Montefalco, 1st-3rd May 2010: invited by Fr. Bruno Varriano, vocational animator of the Custody, Fr. Noel Muscat animated three days of spiritual retreat and Franciscan formation for 14 young men, 12 aspirants and 2 postulants, guests of the convent of San Fortunato.
On Saturday, 1st May, the group went to the Isola Maggiore in Lake Trasimeno, where, according to the Fioretti of St. Francis, Chapter 7 – the saint spent a Lent in this deserted place. The day began with the crossing of the lake and arrival on the island, where with old Franciscan convent with church still exists, but it has been turned into a private villa. In the village church, Fr. Noel gave a lecture to the group of young people who, after an hour of personal reflection, took part in Holy Mass. The afternoon passed with a picnic and time together on the island’s beach, until it was time to return to Montefalco.
After the pause of Sunday, spent in Montefalco, on Monday 3rd May, the group visited the four Franciscan sanctuaries in the Reatina Valley, leaving from Greccio, where Mass was celebrated. In Fonte Colombo, the young people were fraternally welcomed by the Guardian of the House of the Novitiate, Fr. Piermarco: a joyful welcome which added to the packed lunch good wine and a desert. In the afternoon they visited San Fabiano della Foresta and then Poggiobustone, where everyone walked to the Sacro Speco meditating on the experience of forgiveness that St. Francis received in this holy place. In each of the places visited, Fr. Noel read and commented passages from the Sources, which relate the story, the life and the spirituality of St. Francis.
Fr. Bruno organizes these days of Franciscan formation every year, to enrich knowledge about these holy places which some of the youngsters may already have visited but which are now visited together, in the common wish to understand the vocation to which they feel called, connecting them spiritually with the mission of the Franciscans in the Holy Land.
There are currently two postulants, one Mexican and one Italian, at Montefalco and twelve aspirants from Brazil, Israel, Jerusalem, Mexico, Nigeria, Bolivia, the USA and Syria.
NM
On Saturday, 1st May, the group went to the Isola Maggiore in Lake Trasimeno, where, according to the Fioretti of St. Francis, Chapter 7 – the saint spent a Lent in this deserted place. The day began with the crossing of the lake and arrival on the island, where with old Franciscan convent with church still exists, but it has been turned into a private villa. In the village church, Fr. Noel gave a lecture to the group of young people who, after an hour of personal reflection, took part in Holy Mass. The afternoon passed with a picnic and time together on the island’s beach, until it was time to return to Montefalco.
After the pause of Sunday, spent in Montefalco, on Monday 3rd May, the group visited the four Franciscan sanctuaries in the Reatina Valley, leaving from Greccio, where Mass was celebrated. In Fonte Colombo, the young people were fraternally welcomed by the Guardian of the House of the Novitiate, Fr. Piermarco: a joyful welcome which added to the packed lunch good wine and a desert. In the afternoon they visited San Fabiano della Foresta and then Poggiobustone, where everyone walked to the Sacro Speco meditating on the experience of forgiveness that St. Francis received in this holy place. In each of the places visited, Fr. Noel read and commented passages from the Sources, which relate the story, the life and the spirituality of St. Francis.
Fr. Bruno organizes these days of Franciscan formation every year, to enrich knowledge about these holy places which some of the youngsters may already have visited but which are now visited together, in the common wish to understand the vocation to which they feel called, connecting them spiritually with the mission of the Franciscans in the Holy Land.
There are currently two postulants, one Mexican and one Italian, at Montefalco and twelve aspirants from Brazil, Israel, Jerusalem, Mexico, Nigeria, Bolivia, the USA and Syria.
NM