Brother Jose R. Carballo, Minister General of the Franciscan Order, was the principal concelebrant this year at the Mass of the Dedication of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher.
Having come to the Holy Land for the “Under Ten” chapter, which brought together some 200 representatives of the friars with less than ten years of solemn profession from all over the world, Brother Jose R. Carballo, accompanied by the General Definatorium of the Order, extended his stay with an itinerant retreat. The Mass of the Dedication of the Holy Sepulcher marked the end of his stay, or rather, a new departure to the “Galilee” of his mission.
In 2006, the Franciscan Order began a three-year cycle of jubilee celebrations in honor of its foundation in 1209 by Saint Francis of Assisi. Already during the lifetime of Little Poor Man, the Friars Minor came to the Holy Land for the first time, and since 1342 they have been named by the Church as the Guardians of the Holy Places, of which the Basilica of the Resurrection is the jewel in the crown.
In his homily, Brother Jose R. Carballo compared the dedication of a church to Christian initiation. However holy a place may be, it is the people who frequent it who give it sanctity. Referring to Saint Augustine, he added, “The dedication of a house of prayer is the feast of our community […] If the dedication turns a site into the house of God, we ourselves are the house of God and, as Saint Peter says, we are living stones insofar as we cling to Christ, the cornerstone […]
Standing before the empty Tomb, we are invited to reaffirm that we are living stones for the construction of the spiritual temple that is the Church. Only in this way can we proclaim with our lives and our words that Christ lives, that He is not here, He has risen […] He has gone before us to the Galilee.”
Many friars concelebrated with the Minister General, including the Vicar of the Order, Brother Francesco Bravi, and the Custos of the Holy Land, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and they were joined by many other friars, priests and lay brothers. The number of the faithful was less, given the early (6:30 am) hour. After the celebration, the friars were welcomed into the refectory of the Holy Sepulcher fraternity for breakfast.
MAB
Having come to the Holy Land for the “Under Ten” chapter, which brought together some 200 representatives of the friars with less than ten years of solemn profession from all over the world, Brother Jose R. Carballo, accompanied by the General Definatorium of the Order, extended his stay with an itinerant retreat. The Mass of the Dedication of the Holy Sepulcher marked the end of his stay, or rather, a new departure to the “Galilee” of his mission.
In 2006, the Franciscan Order began a three-year cycle of jubilee celebrations in honor of its foundation in 1209 by Saint Francis of Assisi. Already during the lifetime of Little Poor Man, the Friars Minor came to the Holy Land for the first time, and since 1342 they have been named by the Church as the Guardians of the Holy Places, of which the Basilica of the Resurrection is the jewel in the crown.
In his homily, Brother Jose R. Carballo compared the dedication of a church to Christian initiation. However holy a place may be, it is the people who frequent it who give it sanctity. Referring to Saint Augustine, he added, “The dedication of a house of prayer is the feast of our community […] If the dedication turns a site into the house of God, we ourselves are the house of God and, as Saint Peter says, we are living stones insofar as we cling to Christ, the cornerstone […]
Standing before the empty Tomb, we are invited to reaffirm that we are living stones for the construction of the spiritual temple that is the Church. Only in this way can we proclaim with our lives and our words that Christ lives, that He is not here, He has risen […] He has gone before us to the Galilee.”
Many friars concelebrated with the Minister General, including the Vicar of the Order, Brother Francesco Bravi, and the Custos of the Holy Land, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and they were joined by many other friars, priests and lay brothers. The number of the faithful was less, given the early (6:30 am) hour. After the celebration, the friars were welcomed into the refectory of the Holy Sepulcher fraternity for breakfast.
MAB