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OORDNIRDNI TALTAL--PPATRIJIETATRIJIET MMINURIINURI -- M A L T AM A L T A PPROROVINĊJAVINĊJA FFRANĠISKANARANĠISKANA TATA’ S’ SANAN PPAWLAWL APPOSTLU APPOSTLU

NNRURU. 1 M. 1 MARZUARZU 1010

minn p. Raniero Cantalamessa O.F.M. Cap

Inno`enz ma setg]ax jg]amlu hu personalment u dan mhux g]aliex biss kien xi]. Fost dawk li kienu qeg]din jisimg]uh fost il-folla, kien hemm Fran[isku t’ Assisi. Huwa `ert li, f’ kull ka\, l-eku tad-diskors tal-Papa wasal g]andu, tant li Fran[isku laqa’ l-appell u g]amlu tieg]u. Minn dak il-jum huwa beda jipprietka bl’ akbar ]e-[[a, minn qatt qabel, dwar il-penitenza u l-konver\joni. Beda wkoll jimmarka bis-sinjal tat-Tau l-[bin tan-nies, li bdew jiltaqg]u mieg]u. It-Tau sar is-si[ill tieg]u. Bih beda jiffirma l-ittri tieg]u u jipin[ih fuq i`-`ellel tal-patrijiet. B’ hekk San Bonaventura seta’ jg]id, wara l-mewt ta’ Fran[isku: ‘...li jsejja] lill-bnedmin g]all-biki u tinwi]…...u jimmarka bit-Tau l-[bin ta’ dawk li jitniehdu u jitbekkew’. Leg-enda Maior, Prologu Ê FSF 1131Ë G]al dan il-g]an Fran[isku, xi kultant, [ie mse-jja] ‘l-an[lu tas-seba’ si[ill’ . L-an[lu li j[orr, huwa stess, is-si[ill t’ Alla l-]aj u jim-marka l-[bin ta’ dawk li [ew mag]\ula (ara Apk 7,2ss). Fran[isku ]a fuqu l-]idma li, l-knisja [erarkika ma setg]atx tie]u u dan lanqas ma setg]et tg]amlu permezz tal-kleru sekulari. G]amel dan ming]ajr spiritu ta’ po-lemika jew apolo[etika. Ma qabadx polemika, la mall-Knisja istituzzjonali u lanqas mal-g]edewwa tal-Knisja istituzzjonali. Ma ]add! Dan l-istil tieg]u huwa differenti wkoll minn ta’ dak li g]ex fi \mienu, San Duminku ta’ Guzman. Hawn nistaqsu : G]alina dan kollu xi jfisser? G]al bosta ra[unijiet minn dak i\-\mien (u mhux g]al kollox!) illum ukoll il-massa twarrbet mill-Knisja istituzzjonali. Hemm foss bejniethom. }afna nies mhux qed jirnexxilhom jersqu lejn {esu’ per-mezz tal-Knisja. Hemm b\onn li ng]enuhom biex jersqu lejn il-Knisja permezz ta’ {esu’, billi nitilqu minnU u mill-Van[elu. {esu’ ma ji[ix a``ettat min]abba l-Knisja, imma na``ettaw lill-Knisja m]abba {esu’. Din hija l-]idma proprja tag]na l-Fran[iskani. Qeg]din f’ qag]da unika biex inkunu nistg]u nwettquha. A]na [ejna ppreparati g]al dan is-servizz mill-wirt li ]allielna Missierna Fran[isku u mill-patrimonju kbir ta’ kredibilita’, li [ie mog]ti lilna mill-umanita’ kollha. L-intuwizzjoni tieg]u ta’ fraternita’ universali, li hija miftu]a g]all-kreaturi kollha, flimkien mal-g]a\la tal-minorita’, g]amlu minnu u minn dawk kollha li jimxu warajh, a]wa ta’ kul]add, g]edewwa ta’ ]add u sie]ba ta’ dawk li j]ossuhom imwarrbin. L-g]a\la li g]amel il-Papa {wanni Pawlu II tal-belt t’ Assisi b]ala l-post tal-laqg]at tal-kapijiet tar-reli[jonijiet u tant inizjattivi o]ra, huma sinjal ta’ din is-sej]a ta’ wlied Fran[isku. Il-kundizzjoni, biex din il-]idma ta’ pont bejn il-Knisja u d-dinja, hija li, b]al Fran-[isku, g]andu jkollna m]abba u fedelta’ qawwija lejn il-Knisja u m]abba u solidar-jeta’ qawwija mad-dinja. Dan g]andu jsir spe`jalment mad-dinja tal-umli. Mezz li m’ g]andux ji[i traskurat, hija wkoll it-tonka tag]na. Permezz tag]ha, Fran

PENTEKOSTE FRANGISKAN GDID ( 6 )

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Fran[isku jidher pre\enti vi\ibilment g]all-bnedmin ta’ llum. Jekk in-nies ma tarana qatt bit-tonka tag]na, kif tista’ tinduna li a]na wlied Fran[isku? Jiena konvint li, jekk jasal il-jum li fih a]na l-Fran[iskani ma nilbsux it-tonka fil-pubbliku, u dan lan-qas fil-pajji\i nsara u kattoli`i, id-dinja tkun tilfet rigal kbir u a]na g]ajnuna kbira. Permezz tal-libsa tieg]u, Fran[isku, b]alma jing]ad g]al Abel fl-Ittra lil-Lhud ‘defunctus adhuc loquitur’ : g]ad li miet, imma g]adu jsemma’ le]nu (11,4). Jiena stess g]andi prova `ara ta’ dan li qed ng]id, g]aliex jiena, fis-servizz li nag]ti lit-televi\joni, insib g]ajnuna kbira, m]abba li jarawni libes it-tonka fran[iskana. 8.

Kif nistg]u nwettqu fil-fatt dawn il-proposti, li g]andna kemm g]amilna u tant o]-rajn, li `ertament se jo]or[u mit-ta]ditiet, li se tisimg]u fil-jiem li [ejjin? It-twe[iba qeg]da fil-kliem, li lissen Fran[isku ftit qabel ma miet: “ jiena g]amilt dak li kelli ng]amel, issa Kristu jg]allimkom dak li intom tridu tg]amlu’ (2C CLXII) ÊFSF 924Ë. Dan il-kliem ma qalux biss g]al dawk li kienu vi`in tieg]u, imma wkoll g]al dawk kollha li kellhom jimxu warajh tul i\-\minijiet kollha. A]na msejj]in biex inwettqu dak kollu li jiena tkellimt dwar il-bidu tal-kari\ma fran-[iskan. Din ma tikkonsistix filli n]arsu lejn Fran[isku, imma li n]arsu lejn Kristu bl-g]ajnejn ta’ Fran[isku. Hemm ]a[a li ma ndbiddlitx minn \mien Fran[isku sa\-\minijietna, minkejja l-]afna tibdiliet stori`i u so`jali: l-Ispirtu tal-Mulej. Il-]ajja kollha ta’ Fran[isku, jekk wie]ed jag]ti ka\, titwettaq ta]t il-]arsien tal-Ispirtu s-Santu. Kwa\i kull kapitlu ta’ ]ajtu jibda b’ din l-osservazzjoni: “ Fran[isku mqanqal jew ispirat mill-Ispirtu s-Santu, mar, qal, g]amel……” Fl-okka\joni tas-sittax anniversarju tal-Kon`ilju Ekumeniku ta’ Kostantinopoli I - il-Kon`ilju, li ddefinixxa d-divinita’ tal-Ispirtu s-Santu -, il-Papa {wanni Pawlu II kiteb : ‘ L-opra kollha tat-ti[did tal-Knisja, li l-Kon`ilju Vatikan II ippropona u beda b’ mod provvidenzjali …………. ma jistax jse]], jekk mhux permezz tal-Ispirtu s-Santu, ji[ifieri permezz tal-g]ajnuna tad-dawl u l-qawwa tieg]u ’ (Ittra Apostolika A concilio Costantinopolitano 1, f’ AAS 73 ( 1981) p. 489 ). Dan kollu jg]odd aktar g]at-ti[did tal-ordnijiet reli[ju\i. Hemm \ew[ tipi possibbli ta’ ti[did: ti[did skond il-li[i u ti[did skond l-Ispirtu. Il-Kristjane\mu — kif S. Pawl jg]allimna— huwa l-frott tat-ti[did skond l-Ispirtu ( Tit 3,5) u mhux skond il-li[i. Fir-realta’ l-li[i ma jirnexxilhiex i[edded verament xi ordni reli[ju\. Turi fid-dawl it-trasgressjoni, imma ma tag]tix il-]ajja. Hija utli u prezzju\a, jekk tkun g]as-servizz tal-li[i tal-Ispirtu, li jag]ti l-]ajja fi Kristu {esu’ (Rum 8,2) imma \gur li mhux biex tkun minflokha. Jekk, kif kiteb San Tumas t’ Akwinu, il-kliem tal-Van[elu u l-pre`etti morali li jinsabu fih jistg]u joqtlu, jekk kemm-il-darba, flimkien mag]hom wie]ed ma jkollux id-don tal-fidi u l-qawwa tal-Ispirtu s-Santu, (Summa theologiae, I-IIae,q.106,a 1-2) mela se ng]idu g]al tant li[ijiet po\ittivi, inklu\i wkoll ir-regoli monasti`i?

ikompli f’ ]ar[a li jmiss………………………..

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Din is-sena ja]bat il-250 anniversarju mit-twelid ta’ S. {wann minn Triora O.F.M. G]alhekk hawn se nag]tu ftit tag]rif dwar ]ajtu. 15 ta’ Marzu 1760 - Francesco Maria Lantura twieled [ewwa r-ra]al ta’ Molini di Triora fil-Liguria minn Antonio Maria Lantura u Maria Pasqua Ferreironi. 1 ta’ Marzu 1777 - Beda n-novizzjat fi ]dan il-Provin`ja Rumana u tawh l-isem ta’ Giovanni. 1784 -{ie ordnat sa`erdot. Fil-kunventi ta’ Velletri u Corneto kien gwardjan u g]al- liem tal-filosofija u t-teolo[ija. 2 ta’ Frar 1798 - Biex imur fil-missjoni ta`-~ina, kellu jg]addi minn Li\bona. Hemmhekk g]ex sena s]i]a, qabel ma mar il-missjoni. 17 ta’ Jannar 1800 - Wasal bil-ba]ar Macao, kolonja portugi\a. Wara li g]amel sena jistudja l-lingwa, da]al fil-provin`ja ta’ Hu-nan. Kienu \minijiet diffi`li ]afna g]all-insara tal-post, m]abba fi problemi politi`i u ‘l g]aliex il-Kristjane\mu kien [ej mill-Punent. }adem bil-]e[[a u kellu ri\ultati tajbin, peress li kellu l-kapa`ita li jinkultura l-fidi nisranija fir-realta’ lokali u n-nies kellhom fidu`ja kbira fih. 1804 - Mar fil-provin`ja ta’ Kiang-si, fejn mg]ejjun minn bosta katekisti, ]adem bis-s]i] b’ risq il-komunitajiet tal-insara. 1812 - {ie tradut minn katekist. Imma rnexxilu ja]rab, libes ta’ bidwi, lejn Hu-nan. 26 ta’ Lulju 1815 - {ie miftuh il-]abs g]aliex ‘da]al bil-mo]bi, [era ma’ bosta provin`ji u kellu d-dixxipli’. {ie kkundanat g]all-piena kapitali. 7 ta’ Frar 1816 - Rabtuh ma’ salib u g]allquh. Qabel huwa radd is-salib u g]amel l-]ames inkini tradizzjonali ta`-~ini\i, b]ala adorazzjoni lill-Alla. G]all-ewwel [ismu [ie midfun fi`-`imiterju tal-ikkundanati u wara tlett snin ittie]ed fil-kattidral ta’ Macao. Fuq de`i\joni tal-Ministru {eneral, [ismu tqieg]ed fil-Ba\ilika ta’ S. Maria in Aracoeli f’ Ruma fil-kappella ta’ S. Girgor. 27 ta’ Mejju 1900 - {ie bbeatifikat mill-Papa Ljun XIII. 1 t’ Ottubru 2000 - Il-Papa {}{wanni Pawlu II ikkanonizzah.

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Introduction to the Lectio of 8th June O.F.M. General Chapter 2009

Br. Joaquín Domínguez Serna, Prov. Bética-Spain

From the Earlier Rule (Regula non bullata) Ch. 14

When the brothers go through the world, let them take nothing for the journey, neither knapsack, nor purse, nor bread nor money, nor staff. Whatever house they enter, let them first say: Peace to this house. They may eat and drink what is placed before them for as long as they stay in that house. Let them not resist anyone evil, but whoever strikes them on one cheek, let them offer him the other as well. Whoever takes their cloak, let them not withold their tunic. Let them give to all who ask of them and whoever takes what is theirs, let them not seek to take it back. We begin our week with this moment of prayer, dedicated exclusively to listening, medita-tion, assimilation of the message of the Lord, of his Word, and its implementation with the help of the brothers. It is said that the Lucan text of the sending out of the 72 was heard by Francis one day at the Portiuncula. And what he heard was quickly accepted in the agitated heart of this young man who had not yet found his true path in life. The words of Jesus provoked an immense joy in him and would oblige him to a great response in his anxious future. If Francis had asked of the Crucified some time before: “Lord, what do you want me to do?”, in these words from the third gospel he seems definitively to have found the light and the way forward for his future. This text has to be deeply rooted in Francis' heart, it certainly formed a part of his evangelical-spiritual patrimony and has also to be the gospel context for the life of each friar minor in every time. The biographers assure us clearly of his joy-ous expression: “this is what I want, this is what I seek, this is what I desire with all my heart.” Therefore, before going on, it would not be unwise to ask ourselves this morning: have we felt anything similar to Francis' experience? Do we know how to tune into what we want, what we desire, and what our heart is truly asking of us, what God is truly asking of us? Where are our most intimate desires born, and where are they now? Towards where do we direct our deepest and most authentic projects? Whatever our individual experiences, with their diversity and variety, we know that when God realizes or when He moves within us, he goes to the depths, he moves the founda-tions, he touches the most sensitive fibres of our emotions and generally embraces the en-tirety of our being and our person, from the inmost to the outermost. Brothers throughout the world The evangelical life that the Lord revealed to Francis was not given to be enclosed within four walls. His life, the life of the brothers, has as its only horizon, going throughout the world, going on the journey, making pilgrimage and travelling along life's journey, where God manifests himself and where the kingdom of God and his justice are evidenced as the freely given work of God.

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“There is more life in journeying than in staying still.” says the wise man to the quiet peas-ant. In Luke's gospel, Jesus sends the 72 with a firm invitation to trust: “Let's go. Let's set out on our way!” Take nothing for the journey The Kingdom that Jesus proclaims begins with, and requires, oration, prayer, intercession: “The harvest is great but the workers are few. Ask then the lord ...” From this viewpoint, Francis does not feel strange. He recommends and exhorts the brothers who meet each other in the hermitage, to ask for nothing more than to build up the Kingdom of God and its justice. Is it true that everything in us has as its point of departure the kingdom of God and tends always towards the building of the Kingdom? The Kingdom, furthermore, requires trust, detachment, lightness of equipment, absence of security, disappropriation: “Do not take a bag or a knapsack... : and do not stop to greet anyone on the road ...” The urgency of the proclamation does not permit delay, that is why the brothers are not to appropriate anything for themselves, neither house, nor place, nor anything at all. And as pilgrims and strangers in this world (1Pet 2:11) serving the Lord in poverty and humility, they are to seek alms ... (RB VI) Peace If the system adopted by Francis for going about the world is itinerancy, Peace is the gree-ting and code, teaching and practice, truth and commitment. They are truly peaceful who, with all that they suffer in this life, keep peace in soul and body for the love of our Lord Jesus Christ (Adm XV). The Kingdom requires neither huge investments nor great machi-nery for its proclamation. In this globalised world, the Gospel cannot be unknown nor can it lack messengers. Where there is the human condition there is a new opportunity for pro-claiming the news of God. Why at times, do our projects not take sufficient root? Why do we put our trust so many times in designed programmes and projects and not trust suffi-ciently the seed of the Kingdom that grows in the night? Peace is the universal language that all understand. The Kingdom The message of the Kingdom is the proclamation and joyous expression of communion among people. This proclamation requires of us to make visible and meaningful the signs that accompany the presence of the Kingdom among people. Participating in their life by sharing the same food, and the victory over the sorrows produced by the alienations that exist in the life of people. But together with the joy that the messengers of God and of Je-sus feel, they must also be ready to know how to accept the incomprehension and rejection which will come to them from those who lead a social structure that disregards and is in opposition to the values of the Kingdom of God.

This is how our Constitutions summarize and express the message: Wherever they are and whatever they do, the friars are to dedicate themselves to the task of evangelization: in fraternal fellowship through their contemplative and penitential life and the various tasks they perform for the fraternity; in human society through their intellectual and material activities, through the exer-cise of a pastoral office in parishes and other ecclesiastical institutions; and finally by announcing the coming of God's kingdom through their witness of a simple Franciscan presence. (CC.GG 84)

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Il-Fran[iskani u d-Dumnikani ( It-2 parti ) The importance of the Mendicant Orders grew so much in the Middle Ages that lay institutions, such as labour organizations, ancient corporations and even civil authorities, often took recourse to the spiritual consultation of members of such orders for the writing of their regulations and, at times, for the solution of internal and external opposition. The Franciscans and Dominicans became the spiritual leaders of the Medieval city. With great intuition, they put into practice a pastoral strat-egy adapted to the transformation of society. Because many people were moving from the country-side to the cities, they placed their monasteries no longer in rural but in urban areas. Moreover, to carry out their activity for the benefit of souls, it was necessary to move in keeping with pastoral needs.

With another altogether innovative choice, the Mendicant Orders abandoned the princi-ple of stability, a classic of ancient monasticism, to choose another way. Friars and Preachers traveled from one place to another, with missionary zeal. As a consequence, they gave themselves an organization that was different from that of the majority of mo-nastic orders. In place of the traditional autonomy that every monastery enjoyed, they gave greater importance to the order as such and to the superior-general, as well as to the

structure of the provinces. Thus the mendicants were in general available for the needs of the uni-versal Church. This flexibility made it possible to send friars more adapted to specific missions and the Mendicant Orders reached North Africa, the Middle East and Northern Europe. With this flexi-bility, missionary dynamism was renewed. Another great challenge was represented by the cultural transformations taking place at that time. New questions made for lively discussions in the universities, which arose at the end of the 12th century. Friars and Preachers did not hesitate to assume this commitment as well and, as students and professors, they entered the most famous universities of the time, founded centers of study, pro-duced texts of great value, gave life to true and proper schools of thought, were protagonists of scholastic theology in its greatest period, and significantly influenced the development of thought.

The greatest thinkers, Sts. Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventure, were mendicants, operating in fact with this dynamism of the new evangelization, which also renewed the courage of thought, of dia-logue between reason and faith. Today also there is a "charity of and in truth," an "intellectual char-ity" to exercise, to enlighten intelligences and combine faith with culture. The widespread commit-ment of the Franciscans and Dominicans in the Medieval universities is an invitation, dear faithful, to make oneself present in places of the elaboration of learning, to propose, with respect and convic-tion, the light of the Gospel on the fundamental questions that concern man, his dignity, and his eternal destiny. Thinking of the role of the Franciscans and Dominicans in the Middle Ages, of the spiritual renewal they aroused, of the breath of new life that they communicated in the world, a monk says: "At that time the world was growing old. Two orders arose in the Church, from which it renewed its youth, like that of an eagle" (Burchard d'Ursperg, Chronicon). Dear brothers and sisters, let us indeed invoke at the beginning of this year the Holy Spirit, eternal youth of the Church: May he make each one of us feel the urgency of giving a consistent and coura-geous witness of the Gospel, so that saints will never be lacking, who make the Church shine as a Bride always pure and beautiful, without stain and without wrinkle, able to attract the world irresistibly to Christ, to his salvation.

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Wasalt Olancho fix-xahar ta’ Mejju 1983. Bag]tuni hawn mill-Gwatemala biex ng]en lil ]abib KBIR tieg]i, Mons. Mauro Mouldon, Amerikan u isqof fran[iskan, jer[a’ jibni din id-djo`esi. Min]abba xi problemi politi`i tal-img]oddi, fejn sa tilfu ]ajjiethom \ew[ sa`erdoti ]bieb tieg]I, Olancho kien ilu 8 snin bla isqof. Sibna mer]la ta’ nofs miljun ru] imxerrda, img]erfxa u m]awda g]all-a]]ar ! G]all-ewwel ]sibt li kien l-ikbar \ball ta’ ]ajti! Dak in-inhar stess li wa-salt, bdejt ix-xog]ol tieg]i pastorali. Kien xi l-4.00 pm meta ]abbat il-bieb. Qaluli li wa]da mara xwej]a, membru fl-Ordni Fran[iskan Sekular, kienet tinsab gravi ]afna u xtaqet tqerr, tir`ievi s-sagrament tal-grizma tal-morda u titqarben qabel ma tmut. Meta wasalt sibt id-dar imballata bin-nies - kif dejjem jg]amlu l-}ondurani meta xi ]add ikun wasal g]all-a]]ar vja[[. In-nies hawn il-kelma SOLIDARJETA’ johduha bis-serjeta. Qarartha, dliktha bi\-\ejt tal-morda u qarbintha wkoll. Matul i`-`erimonja kollha indunjat b’ ra[el \ag]\ug] li kien il-]in kollu j\omm f’ idejh id ix-xwej]a, b]alkieku kien xi te\or kbir li be\a li ja]rablu. Meta spi``ajt it-talb kollu, qalli li l-anzjana kienet ommu g]alhekk kellu g]o\\a kbira. Tkellimna fuq xi sieg]a, i\\ik ]ajr minn qieg] qalbu ta dak kollu li g]amilt m’ ommu fl-a]]ar mumenti ta’ ]ajjietha u spe`jalment g]ax hi b]ala terzjarja , dejjem ]olmot, li meta tkun se tmut Alla jtiha l-grazzja li xi patri fra[iskan jg]enha tmut fil-pa`i. Xi sag]tejn wara, l-anzjana mietet fis-sliem. G]aminilha quddiesa sabi]a qabel ma difnuha u er[ajt rajt lil binha jg]amel bikja wa]da meta ni\\luha fil-qabar. Aktar sirna ]bieb fuq il-qabar t’ ommu. Ismu kien PEPE LOBO ! Issa [irja KBIRA g]all-pre\ent! IL-}add , 29 ta’ Novembru 2009, fil-}onduras kien hawn l-elezzjonijiet presiden-zjali. Ilna sitt xhur s]a] b’ ta]wid kbir politiku f’ dan il-pajji\ ……….bombi, ]ruq ta’ karozzi, suldati fit-toroq, tankijiet u ajruplani ma’ kullimkien. I\da madankollu mil-juni ta’ }ondurani ]ar[u jivvutaw g]al President [did f’ dan il-pajji\ l-aktar fqir tad-dinja. Dak in-nhar kelli 5 quddiesiet f’ 5 postijiet differenti tal-parro``a tal-kattidral, g]aliex l-isqof kien marid l-Amerika…….`an`er tal-prostata. Wara l-a]]ar quddi-esa tas-6.30 pm kont g]ajjien mejjet u biex nistrie] naqra, intfajt quddiem it– T.V. nara l-ewwel ri\ultati de]lin. Min]abba tant problemi politi`i tal-a]]ar xhur, id-dinja kollha kienet qed tara x’ inhu jsir. Kien hawn mijiet ta’ gurnalisti mid-dinja kollha u aktar minn 600 osserva-turi internazzjonali biex jassiguraw ru]hom li ma hawnx serq ta’ voti, kif is-soltu jg]amlu fil-Honduras. Il-g]add tal-voti kien bil-mod ]afna. Fil-Honduras, il-kelma G}A

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…………………………. il-kelma G}A{LA ma te\istix fid-dizzjunarju ! I\da ftit wara nofs il-lejl, bi 65 % tal-voti mag]duda, kien jidher `ar li l-}onduras kellha president [did. Jismu : PEPE LOBO. Jien kont di[a nofsi rieqed. I\da hekk kif smajt dan l-isem qomt mall-ewwel. Ma stajtx nemmen dak li kont qed nisma u nara. Ftakart f’ dak ir-ra[el \ag]\ug] i\omm id ommu waqt li qed tmut aktar minn 27 sena ilu. Tg]id l-istess wie]ed? Tg]id qed no]lom jew hu tassew hekk ? Waqt li kont qed na]seb hekk, i`empel it-telefon. Rari ]afna li xi ]add i`empel wara nofs il-lejl. Pero g]andi o]ti Mary, il-Kanada, u kultant i``empel meta l-anqas tkun tistennieha. Qbadt it-telefon, i\da flok bil-Malti, smajt l-Ispanjol: “Tiftakarni? Jien Pepe Lobo u 27 sena ilu inti g]ent lill-ommi tmut fil-pa`i. Jiena smajt bix-xog]ol li inti qed tg]amel mal-]absin, anzjani, orfni u morda bl-AIDS. Naf ukoll li qed tipprova tibni stejdjum tal-futbol g]a\-\ag]a\g] ta’ Olan-cho. Na]seb li issa, b]ala President, inkun nista’ in]allsek xi ftit ta dak kollu li g]amilt m’ ommi tant snin ilu. Kun af li a]na l-Olanchos, QATT ma ninsew lil min jg]amilna xi favur !“. Immutajt u bilkemm stajt nifta] ]alqi. Fi 38 sena ta’ patri fran-[iskan QATT u QATT ma kien `empilli President u wisq inqas wie]ed li g]adu ]iere[ mill-fabbrika tal-votanti. Kwa\i intemtem, irnexxili nifra]lu u weg]etu li nitlob g]alih. Qalli li l’ quddiem ser j\omm kuntatt mieg]i, l-iktar min]-abba li hu minn hawn, minn Olancho. Min jaf ? Anke l-}onduras ma hemm l-ebda ]sara li tkun TAF naqra lil President tal-pajji\ ta’ 800 miljun ru]. Dak inhar qabel ma rqadt g]edt lili nnifsi li veru Alla jaf ja]dem b’ manjieri misterju\i u aktar u aktar mag]na l-Fran[iskani. Forsi dan min]abba li g]andna qaddis tant kbir, Missierna S. Fran[isk, qrib ]afna tat-tron t’ Alla u tant jie]u ]sieb tag]na, uliedu. “S. Fran[isk, jog][bok, hu ]sieb PEPE LOBO, il-President il-[did tal- }onduras, g]ax veru g]andu b\onn ……...u jien ukoll!”.

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Wara li saritlu talba mill-Ministru General, P. Jose Rodriguez Carballo, P. George Bugeja beda ja]dem fil-Kongregazzjoni tal-Evangelizazzjoni tal-Popli (Propaganda Fide). Huwa beda jag]mel parti mill-fraternita tal - formazzjoni, li l-Provin`ja Amerikana tal - Immaculate Conception g]andha [ewwa Ruma : Convento S. Francesco, via Nicolo V, 35, 00165 Tel. 065449364. Is-sede tal-Kongregazzjoni qeg]da : Piazza di Spagna, 48, 00187. Filwaqt li nitolbu g]alih, nawgurawlu, li f’ dan is-servizz li se jibda jag]ti g]all-Knisja Universali, jkompli ja]dem g]all-glorja t’ Alla u g]al ]utna l-insara li jinsabu fil-missjonijiet.

P. Marcello Ghirlando O.F.M. , g]all-darb’o]ra, rappre\entant tas-Santa Sede

Bejn it-12 u t-13 ta’ Frar [ewwa l-Qawra, P. Marcello Ghirlando attenda, b]ala rappre\entant tas-Santa Sede, g]all-laqg]a inter-nazzjonali b’ appo[[ g]all-pa`i bejn l-I\raeljani u l-Palestinjani. Din il-laqg]a [iet organizzata mill-Assemblea Parlamentari tal-Mediterran (PAM) u n-Nazzjonijiet Uniti, permezz tal-Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestianian people. Id-diskussjoni saret fuq il-fruntieri, il-kolonji, ir-refugjati, l-ilma u l-belt

qaddisa ta’ Gerusalem fi ]dan il-pro`ess ta’ pa`i bejn l-I\rael u l-Palestina. }adu sehem esperti mag]rufa u persuni importanti mir-regjun u mill-komunita’ in-ternazzjonali, flimkien ma’ membri tal-parlament mi\-\ew[ na]at. Din kienet it-tieni darba ({unju 2008) li huwa rrappre\enta lis-Santa Sede f’ laqg]a internazzjonali fuq l-istess su[[ett. Minn din il-pa[na, nawgurawlu u jalla s-sehem tieg]u jg]en biex il-pa`i ter[a’ ssaltan fl-Art Imqaddsa.

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Fl-ewwel [img]at ta’ Frar kellna fostna l-a]wa li qed ja]dmu fil-missjoni tal-Libja (maqsumin f’ \ew[ gruppi) biex iqattg]u ftit jiem fostna. Huma qag]du fil-kunvent tal-Belt. Grazzi mill-qalb lill-fraternita’ tal-Belt, kif ukoll lil dawk l-a]wa, li g]enuhom matul i\-\jara tag]hom. Il-Provin`jal kien be]siebu li j\urhom fil-Libja, imma m]abba `-`irkustanzi li nqalg]u ma marx. Id-Definitorju Provin`jali qed jiltaqa’ kull xahar f’ kunvent differenti. Wara li g]amel \mien jiltaqa’ fil-kunvent ta’ Tas-Sliema, issa f’ dawn l-a]]ar xhur di[a’ jiltaqa’ fil-kunventi tar-Rabat u tal-Belt. Kull darba qed ssir valutazzjoni tal-]ajja tal-provin`ja, kif ukoll ji[u diskussi su[[etti, li minn \mien g]all-ie]or, jinqalg]u. L-a]wa, li jkollhom b\onn jag]mlu talba, huma mitluba biex jibg]atuha mill-aktar fis. Waqt is-sessjoni tad-Definitorju Provin`jali, li saret nhar it-8 ta’ Frar, [ewwa l-Kurja Provin`jali, il-Provin`jal g]araf li, P. Alfred Tabone se jibda jg]amel parti mill-fraternita tal-Belt Valletta. Huwa se jkompli l-]idma tieg]u ta’ Rettur tal-kappella ta’ ~elju, il-Marsa u l-]idmiet o]ra li di[a’ g]andu. Fl-istess sessjoni l-Provin`jal av\a li se jibda jdur il-komunitajiet kollha biex jkellem lill-fraternitajiet tal-Provin`ja tag]na. Fit-13 ta’ Frar fis-7.00 pm fid-Dar tal-Irtiri - Ba]ar i`-~ag]aq - P. Julian Sammut tkellem dwar ‘ It-Tradizzjoni Intelletwali tal-Fran[iskani’. Din kienet l-ewwel attivita’ reli[ju\a minn sensiela ta’ laqg]at o]ra, li se jsiru matul is-sena kollha, organizzati mid-direzzjoni tad-Dar. Attendew mas-60 ru]. Wara saret ikla fraterna ming]ajr ]las. Fix-xahar ta’ Marzu se jsiru l-Eser`izzi Spiritwali. Ara p. 10 Fis-27 ta’ Frar bosta a]wa attendew g]all-laqg]a spiritwali tar-Randan. Fl-9.45 am il-Provin`jal beda din il-laqg]a, billi ta l-mer]ba u rringrazzja lil dawk l-a]wa li taw s-sehem tag]hom fit-twettiq tar-rinnovament tal-kappella u d-Dar tal-Irtiri. Wara bdiet `elebrazzjoni tal-Kelma t’ Alla mmexxija minn P. Giacomo Bini, li fiha [iet inawgurata l-kappella l-kbira, wara li sar rinnovament totali tag]ha. Imbg]ad P. Richard ta t-tag]rif ne`essarju dwar ix-xog]ol li sar u dak li se jibda jsir f’ din id-Dar. Wara l-break, saret it-ta]dita ta’ P. Giacomo Bini, ex-Ministru General. P. Giacomo, bil-mod ]elu u konvin`enti tieg]u, tkellem fuq l-isfidi tal-]ajja fran[iskana u re[a’ fakkarna fuq il-prin`ipji ba\i`i tal-]ajja tag]na. Filwaqt li awgura lil P. George g]as-servizz [did li se jibda jag]ti, iI-Provin`jal qal li issa n]asset il- ]tie[a biex inkunu lesti ]alli ng]enu aktar lill-komunita’ ta’ G]awdex Il-laqg]a ntemmet b’ ikla fraterna u b’ ringrazzjament, b’ mod spe`jali, lil P. Giacomo, lill-komunita’ ta’ Ba]ar i`-~ag]aq u lill-a]wa kollha li attendew. P. Giacomo kellu `-`ans li jiltaqa’ mal-Istudenti, Postulanti u l-Klarissi biss peress li huwa [ie l-{img]a wara n-nofsinhar u telaq t-Tnejn filg]odu. Fl-1 ta’ Marzu l-Provin`jal mar i\ur lin-novizzi fil-fraternita ta’ S. Damiano [ewwa Assisi u P. George Bugeja mar Ruma, fejn beda s-servizz tieg]u. Ara p. 9 Mill-1 ta’ Marzu P. John Muscat jinqg]ad mal-Provin`ja Fran[iskana ta’ S. Pedro Bautista tal-Filippini. Huwa ilu g]al bosta snin ja]dem f’ dan il-pajji\ asjatiku u huwa stess wera x-xewqa li jkompli ja]dem hemm. Nitolbu g]alih u nawgurawlu.

Fis-7 t’ April il-Provin`jal u l-a]wa kollha tal-Provin`ja tag]na [ew mistiedna g]-all-Quddiesa Kon`elebrata, li se jsir fis-6.30 pm [ewwa l-Parro``a tal-Fgura fl’ okka\joni tal-{ublew Parrokkjali tal-imsemmi parro``a.

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FESTI APRIL 2010 BIRTHDAYS 19. Fra Walter Vassallo 1. P. Dionsiju Mintoff 23. P. George Aqulina 2. Fra Loreto Zerafa P. George Bugeja 3. P. Twanny Chircop 25. P. Mark Enriquez 4. P. Joe Bonello P. Mark Ciantar 7. Fra Guzepp Debono 12. P. Marcello Ghirlando 23. P. Guzepp Camilleri 24. Mons. Robert Camilleri 26. Post. Ramon Farrugia

P. Cherubin Galea

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Pentekoste Fran[iskan 2 - 3 S. {wann minn Triora O.F.M. 4 Lectio Divina ( P. Joaquin ) 5 - 6 Il-Fran[iskani u d-Dumnikani 7 Min qatt kellu jg]idli ? 8 - 9 Awguri 10 A]barijiet mill-Provin`ja tag]na 11

L-Editur

P. Alexander Borg O.F.M. Patrijiet Fran[iskani Triq Dun Pawl Vella

Tas-Sliema SLM 1184 Tel. 21 33 11 83

E-mail : fralex@maltanet.net

g]all-a]]ar aggornamenti hhtp:/ ofm.org.mt

Grazzi lil P. Joseph Magro O.F.M.

}u nota ta’ dawn id-dati biex tkun pre\enti g]alihom !!!

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