during this time of pandemic
October 17, 2020

Dear brothers, Peace and All Good!

I am greeting you from Seoul, South Korea, where I have been under quarantine for the last several days, awaiting the celebration of the Ordinary Provincial Chapter which will start in the next few days.

Besides greeting you, I wanted to share my concern with you about what is being called, at least in Europe, a second wave of Covid-19, this unwanted but real guest, that is present among us.
I am getting reports, news from around the world, from places where we have infected friars and hospitalized friars, both young and old, without distinction, and even reports of friars who have died.
We very much understand the consequences of this virus, in particular, how these consequences relate to our lives and to life itself: to every day subsistence education, health of course, and jobs; We very much understand how poverty has increased all over the world … However it is not my intention to talk about things of which you are already familiar, Rather, I want to assure you of my prayer, my deep prayer, especially for our sick friars, for those suffering with complications, for those who are hospitalized, and also for all of our family members, several of whom are sick or have other complications. I assure you of my heartfelt prayer.
I also fervently ask that all of you continue to pray, to pray even more deeply, especially for our confreres, but also for the people who are nearest to us, and for the whole world, as well.
I also ask all of you to show as much solidarity through all this as you possibly can. I ask that all of you express solidarity: one way is by caring, of course, but another way of expressing solidarity, is by doing what we can for others.
Certainly we are all in the hands of the Lord, and this is a great mystery. Let us entrust this situation to Him, let us ask Him for His mercy. Therefore, brothers, I ask all of you to be strong before the Lord, and at this time, I ask Him to confer upon everyone, especially those who are the sickest, His protection and His blessing.

May the Lord protect you all.
Thank you.

Friar Carlos A. TROVARELLI
Minister General