The participants to the meeting. Standing left: Fr Nicaise, Fr Rizieri, Fr Emil, Fr José Antonio, Fr Mario, Fr Milos, Fr Antonio, Fr Maurizio, Fr Mauro, Fr Federico, Fr Gabriele. In front: Fr Paulin, Fr Giorgio.
A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE MEETING
On November 12 and 13, 2024, the meeting of the Parish Priests and Assistant Parish Priests of the Blessed Sacrament parishes present in the territory of our Province took place at the house of Malmantile. For this reason, in addition to the eight parishes of Italy and the three of Spain, the invitation to participate was also extended to the parish of the Canadian Martyrs. Our African brothers gladly accepted the invitation and responded with the presence of the parish priest, Fr. Nicaise, and one of the two assistant parish priests, Fr. Paulin.
In addition to them, seven other parishes were represented (Bolsena with Frs. Maurizio, Milos and Emil; Caserta with Fr. Mario; Milan S. Angela with Fr. Mauro; Milan S. Peter Julian with Fr. Federico; Modugno with Frs. Antonio and Giorgio; Prato with Fr. Rizieri; Madrid Sainz de Baranda with Fr. José Antonio). We also felt in communion with those who could not participate, especially Fr. Mario Pesce.
Fr. Maurizio led the meeting, during the whole of which Fr. Gabriele was also present. After the introduction and listening to two short reflections on the passage from Mk 6:30-34 (“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while…”), the rest of the afternoon of Tuesday the 12th was dedicated to listening to each participant, who was invited to talk about themselves and their mission (joys and sorrows, successes and failures, difficulties and achievements, questions…).
The morning of Wednesday the 13th began with ample time for prayer: during Lauds in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed, the entire chapter 6 of Mark was proclaimed; in this is the passage that served as a guide to the meeting. The sharing was then resumed in the assembly by attempting to interpret the personal and pastoral experiences recounted in the light of the following questions: “As a Blessed Sacrament religious, within today’s history, what comes to mind to say/suggest in light of what I have heard? Can I give an interpretation/explanation on some narrative, on problems that have emerged, on pastoral initiatives? What contribution can our charism, our spirituality make in this historical moment?”. The morning ended with the Eucharist and lunch.
In the afternoon, we tried to “look ahead”, being assisted also by the spiritual and pastoral suggestions from Enzo Bianchi’s commentary on the passage in Mark. The meeting ended in the evening with the intention of repeating it once a year and, also, of setting up a “virtual container” in which materials would be inserted for the use by everyone.
A REFLECTION BY FR GIORGIO
The apostles returned to Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them: “Come away by yourselves to a lonely place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away by a boat to a lonely place by themselves. Now many saw them going, and knew them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns, and got there ahead of them. As he landed he saw a great throng, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. (Mark 6:30-34)
This was the text of the Gospel that introduced us to the sixth chapter of Mark, which we listened to and prayed, and which accompanied us in sharing: to remind us how essential it is - on the one hand - to stop and remain with the Lord and with our brothers, to guard our hearts and to remember how much life flows within our communities; and - on the other hand - to profoundly welcome the challenges we have ahead, those that our own people prompt us to face.
We are supported by the awareness of the richness of our charism and the task of relating faith with life, as the sign of sharing to which the Eucharist continually points; a responsibility that entails highlighting the beauty of our Rule of Life and the ability of living the prayer of adoration.
There is an absolute need to make a network of communicating to each other - as we have done in these recent days – about so many “good” pastoral undertakings that we are cultivating. Above all with regard to the care of relationships with young people, the need is felt for some common guidelines to pursue paths of faith illuminated by the Eucharist: in this sense, we need to work on an online container that fosters communication and sharing.
What do I personally take home from these two days, in addition to what has already been indicated? I repeat the phrase that has for some months been whirling around in my head and that sums up our sharing well: “What is essential is invisible to the eyes.” This is what the Little Prince states regarding the centrality of the heart, of interiority. But it is also true that "What is essential is visible to the eyes," that is: essential are the concrete faces of the people who come before me in everyday life and who ask me for urgent and demanding answers, in the concreteness of charitable gestures. Look: the Eucharist addresses this challenge well, so current: embrace and guard interiority and at the same time get one’s hands dirty for justice!
“Do not take anything for the journey except what is essential,” Jesus reminded his disciples as he sent them out. Let us return to our communities with the profound trust that God is the essential; and we can welcome the new that He places before us only when we free ourselves from the superfluous and walk with what is truly necessary. To paraphrase the words of Saint Peter Julian: “I have the Eucharist, that is enough for me!”
Provincial Notiziario “Madonna del SS. Sacramento”
N.14 - 1 December 2024
