta kien sejerāa’ lura l-missjoni,minħabba li ë-êina waqgħettaħt ir-reāim komunista ta’Mao Tse Tung, ma tħalliexjerāa’ jidħol fil-pajjiŜ ugħalhekk kellu kontraqalbu jibqa’ jaħdem Malta.Wara tliet snin, issuperjuritiegħu bagħtuhbħala gwardjan fil-kunventli għandhom il-Franāiskaniāewwa l-Imāarr. Kien hawnli kellu jgħaddi l-bqija ta’ħajtu mehdi fit-talb u flappostolat.Huwa kienimidd għonqu għal kull tipta’ xogħol. Bħala membrutal-Missjoni l-Kbira kienidur il-parroëëi kollha ta’Għawdex jgħallem, iqarar ujippriedka. Kont issibudejjem għall-qrar u għaddirezzjonispiritwali. Inniestal-baħar kienujħobbuh qisu ħuhom għaxkien dħuli, ëajtier u dejjemferħan. Huwa kien ukolliħabrek għat-tiŜjin talknisjata’ Sant’Antnin ta’Padova.Patri Franāisk SaverjuCauchi qatta l-aħħar senau nofs ta’ ħajtu max-xjuħfl-isptar Craig. Hawnhekkkien għal qalbu ħafnagħaliex seta’ jkun ta’għajnuna spiritwali għalħutu l-anzjani l-oħra.Għalkemm fl-aħħar kiennaqaslu d-dawl ta’għajnejh, iŜda xorta waħdabaqa’ sa l-aħħar jiëëajta ub’moral għoli. Huwa mietfl-24 ta’ Marzu ta’ l-1986 fletàta’ 81 sena. Ftit siegħatqabel miet, irëieva s-sagrament tal-griŜma talmordabl-akbar āabra u qalit-talb kollu mas-saëerdot likien qiegħed jamministraludan is-sagrament.Leħen is-Sewwa06.10.07L-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 27PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

FRATERNITASEng Vol. XL. Nr. 136 - OFM Rome - Email: rbahcic@ofm.org - 01. 11. 2007Evangelium Observare!The II International Congress of Moderators of Ongoing Formation, opened by the Minister General, wascelebrated in St. Mary of the Angels from the 13 th to the 28 th of October.The Congress was prepared over the last two years and wished to re-affirm the importance of ongoingformation and to point out some practical means for making it more influential in the personal and fraternal lifeof the Friars.The objectives of the Congress were: to be a time of ongoing formation for the Moderators themselves, tofurnish pedagogical elements and some means for an ongoing formation lived in everyday life and, finally, tooffer the GSFS the material for a revision and updating of the document of the Order on Ongoing Formation.The formation of the animators of the fraternities, the accompaniment of the young Friars during their earlyyears of insertion into the different Houses and ministries, the kind care of the old and sick Friars, and care forthe middle aged, were some of the topics entered into. In addition, work was done on integration betweenongoing formation and evangelisation and justice, peace and integrity of creation. It is in these environmentsthat the everyday life of the Friars is spent and that, precisely, is the main and fruitful place of ongoingformation.It also seems more urgent than ever to take care of the continuity from initial to ongoing formation so that thecandidates to the franciscan life can be received and formed in the bosom of a fraternity which has placed itselfin a renewed process of fidelity and prophecy at the present time.The Congress was, in a certain sense, a prolonged pilgrimage in the life of the Friars and culminated in theopening of the third stage of the preparation for the celebration of the VIII Centenary of the approval of thestyle of life of Francis by Innocent III (1209-2009) with a vigil presided by the Minister General in theEpiscopal Palace of Assisi and in the Basilica of St. Clare, in the evening of the 27 th October.The eighth General Assembly of UFMEThe eighth General Assembly of UFME (The Union of Friars Minor of Europe) was held in Sarajevo (Bosnia -Herzegovina) from the 9 th to the 14 th of October 2007. The meeting saw the Provincials of Europe gathered inthe martyr city of the recent Balkan war. The topic chosen for the Assembly was “Inter-religious dialogue inEurope, especially with Islam”. The assembly was held in a climate of warm mutual acceptance, whichfacilitated the good results of the work.The subjects dealt with and speakers were: Professor Srečko Dzaja, of Munich in Bavaria spoke about Thepolitical and cultural environment of the Bosnian Franciscans from the late Middle Ages until today, therelationship between Christianity and Islam in Bosnia – Herzegovina.Professor Anthony O’Mahony, of the University of London spoke on Islam and Europe today, a socio-culturalanalysis.Professor Enes Karić, of the Islamic Faculty of Theology in Sarajevo and Professor of Islamic Studies in theFaculty of Theology of the Franciscan Province of Bosnia, spoke on Christianity and Islam, the Islamic view.Professor François Bousquet of the Institut Catholique of Paris spoke on Christians and Muslims in Europetoday, the theological dimension of the encounter and possible solutions.The Minister General enriched the whole event with a discourse on the subject of Christianity and Islam today:the franciscan view. .The assembly elected the new President and Vice-President of UFME on the last day. They are Br. Vítor JoséMelícias Lopes (Province of Portugal) and Br. Wacław Chomik (Province of Wroclaw in Poland). The CentralCommittee is composed of Br. Gabriele Trivellin (Piedmont), Br. Anthony (Great Britain) and Br. Ivan Sesar(Herzegovina). Some practical proposals were also voted on on the same day.The Choice of Sarajevo, a city very dear to the Franciscans living in Bosnia–Herzegovina since the XIIIcentury, allowed for many direct contacts with the local reality. During those days, e.g., the Muslims ofSarajevo were celebrating Basram, the end of the “great fast” of the month of Ramadan and the beginning ofthe revelation of the Koran to the Prophet Mohamed. The participants were able to visit the Convent of St.Anthony in Bistrik, the cradle of franciscan life in the city, and the oldest Mosque of the Muslim district,L-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 28PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

founded by the nephew of the Sultan Bajazit. The Imam of the mosque guided the visit. Going about the city inthe Franciscan habit, the Friars could stop at the Catholic Cathedral and in the Serbian-Orthodox Cathedral, asgestures of reconciliation with all our Christian brothers.At the end of the tour, the President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Komšić, received theMinister General, the Definitors and the Friars in the Presidential Palace, manifesting the appreciation of thewhole population of B.H. for the Franciscan Order. The President stated that the story of the region could notbe thought about without the franciscan presence, which distinguished itself during the most difficult andpainful times of war and expressed his hope that it would continue in the future.Bosnia and Herzegovina - Široki BrijegDuring his visit to the Province of the Assumption of the B. V. Mary of Herzegovina, the Minister Generalcelebrated a funeral Mass for 3 Friars, killed during the partisan struggle in 1945, whose bodies were recentlyidentified and transferred to the convent church of Široki Brijeg. They are part of a group of 66 Friarsconsidered to be martyrs, the cause for the beatification of whom was initiated a year ago. More than fivethousand people participated in the liturgy, celebrated in the square before the church. Concelebrating with theMinister General were: Sime Samac, General Definitor, other General Definitors, the Ministers Provincial ofthe South Slavic Conference and many Friars of Bosnia Herzegovina and Croatia. There were also numerouspolitical and military authorities, among whom were different Ministers and Mayors of the region. All Croatiantelevision and radio stations broadcast the event. The celebration of the Eucharist was preceded by a fascinatingrepresentation of the martyrdom of the 66 Friars realised by young people of the area.Tanzania – National Elective Chapter of the SFOThe National SFO Fraternity of Tanzania celebrated its National Elective Chapter at the Mbagala SpiritualCentre in Dar es Salaam, from the 16 th to 20 th September 2007. Jenny Harrington, International Councillorfrom South Africa, and Br. Ivan Matić, OFM, General Assistant of the SFO, were present in the name of thePresidency of the SFO International Council.Br. Eleuter Mrema, OFMCap, and Br. Festus Mganga, OFM, the two National SFO Assistants, participated,along with Br. William Muchunguzi, OFMCap, National Assistant of You.Fra, and some regional SFOAssistants. It was a great pleasure to receive the visit of the Archbishop of Dar es Salaam, Cardinal PolycarpPengo. He presided at the Eucharist, and visited fraternally with the Chapter delegates afterwards.The first day was dedicated to formation; Jenny and Br. Ivan gave presentations on the life of SaintElizabeth. On the second day, reports were presented from the 19 regional Fraternities and from the outgoingNational Council, followed by a lively discussion on the situation of the Fraternity. The conversationhighlighted the importance of having a deeper understanding of our own identity, and a greater sense ofbelonging to the Order. Participants also greatly appreciated the report given by Benjamin Gasper Malaga,National President of You.Fra.Elections were held on September 19 th . Laurent Mutalemwa was elected National Minister and InternationalCouncillor. Members of the National Council were also elected. The SFO will celebrate its 75 th anniversary inTanzania in 2008. At present, there are 170 local Fraternities, with about 3,000 members. The strong presenceof You.Fra in Tanzania was also noted; there are 126 local fraternities with around 2,000 members.Brazil – Franciscans for the elimination of leprosyOn the occasion of the world day of the struggle against leprosy, the 28 th January, the franciscan Province ofthe Immaculate Conception, in Brazil, celebrated the 2 nd anniversary of the project “Franciscans for theeradication of the Hansen bacillus” in all the franciscan churches in the five Brazilian States. Br. JohannesBahlmann is the Coordinator of the information and educational project. Brazil has one of the highest rates ofincrease in leprosy in the world: 50,000 new cases every year. The country signed a commitment to eradicateleprosy in its territory by 2010 in Geneva in 2006. With an early diagnosis of the disease a reduction in thecauses and an increase of disease-free areas are expected.France – Meeting of those in Formation and the FormatorsBr. Massimo Fusarelli, SGFS, met the formators and temporary professed in the Novitiate of Besançon and inthe Postulancy House and Post-Novitiate House of Tolosa, from the 24 th to the 29 th September. He met theDefinitors of the Provinces of Bl. Pacificus (West France) and of the Three Companions (East France andBelgium) in Paris. The work of formation is carried out with attention to the condition of the young and adultswho come to the Friars to know about our form of life. The strong secularisation lived in that part of EuropeL-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 29PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

obliges the Church and the religious life to be in constant research, especially of the signs of novelty comingfrom the young. Our five temporary professed show enthusiasm for the franciscan life, giving emphasis to theprimacy of prayer, service of the poor and the proclamation of the Gospel in a de-Christianised society, withoutletting the seriousness of philosophical and theological formation pass them by, and with the desire to godeeper into franciscan thought.Croatia – Meeting of those in formation and of the Formators of the SouthSlavic ConferenceThe Minister General presented his’Letter to the young Friars’ to the participants (about 180), and insisted in aspecial way on the primacy of faith and the need for a decisive, radical and joyful response to our vocation.During the dialogue in assembly and the Concelebration of the Eucharist, the Minister General insisted on apersonal friendly relationship with the Lord Jesus as the necessary condition for a full and happy franciscanlife.In the afternoon, while the Minister General was meeting the Ministers Provincial, the young Friars held adialogue with Br. Massimo Fusarelli on the importance of human formation and recourse to pedagogy, trainingfor fraternal life, the use of the Internet on the personal level and as a place for pastoral activity and formationin the mass media. Br. Massimo placed the discourse within the framework of the priority of the Gospel forour life as Friars Minor.In the evening of the 6 th October, all the Friars solemnly celebrated Evening Prayer, presided by the Bishop ofSibenico. The Minister General blessed a statue of St. Francis in the town afterwards. On Sunday morning, theCustos of the Holy Land presented that mission of the Order, together with the present situation of the HolyPlaces in the complex reality of the Middle East. The dialogue with Br. Pierbattista enriched this time ofsharing and of appeal for a greater feeling towards the pearl of the missions of the Order. The celebration of theEucharist, presided by Br. Massimo, brought the meeting to a close. The meeting was very rich due to thevariety of those present, the sharing and the push to dare a little more in living our vocation in the world oftoday.Big/small news• Visit of the Russian Orthodox Patriarch to Strasburg: Patriarch Alexei II met the Archbishop ofStrasburg, Msgr. Jean-Pierre Grallet, OFM, on the 1 st October. The Archbishop accompanied Patriarch Alexeito the Cathedral of Strasburg where there was an assembly of more than a thousand people waiting for him anda concert of Russian religious music was presented. During his greetings the Patriarch said: “In the world oftoday, every believer has an onerous responsibility and a difficult mission, that of giving witness to his faith. Itis good that we Catholics and Orthodox can unite our forces and work together. We can and must affirm theChristian values together when faced by rejection and indifference”.• Thursday 8 th November 2007, Rome – The Pontifical University Antonianum, the Pontifical Academy‘Mariana Internationalis’, and The International Scotus Commission are organising an Academic Act in honourof John Duns Scotus. See programme at: http://www.ofm.org/fraternitas/articles/accademia.doc• Thursday 8 th to Saturday 10 th November 2007, Rome, The Pontifical Academy ‘Mariana Internationalis’,is organising a Meeting of Teachers and of those interested in Mariology – Proposals for new ways andorientations in the teaching of Mariology: See: http://www.ofm.org/fraternitas/articles/accademia.doc• The Roman Universities are preparing a pilgrimage to Assisi: The pilgrimage of university students toAssisi, organised by the Office for University Pastoral Activity of the Vicariate of Rome to initiate theacademic year, will take place on Saturday 10 th . Father Mauro Oliva, chaplain at the University of Rome, TorVergata, explained that “it is a question of an appointment awaited by many young people, especially of freshmen,who wish to follow the traces of Francis in order to share with him, at the beginning of a new year ofstudies and research, the joy of the discipleship of the Master”. Further information can be received from theUfficio per la Pastorale Universitaria - Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano 6/a – 00184 Roma. Tel. 06.69886584;Fax 06.69886544. E-mail messages can be sent to: ufficiopastoraleuniversitaria@vicariatusurbis.org.• Monday 19 th to Friday 23 rd November 2007, Rome – The Higher School of Medieval and FranciscanStudies - Pontifical University Antonianum: the second stage of archivist studies for workers in franciscanarchives. For further information see: www.antonianum.eu• Beatification of 29 Spanish Friars Minor, martyrs: Among the 498 Martyrs, killed "in odium Fidei" inSpain during the course of the religious persecution of 1934-1936, and beatified by Benedict XVI on the 28 thOctober, there were 29 Friars Minor belonging to the Provinces of Madrid and Granada. They are the Servantsof God, Victor Chumillas Fernandez and his XXI Companions of Madrid, and the Servants of God, FelixEchevarria Gorostiaga and his VI Companions of Granada, all victims of their love for a "new day" of graceL-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 30PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

and freedom.• 350 years since the death of Br. Luca Wadding (1588-1657): We are asked to remember the famous IrishFranciscan, Br. Luke Wadding, on the 18 th of November. Wadding was born in Waterford, Ireland, on the 16 thOctober 1588 and died in Rome on the 18 th November 1657. One of the greatest organisers of franciscanthought, Luke Wadding was the author of appreciated works, among them the “Annales Minorum”, whichearned him the title of the "father" of the modern history of our Order. Making himself available for aninitiative promoted by the Minister General of the Order, Br. Benigno da Genova (1618-1625), who had askedall the Provinces of the Order to send documents and important codices to Rome in order to reconstruct thehistory of our religious family, Wadding retired to the Roman convent of St. Isidore, and dedicated the rest ofhis life to the study of the documents collected.• He collaborated actively in the critical edition of the works of the Franciscan Masters. Even today he isregarded as “the prince of the franciscan annalists”. He died in Rome, in the College of St. Isidore, where helies buried.• A new Province in Austria: A new Province, entitled St. Leopold, with its headquarters in Saltsburg, waserected on the 21 st of October 2007 and the Province of St. Bernard of Siena and the Province of BlessedEngelbert Kolland were suppressed.Franciscan bookmarkLa sabiduría de la humildad. Espiritualidad de la vida cotidiana (The wisdom of humility. The Spiritualityof everyday life), Br. Francisco Castro Miramontes, Editrice San Pablo, Madrid 2006, pp. 182.A place in the midst of nature close to the sea, the Convent of St. Anthony, and a young Franciscan, Br. Francis, arethe threads running through a series of stories which bring the reader to understand that happiness is developed indaily life and in the return to the roots of being in that very place where God makes Himself present through thepower of His love. Humility is converted, in that way, into an authentic hope for life.Čudež, ki traja 800 let (A miracle whish lasted 800 years), Robert Bahčič OFM, Brat Frančišek, Ljubljana 2007, pp. 360.The book has a celebrative perspective to help the reader to contemplate the fruits of that “miracle”, initiated in 1209through the approval by Innocent III of the style of life suggested to Francis by the Spirit. In the second part, the bookalso has the merit of putting the “miracle” into a context by treating of the franciscan charism which began to givefruits in Slovenia in a great variety of expressions almost 800 years ago and which have never ceased, like a river oflife, of the fruitful history, culture and spirituality of the people.New ProvincialsBr. Carlos Guillermo Paz was elected Minister Provincial of the Province of St. Francis Solanus (Argentina).Br. Paul Smith was elected Minister Provincial of the Province of the Holy Spirit (Australia and NewZealand).Br. Paskalis Bruno Syukur was elected Minister Provincial of the Province of St. Michael the Archangel(Indonesia).Br. Rupert Schwarzl was elected Minister Provincial of the new Province of St. Leopold (Austria).Agenda of the Minister General1 st to 2 nd November: Participation in the Congress of Franciscan Educators in Cordoba (Spain).5 th to 11 th November: Tempo forte of the General Definitory (Rome).12 th to 16 th November: Meeting of the General Visitators (Rome).16 th November: Audience with the Holy Father Benedict XVI.17 th to 20 th November: Visit to the Province of Thuringia, St. Elizabeth (Fulda-Germany).F’ L-AĦBAR li jmiss se nippublikaw xi ittri li SebastianCamilleri, OFM irëieva għall-publikazzjoni reëenti tal-ktiebtiegħu “Aspects of Authentic Church Teaching”, fosthommis-Segreterija ta’ l-Istat tal-Vatikan, mill-Prim Ministru Dr.Lawrence Gonzi u mil-Vigarjat Apostoliku ta’ BenghaziMons. Sylvester Magro, OFM.L-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 31PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

KAPITLU PROVINêJALI 2OO8SEMINARPorziuncola RetreatHouse, Baħar ië-êagħaqara paāna 19FESTI U BIRTHDAYSNOVEMBRU11 Fra Martin Coleiro 1 Fra Stephen Sciberras15 Fra Albert Micallef 9 Fra Martin Coleiro26 Fra Leo M. Ciantar 14 Fra Julian Sammut17 Fra ChristopherFarrugia18 Fra Victor Camilleri19 Fra Ivo Tonna28 Fra :wann SchranzDIêEMBRU10 Fra Lorrie Zerafa 1 Fra Alfred Sciberras25 Fra Noel Muscat 3 Fra Noel Muscat26 Fra Stephen Sciberras 4 Fra Marcellino Micallef26 Fra Stephen Magro 11 Fra :wann Micallef27 Fra :wann Schranz 17 Fra Charles Tonna31 Mons. Sylvester Magro 17 Fra Ray Scicluna19 Fra Godfrey Micallef29 Fra Pietru Pawl Meilak31 Fra Sebastian CamilleriAwguri u Xewqat Sbieħ!F’ DIN IL-{AR:ANovembru 2007Beati Franāiskani Āodda 2UFME Meeting 6Francis and Clare 11Caravaggio u San Franāisk 12Informazzjoni 13Franāisk Saverju Cauchi 27Fraternitas 28EDITURfra marcellino micallef ofmprovofm@vol.net.mtKunvent Tal-Franāiskani291, Triq San Pawl,Valletta VLT 07Tel. 21238218Fax. 21231266L-A{BAR NOVEMBRU 2007 32PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com