On Friday, March 1, gathered in the magnificent Hall of the Five Hundred of the Palazzo Vecchio of Florence (Italy) the second major event of the Centenary of the Stigmata unfolded, the first having taken place on January 5 at Mount La Verna.
“Between the great temptation and the new song: steps on the journey” was the title of the gathering in which our Minister General, Br Massimo Fusarelli, participated, along with the mayor of Florence, Dario Nardella, and journalist, Agnese Pini, Director of QN-La Nazione, Il Giorno, and Il Resto del Carlino.
This three-voice conversation was moderated by Maria Federica Giuliani, Councilor for Religious Confessions from the city of Florence and by Br Matteo Brena OFM, Coordinator of the Regional Commission for the Centenary of the Stigmata.
“The title of the 8th Centenary is From Wounds to New Life,” said Br Matteo Brena, “an inspired title which reveals the conviction that new life often comes about from our woundedness. We would like to celebrate this Centenary by viewing the profound event that took place with Francis of Assisi as a gift for all people, believers and non-believers alike. And so we hoped to provide this moment of dialogue in this place, a place that normally hosts secular gatherings, searching to determine the steps of a common journey for us all, while trying to understand and avoid the most tenacious temptations of our age.”
For his part, Br Massimo explained how Saint Francis, after returning from his time in the Holy Land, renounced the title of Minister General of the Order. This came during a period of deep suffering and personal crisis for him, because the fraternity was changing too quickly and had become quite different than the one he had left behind. “Francis entered into a profound personal crisis after the approval of the Rule and headed up Mount La Verna to pray and retreat. There he faced severe temptations,” said the Minister. He ascended the mountain to make his peace and be reconciled with God and himself. He descended a new man, a true herald of the Gospel, his body becoming a sermon of peace. “I hope that this year of celebrating the 8th Centenary of the Stigmata affords us the opportunity to change that which we most struggle with, apathy, that we too might become living signs of peace,” Br Massimo concluded.
Dario Nardella highlighted how Saint Francis, in his simplicity, is attractive to all, especially the youth. For him, Saint Francis’ life highlights an experience, the experience of renouncing all. “The concept of renouncing all things is compelling and raises a fascination that strikes at the core of the person.” The Mayor of Florence continued, saying that in a world at war, we need to “rehumanize” all things, as Saint Francis did. “Humanity had forgotten how to be human…How can a society ever humanize war? Today we need to figure out what to do for the suffering and the dying, we must explore the questions raised by the environment crisis and technology,” Nardella concluded.
Director Pini shared her experience visiting Mount La Verna when she was young. “I was taken aback by Francis who spoke with animals and after my experience on La Verna, I wanted to do the same!” For her, the simplicity of Saint Francis is timeless and speaks to everyone. It even spoke to her as a young girl. “He was so very human, with such a colorful personality. It must have been difficult for those who knew him to consider him a saint. I wonder if I lived in his day would I have recognized his sanctity? Or would I have considered him mad? I certainly hope not.”
After this, the conversation turned to Artificial Intelligence, calling it the “great power,” and a change in our world that cannot be ignored. We must determine ways to use it for good. We recall that in order to reform the Church, Francis did not leave the Church, he reformed from within. “We too have an opportunity today to reform things from within.” She concluded saying, “Another thing Saint Francis teaches, that may be applied to Artificial Intelligence, is the importance of having rules. Francis needed a Rule for his Order to follow and so we today need rules that will keep us from losing ourselves.”
