OORDNIRDNI TALTAL--PPATRIJIETATRIJIET MMINURIINURI -- M A L T AM A L T A

PPROROVINĊJAVINĊJA FFRANĠISKANARANĠISKANA TATA’ S’ SANAN PPAWLAWL AAPPOSTLUPPOSTLU http://www.ofm.org.mthttp://www.ofm.org.mt

NNRURU. 200 MEJ 14. 200 MEJ 14

OFM – LINK MEJJU 2014 ——————————— 1

Kapitlu Provinċjali Elettiv 2014

12 - 16 ta’ Mejju

Ħallieq ta’ kollox, ejja ,

o Spiritu, żur lil ruħna:

bil-grazzja tiegħek fawwar

il-qlub maħluqa minnek.

Humility as truth and service in St. Francis of Assisi (3)

Fr. Raniero Cantalmessa O.F.M. Cap.

There is an episode of Manzoni’s The Betrothed which contains a profound psychological and evangeli-

cal truth. Friar Christopher, having finished his novitiate, decided to ask forgiveness publicly to the par-

ents of the man that, before he became a friar, he killed in a duel. The family aligns itself, forming a sort

of Caudine Forks, so that the gesture would be the most humiliating possible for the friar and of greatest

satisfaction for the family’s pride. But when they saw the young friar proceed with his head bowed,

kneeling before the brother of the man killed and asking for forgiveness, the arrogance fell, they were the

ones who felt embarrassed and asked for pardon, so that in the end all crowded around the friar to kiss

his hand and to commend themselves to his prayers.[15] These are the miracles of humility.

In the prophet Zephaniah God says: “I will leave in the midst of you a people humble and lowly. They

shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord” (Zephaniah 3:12). This word is still timely and perhaps the

success of the evangelization in which the Church is committed will depend on it.

Now it is I who, before ending, must remind myself of a saying that was dear to Saint Francis. He usually

repeated: “Charles emperor, Orlando, Oliviero, all the paladins reported a glorious and memorable vic-

tory … However, there are now many that, only with the telling of their feat, want to receive honors and

glory from other men.”[16] He used this example to say that the saints practiced the virtues and that oth-

ers seek glory only by recounting them.[17]

So that I will not also be of their number, I make an effort to put into practice the counsel given by an

ancient desert Father, Isaac of Nineveh, to one who was constrained by the duty to speak of spiritual

things, which he had not yet attained in his own life: “Speak, he said, as one who belongs to the class of

disciples and not with authority, after having humiliated your soul and making yourself smaller than any

of your listeners.” With this spirit, Holy Father, Venerable Fathers, brothers and sisters, I have dared to

speak to you of humility.

1 Paradiso XI, 111.

2 St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Canticle, XVI, 10 (PL 183, 853).

3 Little Flowers, chapter X.

4 S. Kierkegaard, The Mortal Sickness, II, chapter 1, in Works, published by C. Fabro, Sansoni, Flor-

ence1972, pp. 662 f.

5 Admonitions, XIX (FF 169); cf. also St. Bonaventure, Major Legend, VI, 1 (FF 1103).

6 Considerations of the Sacred Stigmata, III (FF 1916).

7 St. Augustine, Soliloquies, I. 1, 3; II, 1, 1 (PL 32, 870.885).

8 St. Teresa of Avila, Interior Castle, VI dim., chapter 10.

9 The Book of Blessed Angela of Foligno, Quaracchi, 1985, p. 737.

10 Apophtegmata Patrum, Antonio 7: PG 65, 77.

11 Imitation of Christ, II, chapter 10.

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12 Admonitions, I (FF 144).e

13 Letter to the Whole Order (FF 221).

14 B. Pascal, Pensees, n. 150 Br.

15 A. Manzoni, The Betrothed, chapter IV.

16 Admonitions VI (FF 155).

17 Celano, Second Life, 72 (FF 1626).

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ikompli minn paġna 4

The new Minister Provincial, Anton Maria Cesal, convoked the Definitorium on 1 July 1914. By the time

he had to convoke the second meeting on 16 December, Anton Maria Cesal had died on 14 December

1914, after only 8 months in office. He can be rightly considered to be the father of the Province.

Since then the Maltese OFM Province has continued to flourish, with new churches and friaries in

Ħamrun (Saint Francis Stigmatised), Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq (Porziuncola Retreat House and Saint Mary of the

Angels), and other permanent or temporary presences in Malta and abroad (London, Toronto, Adelaide,

Honduras, Libya, Ħal Far, Birkirkara, Mellieħa, Marsaskala).

Times have never been easy for the Franciscan OFM Province of Malta. This commemoration is not only

a joyful celebration of past achievements, but should also be a courageous occasion to face up to the

challenge of giving a Franciscan witness in a secularised and postmodern society.

N.B. Dan l-artiklu deher fil-website tal-Ordni tagħna nhar it-12 t’ April.

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Minn din il-paġna

filwaqt li nirringrazzjaw lil Alla għall-ħarsien tiegħu,

ngħidu grazzi mill-qalb

lil tant patrijiet li offrew ħajjiethom

b’qalb ġeneruża lill-Kustodja u lill-Provinċja.

Ma’ dawn inżiedu tant sorijiet,

speċjalment dawk franġiskani u

tant lajċi li taw kull għajnuna possibbli

lill-Provinċja tagħna tul dawn is-snin kollha.

Jalla dak li sar fl-imgħoddi,

ikompli jissaħħaħ fil-ġejjieni.

The Maltese Franciscan Province celebrates 100 years from foundation

The Maltese Franciscan Province of the Friars Minor, dedicated to Saint Paul the Apostle, is 100 years

old. On Sunday 12 April 1914, which was Easter, the Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor,

Pacifico Monza ofm, declared the Maltese Franciscan Custody of Saint John the Baptist an independent

Province of the Order, with the title Saint Paul the Apostle.

The Maltese Franciscans had already gained a certain degree of autonomy from their Sicilian mother

Province of Val di Noto in 1838, when they had become a Custody. It had been a long and arduous jour-

ney. Ever since the founding of the first Franciscan Observant friary in Rabat, dedicated to Santa Maria

di Gesù, and known by the local population as Ta’ Ġieżu, a Maltese corruption of the Sicilian dialect Di

Giesu, the Maltese Franciscans of the Observant family had formed part and parcel of the Province of

Val di Noto, covering much of southern Sicily. This Province had a long and ancient tradition of faithful-

ness to the renewal of Franciscan life, through the Observant movement that spread like wildfire in Italy

during the 15th century. One of the disciples of Saint Bernardine of Siena, who led the Observant move-

ment, was Bishop Matteo Giumarra di Agrigento. It was he who spread the Observant reform in Sicily,

from where it found its way to Malta towards the end of the 15th century.

With the building of Valletta, Grand Master Pietro del Monte donated land to the Franciscan Observants

in order to build their second church and friary in the new city. The church was also dedicated to Santa

Maria di Gesù, and is a renaissance and baroque architectural gem, created by the famous Maltese engi-

neer Girolamo Cassar, architect of Saint John’s Conventual Church in Valletta.

These two friaries remained the centres of the pastoral activity of the Maltese Franciscan Observants for

three centuries. In the meantime, however, the undue interference of the Reign of Two Sicilies in the af-

fairs of Maltese religious, plus the ambivalent attitude of Grand Master Emanuel Pinto de Fonseca during

the 18th century, prompted the Maltese Franciscan Observants to take the initiative to break away from

Sicily and appeal directly for guidance to the Order’s General Curia in Rome. Unfortunately this attempt

ended in tragedy for two poor Maltese Franciscans who were courageous enough to embark upon such

an initiative, Accursio Stuppia and Giovanni Nicola Falzon. They ended up exiled from the islands, by

order of the same Grand Master who had hypocritically encouraged their endeavour! Their effort, how-

ever, was not in vain. In 1790 the Maltese Franciscan entity was declared an independent Custody, but

only for a short period of time. The Tribunal of the Regia Monarchia of the Kingdom of Naples was still

strongly opposed to any break away attempts by Maltese religious.

The advent of British rule in Malta during the 19th century changed the course of history for Maltese

religious. The British were keen on separating the religious from their mother provinces in southern Italy

and making them directly dependent upon Rome. Thus on 26 July 1838 the Maltese Franciscan Obser-

vants became a Custody, choosing the title of Saint John the Baptist.

The turn of events in the Franciscan Order at the end of the 19th century was also a boost for Franciscan

religious life in Malta. The unification of the Order of Friars Minor in 1897 and the providential figure of

a Maltese Franciscan, Anton Maria Cesal, were key factors in bringing about the renewal of the Maltese

Franciscan Custody. Cesal founded another two churches and friaries, the Madonna del Sacro Cuor in

Sliema and Saint Anthony in Gozo. Time was now ripe for a rebirth. The Franciscan Order could now

found a new entity, the Maltese Province of the Friars Minor, dedicated to Saint Paul the Apostle. It was

exactly 100 years ago.

The Minister General of the Order at the time was Pacifico Monza ofm (1911-1915). In 1914 he came

over to Malta for a general visitation. On 7 April 1914 the General Definitorium issued the Decree of the

foundation of the Maltese Franciscan Province, with the title of Saint Paul the Apostle. The original De-

cree, however, was published at the Ta’ Ġieżu friary in Valletta on Easter Sunday, 12 April 1914.

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Fra Tumas minn Celano

‘Imma Alla l-ħanin, li fit-tjieba tiegħu għoġbu jiftakar ukoll fija u f’bosta

oħrajn, meta (Franġisku) wasal fi Spanja, waqaflu f’wiċċu, u ma setax ikom-

pli l-vjaġġ, għax minħabba li marad, kellu jerġa lura. Meta reġa’ lura f’Santa

Maria tal-Porziuncola, wara ftit taż-żmien, xi irġiel letterati u persuni oħarjn

nobbli ġew biex jingħaqdu miegħu bil-ferħ kollu’ (1C 20, 56-57 {FSF 248-

249}). Ħafna studjużi huma tal fehma li f’ dan id-detall awtobijografiku, Tu-

mas kien qiegħed jitkellem għalih innifsu u għal sħabu. Għaliex hu kien

bniedem kolt u ta’ skola. Dan ġara aktarx fis-sena 1214. Huwa twieled f’Ce-

lano della Marisca, fir-reġjun tal-Abruzzo x’aktarx bejn l-1185 u l-1190.

Fil-Kapitlu Ġenerali tal-1221 huwa ġie magħżul biex jieħu sehem fil-missjoni

tal-Ġermanja, li kienet immexxija minn fra Ceaser minn Speyer. Hemm ġie

magħżul bħala kustodju tal-patrijiet f’Worms, Speyer u Koln u sar vigarju tal-istess missjoni. Wisq

probabbli reġa mar lura l-Italja fl-1224. Kien preżenti, għax kiteb fuqha b’ ħafna dettalji (cfr. 1C 124– 126

{FSF 314-316}), waqt il-kanonizzazzjoni ta’ San Franġisk mill-Papa Girgor IX nhar is-16 ta’ Lulju 1228

f’Assisi stess. L-istess Papa qabbad lil Tumas, minħabba fil-kapaċita tiegħu ta’ kittieb espert, biex jikteb

b’mod uffiċċjali ħajja jew Legenda ta’ San Franġisk. Huwa kiteb dwar dak li sema’ minn fomm Franġisku

u minn xhieda fidili (cfr. 1C 1 {FSF 201}). Fil-25 ta’ Frar 1229 il-Papa Girgor IX approva l-Vita Sancti

Francisci (1 Celano) bħala l-ħajja uffiċċjali ta’ San Franġisk. L-1 Celano hija maqsuma fi tlett kotba.

Huwa segwa r-regoli tal-ars dictaminis, i.e. stil raffinat tal-kitba bil-Latin skond ir-regoli tal-cursus, li kien

jintuża fil-kurja papali. Huwa inqeda bil-mudelli li kien diġa jaf, i.e. metodi tradizzjonali ta’ aġjografija,

użata fiż-żmien tal-medjuevu wkoll. Hija mimlija b’riferimenti bibliċi u wħud meħudin minn S. Wistin,

Seneca u Virgilius.

Fl-1230 huwa kiteb dokument li jiġbor fil-qosor il-Vita S. Francisci, il-Legenda ad usum chori - LCh, li

tikkonsisti f’disa lezzjonijiet għall-qari tal-brevjar għal-festa ta’ San Franġisk.

Wara l-Kapitlu Ġenerali ta’ Genova (2 t’Ottubru 1244), il-Ministru Ġeneral fra Crescenzio da Iesi mill-

Marca ta’ Ancona ordna lil Tumas biex jikteb ħajja oħra ta’ S. Franġisk, peress li bosta fatti dwar il-qaddis

kienu għadhom ma inkitbux. B’ hekk kiteb il-Memoriale beati Francisci in desiderio animae - 2C.

Minufih beda jinġabar it-tagħrif meħtieġ, speċjalment minn dawk li kienu jafu sew lil Franġisku. Tumas

sawwar dan il-ktieb bejn is-snin 1246-1247 u fl-1247 il-Kapitlu Ġenerali ta’ Lyon approva. Inridu niftakru

li Tumas issa beda jikber sew u għalhekk il-kapaċita tiegħu bdiet tonqos u l-pressjoni li bdew jagħmlu l-

ministri provinċjali, li riedu ritratt ta’ S. Franġisk aktar attwali għall-idejali tagħhom. Fil-ktieb insibu

b’kollox 260 episodji narrativi. Huwa maqsum f’żewġ partijiet, wara l-prologu. L-ewwel ktieb fih 17

kapitlu u jsewgi l-ordni kronoloġiku tal-fatti. It-tieni ktieb fih 167 kapitlu u hu mibni fuq struttura tematika

tal-virtujiet li kellu l-qaddis. Fl-aħħar kapitlu insibu talba mill-isbaħ lil S. Franġisk magħmula mill-awtur

stess.

Wara l-bosta ittri li bgħatlu l-Ministru Ġeneral Giovanni da Parma, bejn l-1250 u l-1253, Tumas kiteb it-

Tractatus de miraculis - 3C. Huwa ġie approvat fil-31 ta’ Mejju 1254 mill-Kapitlu Ġenerali ta’ Metz.

Ħafna studjużi jqisu dan il-ktieb bħala l-quċċata tal-maturita letterarja ta’ Tumas minn Celano u tal-opus

tiegħu. Fih huwa jiġbor il-mirakli li saru bl-interċessjoni ta’ S. Franġisk wara mewtu. Dan ġara għaliex fit-

2C kien ħallihom barra, għalkemm kien diġa semmiehom fit-tielet taqsima ta’ 1C. Hawn naraw li Tumas

kellu jċedi għas-sensibilita’ popolari li kienet qed tara fil-qaddis it-tawmaturgu, dak li jwettaq il-mirakli.

Huwa fih żewġ taqsmiet. L-ewwel 6 kapitli jipprovdu l-isfond teoloġiku tal-ġrajjiet mirakolużi li mbgħad

jiżviluppa Tumas minn Celano. Il-kapitli 7-19 fihom mirakli li Celano kien diġa inkludihom f’ 1C, u

għalhekk seħħew qabel l-1228, u oħrajn li ġraw wara l-1229. il-konklużjoni ta’ 3C tesprimi it-tbatija

psikoloġika ta fra Tumas (cfr.19, 198 {FSF 1129}). Huwa fatt li hu kien irċieva lil Franġisku kif

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Dwar l-awtur tal-Leġġenda ta’ S.Klara, hemm diskussjoni kbira. Bosta studjużi jgħidu li kitibha Tumas

minn Celano. Fost dawn insibu lil Francesco Pennacchi, li għamel konfront bejn din il-kitba u 1 Celano.

Huwa jgħid li jista’ jagħmel żewġ ipotesi ; jew li kien Celano l-awtur, inkella din inkitbet minn xi wieħed

minn ħutu l-patrijiet li kienu midħla sew tal-kitbiet ta’ Celano, tant li tixbah il-preġji u d-difetti tagħhom

(Legenda sanctae Clarae virginis, Assisi 1910, XX). Huwa sab bosta elementi ta’ xebħ fl-istil u l-

kontenut bejniethom u wisq probabbli li Tumas kellu xi intenzjoni li jikteb xi ħaġa dwar S. Klara (cfr. 1C

8, 20 {FSF 219}).

Hemm min jgħid li kiteb ukoll il-poeżija, li fiha 19 l-istrofa - Dies irae. Poeżija bil-Latin li kienet tagħmel

parti, bħala sekwenza, mill-Quddiesa tal-mejtin. Din baqgħet tidher sal Messal Ruman tal-1962, qabel ma

sar it-tiġdid liturġiku, kif mitlub mill-Konċilju Vatikan II, peress li għandha elementi pjuttost negattivi li

ġew mill-medjevu. Tintuża biss, maqsuma fi 3 taqsmiet, fil-Liturġija tas-Siegħat tul l-34 Ġimgħa ta’

matul tas-sena, jekk wieħed jrid. Tul iż-żminijiet bosta kompożituri, fosthom Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,

Hector Berlioz, Giuseppe Verdi, Gaetano Donizetti u Igor Stravinsky, daħluha fil-quddies tal-mejtin - de

Requiem.

Jingħad li kiteb żewġ innijiet poetiċi li jibdew b’dawn il-vrus Sanctitatis nova signa u Fregit victor

virtualis. Waqqaf il-kunventi ta’ Celano (1256) u ta’ Tagliacozzo f’ Abruzzo (1223 jew 1259). Fl-1260

sar direttur spiritwali tal-Klarissi ta’ Tagliacozzo. Miet f’dan il-kunvent bejn l-1260 u l-1270. Għall-

ewwel indifen fil-knisja ta’ S. Giovanni Val dei Varri, imma mbgħad ittieħed fil-Knisja ta’ S. Franġisk f’

Tagliacozzo. Fl-1960 l-isqof ta’ Marsi Domenico Valerii ordna li jsiru eżamijiet fuq il-fdal tiegħu, li wara

tpoġġew ġo urna tal-bronz.

N.B. Dawn il-kitbiet, li jsemmew f’ dan l-artiklu, ġew maqluba bil-Malti u ppublikati fl-2005 mill-Edizzjoni Tau. Huma jinsabu fiż-żewġ volumi : Fonti għall-ħajja ta’ S. Franġisk t’ Assisi.

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Ħares Mulej lil dawk kollha li qed iħejju ruħhom

għas-saċerdozju u l-ħajja konsagrata,

agħmel li jiftħu qalbhom

għall-kelma t’ Ibnek Ġesu’.

Kanonizazzjoni ta’ Papa Ġwanni XXIII u Ġwanni Pawlu II

N.B. Fl-okkażjoni tal-kanonizazzjoni tal-Papa Ġwanni XXIII, liema kawża kienet f’ idejn il-Franġiskani, u

dik ta’ Papa Ġwanni Pawl II, li saret nhar is-27 t’ April, se nġiebu xi siltiet minn kitbiethom.

S. Ġwanni XXIII, Papa

Mid-diskors li għamel lill-Franġiskani fil-Bażilika ta’ S. Giovanni in Laterano nhar is-16 t’ April 1959

..........“ Qui al Laterano, nella Basilica Urbis et Orbis mater et caput, non sono gli Apostoli che stasera ci

adunano: ma S. Francesco d'Assisi, l' homo catholicus et totus apostolicus, che raccoglie i suoi figli da

oltre sette secoli intorno a sé. Dalla grande statua di bronzo della piazza immensa, egli invita a

contemplare la magnifica e misteriosa sedes papalis atque patriarchalis.

Eccolo nel mosaico centrale fulgente in posto d'onore, lui fra la Madonna e S. Pietro, e il suo grande figlio

S. Antonio di Padova, fra S. Giovanni Battista e l' Evangelista. Qua e là sulle vecchie lapidi ricompare il

suo nome benedetto, e il ricordo degli avvenimenti preclari della sua visita a questo colle santificato e

veneratissimo nei secoli, come nella iscrizione di Papa Nicolao, Francisci proles primus de sorte

Minoruìn: il primo dei cinque Papi francescani.

...........La sostanza del Francescanesimo è in queste virtù di difesa e di conquista. Tre parole dicono tutto e

riassumono la grande Regola, che Papa Innocenzo approvò: Paupertas; oboedientia; caritas.

Diletti figli! LasciateCi aggiungere una speciale parola del cuore a quanti qui presenti appartengono all'e-

sercito pacifico dei Terziari Laicali di San Francesco. Ego sum Ioseph, frater vester. Con tenerezza ami-

amo dirvelo. Lo siamo da quando giovanetto quattordicenne appena, il 1 marzo 1896, vi fummo ascritti

regolarmente, per il ministero del Canonico Luigi Isacchi, Nostro Padre Spirituale, quale Direttore che egli

era nel Seminario di Bergamo: ed amiamo benedire il Signore per questa grazia che Ci accordò con felice

sincronia coll'atto di iniziarCi, giusto in quell'anno, e in quei mesi, alla vita ecclesiastica con la Sacra Ton-

sura.

Oh ? la gioia serena ed innocente di quella coincidenza: Terziario Francescano e chierico avviato al sacer-

dozio; preso dunque per gli stessi funicoli della semplicità, ancora inconscia e felice, che Ci doveva ac-

compagnare sino all'altare benedetto: che Ci doveva poi dare tutto nella vita.

…….Gli occhi Nostri per altro, sino dall'infanzia, furono familiari alla visione più semplice del con-

ventino regolare dei Frati Minori di Baccanello, che nella distesa campagna Lombarda, dove eravamo nati

e cresciuti, era la prima costruzione tutta religiosa che incontravamo: chiesa, modesto romitorio, campa-

nile, e, intorno intorno, umili fratelli che si spandevano fra i campi e i modesti casolari per la cerca, diffon-

dendo quell'aria di semplicità tutta ingenua, che rendeva così simpatico San Francesco e i figli suoi.

Ci sia concesso di dire che dopo un lungo curriculum per le vie del mondo, e avendo accostato tante nobi-

lissime produzioni di quello spirito presso uomini dotti, illustri e santi, che onorarono gli Ordini Frances-

cani e la Chiesa di Cristo nel nome del Padre Serafico di Assisi, niente fu mai così dolce e delizioso alla

Nostra anima, come il tornare a Baccanello, a quella innocenza, a quella mitezza, a quella santa poesia

della vita cristiana, maturata nel sacerdozio, e nel servizio della Santa Chiesa e delle anime”.

É fra quei ricordi che l'umile Terziario Francescano, divenuto Papa nella successione di Innocenzo III, di

Nicolò IV, e giù sino a Papa Leone XIII, e senza nulla perdere della primitiva semplicità, anzi gustandone

più che mai la dolcezza, è fra quei ricordi — diciamo — che la scorsa domenica in San Pietro gustava una

OFM – LINK MEJJU 2014 ——————————— 7

ebbrezza spirituale ineffabile nell'esaltare il nuovo Santo della Chiesa del Signore: San Carlo da Sezze,

modestissimo fratello laico dei Frati Minori, a cui la grazia, la purezza, la semplicità, la ispirazione

maturarono una corona così fulgida di doni celesti quaggiù e di gloria sovrumana ad incanto nostro, a nos-

tro esempio, a nostra protezione. t al conventino ancora agreste, ma tanto caro di Baccanello, ad evocazi-

one di rimembranze dolcissime di tutta la Nostra vita, che vogliamo inviare quale dono Papale il

reliquiario prezioso, che l'Ordine Serafico si è compiaciuto di offrirCi a ricordo perenne del glorioso av-

venimento.

Come il grande Patriarca Francesco, così il suo ultimo frate minore glorificato, San Carlo da Sezze, pau-

per et humilis, coelum dives ingreditur, nymnis coelestibus honoratur, alleluia, alleluia.

Diletti fratelli in San Francesco, a Noi, a voi e a tutti ripetiamo il grande ammonimento che di là ci viene:

questa è la grande Regula che celebriamo : questa è la via che conduce alla vita, alla benedizione, alla glo-

ria. Alleluia, alleluia.

N. B. Id-dar, fejn għex Papa Ġwanni f’ Sotto il Monte, hija żewġ kilometri l’ bogħod mill-kunvent franġ-

iskan ta’ Baccanello u nhar it-12 t’ April 1959, fl-ewwel kanonizazzjoni tiegħu, ikkanonizza lil S. Karlu

minn Sezze O.F.M..

Mid-djarju tiegħu : Il Giornale dell’anima Ed. Roma 1980

Domani si apre appunto il Perdono d’Assisi; quindi mi rimondo e purifico del tutto, e preghero’ il buon

Gesu che, dopo, mi dia la purita’, l’amore, l’umilta’ profonda del serafico Francesco p.79

Basti ricordare San Francesco d’Assisi, la cui pregheria era sempre la stessa: “O Gesu, abbi pieta di me

peccatore”. p. 364

Oh, la semplicita....... dei Fioretti di San Francesco ........ p. 381

Essa (la poverta) mi fa meglio rassomgliare a Gesu povero e a San Francesco, ben sicuro come sono che

non moriro’ di fame. p.396

Aktar tagħrif jidher : Il-Beatu Ġwanni XXIII u l-Franġiskani - ktieb miktub minn P. Dijonisju Mintoff

O.F.M

S. Ġwanni Pawlu II, Papa

Waqt l-ewwel żjara - 5 ta’ Novembru 1978 - li għamel ħdejn il-qabar ta’ S. Franġisk f’ Assisi, huwa lissen

talba imqanqla lil S. Franġisk. Huwa żar il-belt t’ Assisi (li għażliha biex tkun il-belt tal-paċi b’ laqgħat

ma’ reliġjonijiet oħra) b’kollox sitt darbiet - 1982, 1986, 1993, 1998, 2002, barra żjajjar li għamel fi

Greccio - 2 ta’ Jannar 1983, fl-La Verna – 17 ta’ Settembru 1993 u fl-Art Imqaddsa - 20-26 ta’ Marzu

2000.

OFM – LINK MEJJU 2014 ——————————— 8

Papa Ġwanni jasal bil-karozza fil-pjazza ta’ S. Franġisk

ġewwa Assisi nhar l-4 t’ Ottubru 1962. Huwa għamel dan il-

vjaġġ biex jitlob lil S. Franġisk fil-bidu tal-Konċilju Vatikan

II. Aktar tard wasal wasla sal-bieb tal-Bażilika ta’ S. Maria

degli Angeli.

Mid-diskors li għamel lill-membri tal-Kapitlu Ġenerali t’Assisi - 21 ta’ Ġunju 1979

“In this respect we are pleased to recall that when we were Cardinal Archbishop of Krakow, twice on the

anniversary day of our priestly ordination we went on pilgrimage to Mount Alvernia where your Seraphic

Father received the stigmata. Then when we were elected to the office of Supreme Roman Pontiff, who is,

as it were, the vicar of the love of Christ (cf. S. Ambrose, Expos. Evang. sec. Luc., X, 175; PL 15, 1848),

at the very beginning of that Pontificate and indeed on the fifth day of November last year, we went to

Assisi to the tomb of Saint Francis to ask him to help us to understand the men of our times in accordance

with the concern of the Saviour's heart”.

Mid-diskors li għamel fil-Pontificio Athenaeum Antonianum, Ruma - 16 ta’ Jannar 1982

“I would like to repeat from his (Pope Paul VI) message to the General Chapter of the Friars Minor in

1973: like St. Francis you are, in the present-day world, the custodians of hope!”

Mill-messaġġ li bgħat lill-Kapitlu Ġenerali t’ Assisi - 8 ta’ Mejju 1985

“Christians wait for you to love the Church as St. Francis loved it; men ask you for a clear evangelical

testimony and they want you to show the heights of your vocation to all”.

Mill-messaġġ tal-Milied 1986

“Oh how beautiful are the feet of that messanger of the Good News whose name is Francis, the Poverello

of Assisi, of Greccio and of La Verna; Francis lover of all creatures, Francis conquered by the love of the

Divine Infant born at night in Bethlehem. Christ began to reign in the heart of Francis so that, by means of

the poverty of the disciple, we might better understand the poverty of the Master and would be led to

thoughts of love and peace”.

Mill-omelija li għamel fil-Bażilika tal-Lunzjata f’ Nazareth - 25 ta’ Marzu 2000

“.. To express to the Custos, Fr. Giovanni Battistelli and the Friars of the Custody the admiration of the

whole Church for the devotion with which you carry out your unique vocation”.

Aktar tagħrif jidher fil-ktieb: Testes Spei Ioannes Paulus II ad Fratres Minores, Curia Generalis OFM,

Romae, 2005 u Pope John Paul II Homilies Speeches in the Holy Land, Tau Edition, Malta 2000.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

OFM – LINK MEJJU 2014 ——————————— 9

Papa Ġwanni Pawlu II fl-ewwel laqgħa għall-paċi fil-Porzjunkola - 27 t’Ottubru 1986 u waqt

żjara fl-Art Imqaddsa – 20-26 ta’Marzu 2000

Iż-żjara tal-Ministru Ġeneral f’ pajjiżna.

Nhar l-Erbgħa 23 ta’ April fis-1.45 pm il-Ministru Ġeneral Michael A. Perry O.F.M. wasal l-ajruport ta’

Malta fuq titirja tal-Air Malta. Sab ilqgħawh lil-Provinċjal u l-Vigarju Provinċjali. Kif wasal fil-kunvent

ta’ Tas-Sliema sab ilqgħawh ukoll il-Viżitatur Ġenerali u l-’l bqija tal–fraternita. Kiel magħhom u fis-6.00

pm mexa konċelebrazzjoni fil-kappella tas-Sorijiet Klarissi, fl-okkażjoni tal-100 sena mill-wasla tagħhom

ġewwa Malta. Għal din iċ-ċelebrazzjoni kienu mistiedna l-aħwa kollha tal-Provinċja tagħna. Wara li saret

konċelebrazzjoni, kulħadd inġabar biex saret preżentazzjoni b’ power-point fuq il-preżenza tal-Klarissi

ġewwa Malta. Fl-aħħar sar festin b’tifkira.

L-għada l-Ministru Ġeneral flimkien mal-Provinċjal kellu laqgħa man-Nunzju Appostoliku fil-kunvent ta’

Tas-Sliema dwar is-sitwazzjoni fil-Libja. Imbgħad, għal xi 6.20 pm, wasal fil-knisja tagħna ta’ S. Marija

tal-Anġli, fejn ġie milqugħ mill-patrijiet, fosthom P. Paul Attard u P. Stephen Sciberras. Huwa bierek bl-

ilma imbierek lil persuni li kienu preżenti fil-knisja. Fis-6.30 pm bdiet quddiesa konċelebrata. Ħadu sehem

numru sabih ta’ aħwa, flimkien mal-Provinċjal tal-Patrijiet Konventwali. Barra minn numru sabih ta’

Klarissi, kien hemm bosta sorijiet mill-kongregazzjonijiet franġiskani u ħafna lajċi, li ħafna minhom

jiffrekwentaw il-knejjes tagħna u huma benefatturi tal-Provinċja tagħna. Indaqqet il-quddiesa tal-cappella

Camilleri. Il-kor Bel Canto u l-orkestra kienu mmexxija mill-Maestro Herman Farrugia Frantz. P. Richard

Stanley Grech għamel diskors ta’ merħba u l-Provinċjal, fl-aħħar tal-quddiesa, ta ħarsa ħafifa fuq it-

twaqqif tal-Provinċja, fuq kitba ta’ P. Noel Muscat. Għalkemm il-quddiesa tqaddset bl-ingliż, kien hemm

waqtiet li l-Ġeneral uża l-lingwa maltija. Il-Ġeneral ta lill-Provinċja r-regola miktuba fuq parċmina u salib

f’ forma ta’ TAU tal-injam. Il-Provinċjal, f’isem il-Provinċja, tah kalċi u patena magħmulin miċ-ċeramika

maltija u somma ta’ flus għall-bżonnijiet tal-Ordni. Inqraw ukoll messaġġi li nbgħatu minn Mons. Robert

Camilleri O.F.M., isqof ta’ Comayagua, Mons. Joe Bonello O.F.M., isqof ta’ Juticalpa, Honduras u P.

Riccio O.F.M., Gwardjan tad-Dar ta’ Formazzjoni f’ Ruma, fejn joqgħodu P. George Bugeja u ż-żewġ

studenti tagħna. Is-servizz tal-altar sar minn Fra Guzepp Debono, Fra Leo Ciantar, Fra Clive Camilleri,

Fra Ramon Farrugia u l-abbatini tal-knisja tagħna tal-Ħamrun. Wara fuq iż-żuntier tal-knisja sar party għal

kulħadd. Il-Ġeneral qgħad jdur man-nies u kellem bosta persuni.

Fil-25 ta’ April huwa, flimkien mal-Viżitatur Ġenerali, telqu minn Malta għal Catania b’titjira tal-Air

Malta fis-6.20 am.

Minn din il-paġna ngħidu grazzi mill-qalb lil dawk kollha, li għenu b’ xi mod, biex din iż-żjara qasira tal-

Ministru Ġeneral setgħet iseħħ.

OFM – LINK MEJJU 2014 ——————————— 10

AĦBARIJIET TAL-PROVINĊJA

Fit-2 t’ April il-Viżitatur Ġenerali bgħat l-ittra uffiċjali ta’ konvokazzjoni

għall-Kapitlu Provinċjali.

Fl-4 t’ April il-Kurċifiss Mirakoluż, li jinsab meqjum fil-knisja tagħna tal-

Belt, reġa ġie espost għall-pubbliku. Barra mil-quddies u talb speċjali, il-

patrijiet kienu disponibbli għall-qrar il-jum kollu. Filgħaxija qaddes l-Isqof t’

Għawdex, Mons. Mario Grech (ara ritratt).

Fit-12 t’ April fil-website uffiċjali tal-Ordni deher artiklu dwar iċ-ċentinarju

tal-Provinċja tagħna (ara paġni 4 u 3). Fl-istess waqt il-website tal-Provinċja

reġgħet ħadet dehra ġdida.

Nhar l-14 t’ April f’ bosta fraternitajiet fakkru ċ-ċentinarju tal-Provinċja b’ bosta attivitajiet. Fost l-oħrajn

f’dik tar-Rabat, l-Isqof ta’ Għawdex mexa quddiesa konċelebrata u f’ dik tal-Ħamrun sar kunċert

b’mużika sagra bil-kollaborazzjoni tal-Banda Immakulata Kunċizzjoni tal-Ħamrun.

Fil-jiem tal-Ġimgħa Mqaddsa l-patrijiet kienu aktar impenjati fil-funzjonijiet reliġjużi, speċjalment dawk

tal-Belt u tar-Rabat, fejn tradizzjonalment toħroġ il-purċissjoni tal-Ġimgħa l-Kbira li tiġi orgaizzata

flimkien mall-Arċikonfraternita tal-Kurċifiss u dik ta’ S. Ġuzepp. Dik tal-Belt ġiet trasmessa live fuq

SMASH TV.

Fra Clive u fra Ramon qattgħu l-vaganzi tal-Għid ġewwa Malta.

Fid–19 t’ April P. Charles Diacono mar supply Londra sal-bidu tal-Kapitlu Provinċjali.

Fil-21, P. Julian Sammut mar jagħti servizz ta’ konfessur għal ftit żmien fil-Bażilika ta’ S. Maria degli

Angeli f’ Assisi.

Bejn it-23 u l-24 kellna fostna l-Ministru Ġeneral Michael A. Perry O.F.M. Ara artiklu u ritratti f’ paġna

10.

Fit-23 P. Dionysius Mintoff kien wieħed mill-kelliema f’seminar organizzat mill-Fundazzjoni IDEAT fil-

Parlament dwar iż-żewġ papiet li ġew ikkjarati qaddisin fis-27 tax-xahar ġewwa Ruma.

OFM – LINK MEJJU 2014 ——————————— 11

FESTI ĠUNJU 2014 BIRTHDAYS

02. P. Marcellino Micallef 07. P. Tony Briffa

06. P. Norbert Ellul Vincenti 08. P. Pierre J. Farrugia

13. P. Twanny Chircop 27. P. Norbert Ellul Vicenti

P. Tony Briffa Fra Leo M. Ciantar

P. Anton Farrugia

24. P. Gwann Azzopardi

29. P. Pierre J. Farrugia

30. P. Raymond Camilleri

Xewqat qaddisa !!!!!!!!!

OFM – LINK MEJJU 2014 ——————————— 12

WERREJ

Humility as truth and service ... 2 - 3

100 years 4

Fra Tumas minn Celano 5 - 6

Papiet : Ġwanni u Ġwanni Pawlu 7 - 9

Intervista 10

Aħbarijiet mill-Provinċja 11

OFM - LINK

L-Editur

P. Alexander Borg O.F.M.

Patrijiet Franġiskani

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Pellegrinaġġi fl-Art Imqaddsa magħna l-Franġiskani - 2014

Il-logo taż-żjara tal-Papa Franġisku

16 - 24 Lulju 6 - 14 Awwissu

10 - 17 Settembru 24 Settembru - 2 Ottubru

Art Imqaddsa u Sinaj

3 - 13 Novembru

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