On Wednesday, March 20, 2024, the friars of the General Custody of the Sacred Convent of St. Francis of Assisi in Italy conducted their monthly Custodial retreat.
The preacher for the retreat was Friar Giancarlo ROSATI, OFM, from the Friary of St. Mary of the Angels at the Portiuncula. In keeping with the 800th anniversary of St. Francis receiving the stigmata, Friar Giancarlo presented a reflection on the spiritual value this had, both personally for St. Francis, and for us, as his sons and disciples. In particular, he stressed how Francis’ wounds were actually the internal lacerations he got from life, the friars and history. The grace of La Verna allowed him to discover and accept that his wounds could coincide with those of Christ. Thus, Francis was no longer filled with bitterness, but with love: love for Christ, for the friars, for the Church and for the world. In this sense, receiving the stigmata was a form of participating in Christ’s Easter and victory and a way of bearing communal witness to His resurrection.
Friar Giulio CESAREO
