Visits to the Province of St. Michael Archangel in Puglia and Molise

“Embrace the future with hope”  is the theme of the Friars Minor of the Province of St. Michael Archangel in Puglia and Molise chose to celebrate their annual feast day on the occasion of the Apparition of Archangel Michael in the grotto of the same name in Mount St. Angel, Gargano. The feast day, brought forward to 4th May, was honoured this year by the presence of the Minister General, Fr. Michael A. Perry, who, after a moment of prayer, gave an interesting discourse on the subject. The Eucharistic Celebration, presided over by the same Minister in  the grotto of Archangel Michael, and concelebrated by the delegate of the MG for the Province, Fr. Enzo Maggioni, the Minister Provincial, Fr. Giuseppe Tomiri, and by many fellow friars from various friaries in the Province, was particularly intense. The liturgical animation was provided by post-novitiate friars. In the homily, which was particularly incisive, Fr. Michael taking his cue from the reading of God’s word for the day, put his listeners on guard against yielding to the temptation of idols: choosing to give more value to all that which “is not God” rather than that which is “of God”.  He then concluded launching an appeal to follow the aims and values of the Kingdom: to be and to live as brothers, to construct the fraternity around us, to be builders of peace and reconciliation, to be with the poor and for the poor, in solidarity and simplicity of life, to look after creation, that is what the people expect from “friars minor”. This is what we should expect from ourselves: this is what we should expect  from one another; this is what God expects of us. After having shared a meal with joy, the brothers who had gathered together returned to their houses to continue, with greater enthusiasm and strength, their mission of proclaimers and witnesses of hope. [gallery link="file" ids="9285,9286,9287,9288,9289"]