Once again, as they have done for the last few years, the Province of St. Nicholas and St. Angelo in Italy (Puglia) and the Province of St. Bernardine and St. Angelo in Italy (Abruzzo-Molise) offered two inter-Provincial spiritual retreat courses for all their members.
The courses took place at the San Giovanni XXIII formation house in the town of Larino. Larino is located in the Italian province of Campobasso, in the Italian region of Molise. It is an area rich in Franciscan history and has become the usual site for many joint activities between the two Jurisdictions. Both Provinces will be unified in 2025.
The first course took place on January 15-20, 2024, and was led by Father Armando CECCARELLI, SJ, a member of the Nostro Signore Gesù Cristo Re Jesuit residence in Pescara, Italy. The second course, took place on February 5-9, 2024, and was led by Father Gian Battista RIZZI of the Archdiocese of Milan. He resides at the Christus Vivit Giovanni Paolo II Center in the Montorso district of Loreto, Italy.
A good number of friars from both Provinces participated in the courses, which were conducted according to the Ignatian style, in an environment of profound silence. This facilitated reflection and meditation and created a beautiful climate of spiritual communion.
Friar Massimo Antonio RUGGIERO
