For several years, the Custos of the Provincial Custody of St. Bonaventure in France-Belgium, Friar Jean-François Marie AUCLAIR, has gathered the temporary professed of his Custody for a fraternal meeting at the end of the summer. It is an opportunity to talk about the past year, as most of them are in Italy, and to discuss the life of the Custody.
This year, he accepted an invitation to explore Corsica, proposed by our confrere, His Eminence Cardinal François BUSTILLO, Bishop of Ajaccio. The participants were given a warm welcome. Meetings with the Vicar General of the Diocese, Father Frédéric CONSTANT, the priests and the laity, helped the participants understand how Franciscan life has shaped the faith of the island and continues to do so today. Although there are only a few Capuchin friars left in the Sardinia-Corsica Province, the visitors were happy to visit the friar community in Bastia. The friars there explained the influence of Franciscan spirituality on popular piety, especially through practices such as the Stations of the Cross or the Holy Stairs, to say nothing of their devotion to St. Anthony.
Cardinal François also talked about his daily life, testifying to the beauty of his ministry, but also mentioning the challenges that the Diocese faces. On several occasions, he took time to chat with the participants, demonstrating the affection he continues to have for our religious family.
One of the official moments of the visit was a ceremony to confer the “Légion d’Honneur.” This event brought together many Corsicans from different origins and occupations. It was a beautiful symbol of unity. The presence of the eight visiting friars in the heart of this assembly did not go unnoticed, especially when the Salve Sancte Pater was sung. After this hymn, there was a nice meeting with the choirmaster of the town of Sartène, who preserves the Corsican-Franciscan musical tradition through polyphonic singing. In the evening, there were many enriching exchanges, bearing witness to the gratitude the Corsicans feel towards the Franciscans and the cardinal.
This visit was a time of contemplation, of wonder, of discovering magnificent places, of reflecting on the presence of the Church in Corsica and of better understanding the local reality. Finally, it was time to depart Corsica, with the promise to return next March with some friars and the relics of St. Anthony, as part of a popular mission.
Friar Jean-François Marie AUCLAIR
