From left to right
Brother Nerwan Al-Banna was born in Ninive in Iraq thirty-three years ago. Following his general courses, he studied medicine. He practiced his profession in hosptals in Ninive and Baghdad.
Through the intermediary of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, he made contact with the friars of the Custody in 1999.
He completed his initial formation in Rome and his Novitiate in Ein Karem where, in 2002, he made his first profession. After two years of formation in philosophy in Bethlehem, he took his first year of theology in Rome.
At the present time, he is completing his theological studies in Jerusalem. For these past years, he experienced pastoral service in Jordan, animating youth groups, and in Beit Hanina, doing children’s catechism and spiritual animation of young people’s summer camps.
Brother Marcello Cichinelli was born in Mendoza, Argentina, thirty-three years ago. He obtained his surveyor’s diploma and then studied to be a construction engineer.
It was through the “collections friar” for the Holy Land that he discovered the reality of the Custody.
After one year as an aspirant in the convent of the Holy Land Commissariat in Buenos Aires, he completed his postulancy in Rome and his novitiate year in Ain Karem, where he made his first profession in 2002. Having completed his studies in philosophy in Bethlehem, he spent a year in Cairo to study Arabic.
He is presently completing his theological studies here in Jerusalem. Over the past years, he enriched his human and spiritual formation by becoming master of liturgical ceremonies and also by accompanying Spanish-speaking pilgrims and through the spiritual animation of the young people of the Ragia group.
Brother Andrew Verdone was born in the Philippines fifty-one years ago. He lived there until 1982 and studied architecture there.
He has known the Franciscan friars since childhood in the parish where he was baptized and where he had his first Christian formation.
In 1982 he moved to Canada. He met the friars of the Holy Land in 2000 in Washington DC, and the following year he entered the postulancy in the Washington convent. He spent his Novitiate in Ein Karem where, in 2002, he made his first profession. Having completed his philosophical studies in Bethlehem, he is now pursuing his theological studies in Jerusalem.
He complemented his formation with pastoral experiences in liturgical service and welcoming pilgrims in our sanctuaries.
Brother Aquilino Castillo was born in Madrid, Spain, thirty-three years ago. In that city he completed his university study with a degree in Islamism and Hebrew philology.
In 1996, during a course at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, he went to the Basilica of the Resurrection, where he met friars of the Custody.
He spent his Postulancy at Rome and his Novitiate in Ein Karem where, in 2002, he made his first profession. He completed his philosophical studies in Bethlehem, then he spent one year in Cairo to further his knowledge of Arabic.
At the present time, he is completing his theological studies in Jerusalem. He broadened his formation through pastoral service with the Scouts of Saint Saviour’s parish in Jerusalem.
Brother Silvio De La Fuente was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, thirty years ago. There he studied business, specializing in computer studies and economics.
He met the friars of the Holy Land during a time of personal vocational discernment. Following two years as an aspirant in the convent of the Holy Land Commissariat in Buenos Aires, he was a postulant at Casalotti, near Rome.
He spent his novitiate year in Ein Karem, where, in 2002, he made his first profession.
After his studies in philosophy in Bethlehem, he spend a year in Cairo studying Arabic.
He is now pursuing his theology studies here in Jerusalem. He completed his spiritual formation with pastoral experiences in Jaffa as a liturgical animator and in Ramleh, teaching catechism to children.