On Saturday, 7th March 2009 , the friars, 45 in number, of the Franciscan Province of St. Paul the Apostle, had the Lentenseason meeting together with the Poor Clares, in St. Julians’. The Minister Provincial of the Discalced Carmelites, Fr. Alfred Grech O.C.D. offered a profound reflection on St. Francis’ expression, “The Lord God granted me the grace to do penance”.
He said that penance is a grace granted to us by the Lord God and it is not our own decision. We can do penance because the Holy Spirit guides us to do so. Fraternity and its richness is lived in line with the Gospel which is the true life of the friars. The Sacrament of Reconciliation helps us to be determined to live our vocation in love with God and our brothers especially with an attitude of radical forgiveness. We all commit mistakes and sins…. the important thing is to know that we are not perfect. It is here that we can turn to the Lord and ask forgiveness for our mistakes and sins, with an unconditional love to God and our neighbour.
After a small break, a Penitential rite was celebrated. The V. Rev. Mother Abbess of the Poor Clares, Sr. Rose Therese Ellis O.S.C., introduced the Celebration stressing on the point that our life is based specifically on the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Our charism reflects the Word of God. Through our communion with the Lord and our love towards His Word we arrive to the truth of our reality as Franciscans. The Minister Provincial, Fr. Sandro Overend OFM, on the other hand, stressed that our vocation, as religious, is complete when we conform ourselves to the will of God through the Gospel and the celebration of the Sacred Mysteries. Then, a part of the celebration was dedicated for confessions.
During the session the Minister Provincial augured blessings to the friars that are celebrating their 50th priesthood anniversary ( Fr. Joseph Vella and Fr. Alfred Tabone) and the ones that are celebrating their 25th anniversary ( Fr. Angelo Falzon, Fr. Noel Muscat, Fr. Marcellino Micallef) together with all the other anniversaries falling through the year 2009.
The meeting came to an end with a Franciscan fraternal meal at the monastery.
