On May 6-8, 2024, the friars of the Provincial Delegation in Chile held a meeting at the Inmaculada Concepción Friary in Santiago, Chile.
On the first day, Friar Marcos QUESADA NAVARRO, from the Seraphicum College in Rome, helped the friars reflect on the stigmata of St. Francis. Among other things, Friar Marcos stated: “Only after La Verna is St. Francis able to resume his Easter song, aware of being resurrected in Christ, and also, like Christ, bearing in his body and soul the wounds of his own story and gift of self.” The friars were then invited to renew their way of living their vocation and their belonging to the Church, and to bear witness together to the merciful love that flows from the Crucified One. The wounds of the stigmata are an invitation to let yourself be moved and challenged by the many episodes of pain and suffering that you encounter in your own story and that of others. After reflecting upon the stigmata, the friar went on to evaluate the life of the Delegation.
On the second day, the friars continued their evaluation of the life of the Delegation. That afternoon, they discussed various topics such as the abuse prevention protocol for our parishes; youth and vocation ministry; Caritas, common health and illness prevention practices; the “Puerto Príncipe” camp for Haitian migrants in Curicó, Chile; the winter youth mission; the preparations for the Delegation’s formation week and finally the presentation of the Delegation’s financial statement for 2023.
On the last day, the psychiatrist Camilo BARRIONUEVO gave a lecture on “Wounds and Traumas: A Psycho-Spiritual Approach,” which helped everyone to gain a personal and community understanding of wounds and traumas, and the consequences these have on the human and spiritual journey.
The friars were grateful for the days they spent together and for the topics that were presented, which helped them evaluate personal and community life in the Delegation and examine their pastoral duties.
Friar Jack GINTING
