In the last week of October, from the 23rd till the 27th October, the Franciscan Friars of the Province of the Holy Trinity of Chile spent their traditional Week of Ongoing Formation at the Alvernia Retreat House of St. Francis of Mostazal (VI Region of the country).
As every year, about 45 friars gathered to spend time during those days, a time of grace and renewal of their Franciscan religious life. At the beginning of the meeting, br Carlos Paz, ofm, the Provincial Minister, welcomed the confreres and reminded them "that the time of ongoing formation is a vital time and space to let ourselves be formed by the Lord meditating upon His Word."
"Recovering the humanity of Jesus to rethink religious life" was the theme that the friars studied and reflected upon with the help of br Michael Moore, ofm, a friar of the Province of St. Francis Solano (Argentina). He holds a Doctorate in Theology (2010), with a specialization in Fundamental Theology, from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He is currently a professor at the Faculty of Theology of the Catholic University of Cordoba (UCC).
During the week of formation, the friars were accompanied by br Ignacio Ceja Jimenez, ofm, Vicar General, and br César Külkam, ofm, General Definitor for the Brazil, Southern Zone and the Bolivarian Conference.
The presence of the confreres of the General Government is part of the process of accompaniment in the Province during the time of the Provincial Moratorium.
During the celebration of the Mass in the Church of St. Francis of Assisi in La Alameda, Santiago, presided over by the Vicar General, the Day of Ongoing Formation came to its conclusion. On this occasion, the Franciscan Friars of Chile raised their hearts to God in thanksgiving for the 400th anniversary of the friary of St. Francis of Assisi at la Alameda.
By: br Ronald Villalobos, ofm
