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CONTEMPLATIVE EXPERIENCE Casa Sant' Elisabetta Rivotorto, Assisi August 2005
During the month of August 2005, the Sisters representing our four areas, Brazil, Italy, Senegal and the U.S. (Srs. Helena Paula Carvalho, Viera Farinelli, Regina Nigro, Marie Augustine N'Dione, Paula Huecker, Madeline Marie Hill, Cristina DiNocco, Annunciata Marino, Rose Margaret Delaney and Mary A. Maloney), came together for a truly multicultural experience of reflection, contemplative prayer, and community-- delving deeply into our Franciscan Evangelical Life. We were welcomed with open hearts and arms first at the Area House Community in Rome and then by Sisters Vincenzina, Paola, Elisa and Maria Atorino, the local community at Sant' Elisabetta. In a few days we were settled in and could concentrate on the goals of the experience that were articulated and approved last year.
The first week was an adjustment for all of us, having arrived tired from a year of ministry; not completely comfortable with the various languages; missing some of the source materials in our own language, and still being oriented to the house and surroundings.
I must say it did not take long to form a deeply loving community brought about by our care for each other, deep prayer experiences and sharing, and the generosity and goodness of each one. We formed three cooking teams and arranged for an hour of work each day from 4 – 5 PM during which we helped with other aspects of caring for the house and grounds.
A PILGRIMAGE TOWARD A MULTICULTURAL ENCOUNTER
In the morning, we participated at 9:00 AM Mass at the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and passed through the Portiuncola Chapel where Francis restored the Church and later moved the first followers there after they received approval of the primitive Rule of 1209 from Pope Innocent III. In 1211, in that same chapel, Clare was received into the Order, received the habit from Francis and began the Poor Clares. We were truly on “holy ground” and felt a oneness with Francis, Clare and all of you. At 10:00 AM Sister Mary led Morning Prayer. We began each day with the Words of Mother Frances in four languages, and continued with Scripture reading and song, reflecting the theme of the day. The prayer was followed by a presentation by Sister Rose Margaret. Sister Rosanna's paper, presented to the Chapter Delegates on the first day of the retreat in Assisi was divided into six sections. Each day one section was presented using Scripture, our Franciscan sources and Rule, and our history and experience. Throughout the day we prayed, pondered, reflected and contemplated – letting the Spirit of God teach us. At 6:00 PM we gathered for prayer followed by faith sharing. These were precious moments, listening to each other's journey and how the Holy Spirit was working in each other. Supper, pick-up, followed at 8:00 PM . Our first three weeks followed this schedule. Prior to beginning this first week, we received a very special gift – the Youth March to Assisi and the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels/Portiuncola Chapel. About 3000 youth, accompanied by some Friars and Sisters, marched to Assisi from all over Italy and from other countries. They arrived on the afternoon of August 2, the Feast of the Portiuncola. As each group arrived at the entrance of the piazza with the vast tree lined esplanade heading up to the Basilica, they were announced over the loud speaker and then all the group prostrated and kissed the ground. There were cheers, claps, songs and excitement as each group advanced to the steps of the entrance to the Church. They appeared tired and dirty from the long journey by foot, yet full of life, joy and enthusiasm.
Thousands gathered to welcome them! These young people remained in Assisi for three days, participating in Masses, Vespers, prayers, reflections and song, along with many other families and individuals who came to receive the plenary indulgence between August 2 and 15. In 1216, in a vision, Francis obtained from Jesus Christ the indulgence called the “Pardon of Assisi.” It was ratified by Pope Honorius III. Pilgrims gain it once a year. All during the first days in Assisi we encountered youth groups in pilgrimage on their way to Cologne, Germany for World Youth Day. Daily we prayed for and kept in our love our youth and Sisters in Aachen and on journey to Cologne for WYD. CALLED TO BE PROPHETIC WITNESSES OF THE WORD TO HEAL OUR WOUNDED WORLD
We are settled in, rested and have entered more deeply into prayer, contemplation and silence. Our first pilgrimage/hermitage day started this week. We spent the day at Rivotorto Church. The church was built around the first dwelling place of Francis and the early Brothers. Two small huts were the dwelling place. They lived, slept and prayed together in this poor dwelling. It was from here that they made a pilgrimage to Rome to present their first Form of Life, known as the Rule of 1209 to Pope Innocent III. The Pope gave oral approval of the Rule when he saw in a dream Francis holding up the Church. He could not resist these poorly clad Brothers who desired to walk in the footprints of Jesus and live the Gospel. The primitive Rule consisted mainly of Scripture texts (refer to the Testament). We continued the same schedule with a presentation each morning on the paper of Father Nestor Inácio, OFM. He gave the presentation during the General Chapter to all the Delegates. The title was as above. The Holy Spirit was indeed present in Sister Rose Margaret's presentation and in the evening prayer and faith sharing. At the end of the second week Sister Regina had to leave us. We were touched and moved by her presence among us. Before entering into the third week, we had a free day and everyone was on their own until the Mass at the house at 6:00 PM. This day we also welcomed Sister Cristina Di Nocco who joined us for the next two weeks. We are now eight once again. FRANCISCAN EVANGELICAL LIFE: A LIVING STONE IN THE BUILDING OF THE CHURCH Our third week began with the celebration of the Transitus of the Blessed Virgin Mary at St. Mary of the Angels on August 14. Thousands gathered at the portico in front of the Basilica: young, old, children and babies. A large fire was built, and as people arrived, special prayers and intentions were attached to the wood that reached almost 15 feet. These intentions and all the requests for prayers received at the Portiuncola during the past year were included. At 9:00 PM the fire was started and it seemed to reach up to the heavens. As the fire burned, candles were lit followed by songs, Scripture readings and prayers. It seemed that the procession that followed was endless. The procession gradually moved into the Basilica and the vigil Mass for the Assumption of Mary into heaven was celebrated at 10:30 PM . This third week of the contemplative experience continued with prayer and the daily presentation by Sr. Rose Margaret and our reflection, contemplation and evening Faith Sharing. We thank each of you for your prayers, e-mails and telephone calls. We had a basket before the Blessed Sacrament where we had all the intentions recommended to our prayer. To our joy, Sr. Tiziana Merletti visited us on August 16th. We were happy to receive her into our community and happy also that Sisters Giovanna and Michela accompanied her. Giovanna and Michela were preparing for their perpetual profession in September and October and shared with us some aspects of their preparation. We had a delicious dinner together and sharing of the contemplative experience thus far. At 4:00 PM we gathered, along with the local community, for espresso, ice cream and cookies. We thank Sr. Tiziana for being part of this experience and encouraging all to continue on our journey. During this period we had another full pilgrimage/hermitage day in the Upper City of Assisi. We began the day at the Basilica of St. Francis where we had a 9:00 AM Mass with a group of young people from Cleveland, Ohio on pilgrimage to World Youth Day in Cologne. Later each of us visited the Churches and holy places dear to St. Francis and St. Clare. OUR FRANCISCAN SOURCES AND PLACES During the fourth week our schedule changed completely. We started to enter more deeply into our Franciscan Evangelical Life by reading, praying and reflecting on our Franciscan sources and spending time in the places where these took place, where Francis and Clare walked the journey of life.
We began with La Verna, one and a half hours from Rivotorto, located in the Apennine Mountains. As we journeyed up the mountains, the most beautiful views of God's creation lay before us. We gazed in awe and silence! La Verna is known as “Francis' Holy Mountain.” Francis went here for prolonged periods of solitude and prayer and lived among the rocks, caves and primitive huts in small hermitages. Here Francis communed with the Trinity. After the final Rule of 1223 was approved by Pope Honorius III and the leadership of the Order was turned over to Brother Elias, Francis came here tired and ill and began a new journey of intimacy with his Lord. This was the culmination of the experience of love. At La Verna Francis asked Jesus to experience something of the love and pain Jesus felt at the moment of his passion, death and resurrection. His prayers were heard and his body was marked by the very wounds of the crucified. Father Eugenio, a good friend of the Sisters and now living in the hermitage there, met us when we arrived and gave us a “spiritual journey” of La Verna. Our journey began with the fresco of Francis embracing the leper and continued to San Damiano and Jesus speaking to Francis from the crucifix: “Rebuild my house,” and finally to the Stigmata Event when Francis received in his own body the wounds and nails of the suffering of Jesus. At 11:30 AM a Mass was celebrated in the Stigmata chapel and dinner followed. In the afternoon we had time for silence, solitude and prayer. We also joined the Friars and other pilgrims for Midday prayer in the church and procession to the place where Francis received the Stigmata. The procession was accompanied with songs and prayers. Upon returning to the church we received the Blessing of St. Francis, given by one of the Friars. All this week we have gathered in our chapel at the end of each day to share our experience of how God is speaking within us through our inspirations and prayer. The sharing is deep and honest and we all marveled at how the Holy Spirit spoke to us. On August 24 Sister Annunciata Marino, who had previously arrived in Italy from Senegal, joined our group. We welcomed her with great joy; she added something special to the community. So, in this last week our tenth community member, with the insights, faith and joy of a true missionary, is with us. The next six days we journeyed each day from 8:30 – 12:00 Noon to one of the places that formed the life of Francis and Clare and ours – Franciscan Evangelical Life. Each was a tremendous experience for us and it would take pages to write about them – so here I will only comment briefly. 2nd Day of Week Four: The Carceri Hermitage located in the vast solitude of Mount Subasio. Francis frequently retired to this place to spend periods of contemplation and prayer. Many of the companions of Francis lived periodically in the hermitage here in caves and among the rocks. 3rd Day: Portiuncola Chapel, a small church restored by Francis (now located inside the beautiful Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels). Here Francis founded the Order of the Friars Minor and here Clare received the habit and began the Order of Poor Clares. 4th Day: Sister Gianna spent the day with us. During dinner she shared the experience of the pilgrimage of the young people and Sisters to Aachen , Germany and World Youth Day in Cologne and their journey home. We were grateful to hear of the many stories of their journey during the ten days. In the afternoon, together we did an evaluation of the four-week Contemplative Experience including suggestions for future programs. Thank you, Sr. Gianna for your presence among us and the opportunity to look objectively at the Contemplative Experience and its future. 5th Day: Basilica of St. Clare. Today we were happy to be present at St. Clare's for Mass, adoration and prayer. In the evening prayer and sharing, many shared their experience of sitting before the original San Damiano Cross that spoke to Francis. We also shared parts of St. Clare's four letters to Agnes and how they offered spiritual direction to Agnes (and ourselves). 6th Day: We arrived at St. Francis Basilica for 9:00 AM Mass with hundreds of pilgrims. Much of the day was spent in prayer at the tomb of St. Francis. This monumental church was built by Brother Elias as a worthy place for the entombment and veneration of St. Francis. The project was approved by Gregory IX and the construction began in 1228. The Upper Church is known for its frescoes by Giotto depicting the life of St. Francis in the grand series of 28 episodes derived from the biographies of Francis by Thomas of Celano and St. Bonaventure.
In the evening we made a pilgrimage to the small church of Mary Magdalene that is in Rivotorto. This chapel was built over what was considered originally to have been the Hospital of San Lazarus for lepers. In Francis' time this was a thickly wooded area with the river flowing through (Rivotorto) and outside the walls of Assisi. The lepers lived in this area and hid in the woods. Francis and the brothers also had their small huts here in Rivotorto. As we know lepers are important in our history and played a turning point in the life of Francis. (See Testament) At present a group of women care for the chapel and pray the Rosary there every weekday. We, too, gathered to pray the Rosary and Litany of Mary in Italian, Wolof, French, Portuguese and English. 7th Day: On this last pilgrimage/hermitage day, we returned to St. Mary of the Angels for Mass and then prayer and sharing in our chapel at Sant'Elisabetta. In the afternoon, we went to San Damiano for prayer and joined the Friars and pilgrims at 7:00 PM for Vespers. This church (the oldest parts date from the 8th Century) was in a state of neglect when St. Francis began to pray here for enlightenment on his vocation. While in prayer the Lord spoke to him from the crucifix, telling Francis, “Rebuild my house for as you can see, it is falling into ruin.” This is the first church that Francis repaired with his own hands in 1206. Francis and the Brothers completed the church and living space for St. Clare and she began to form the Poor Clares here in 1212. Today we also celebrated Sister Marie Augustine's Name day.
8th Day of the Fourth Week: Our last day at Sant'Elisabetta's. Some of us went to early Mass at the Parish Church in Rivotorto, where Francis began, and where our own journey had started one month ago. Others went to St. Mary of the Angels for Mass. We spent the day cleaning, packing and preparing to leave here early the next day. At dinner we had a special Senegalese meal prepared by Sr. Marie Augustine. With farewell prayers, songs and words of gratitude, we celebrated the meal with the local community from the house The contemplative group thanked them for the opportunity to be present and for the generosity of the community in providing space for SFPs to come, pray and reflect. The local community also thanked the group for coming for the month and expressed the hope that such experiences would continue to happen in the future. Early on August 31 we journeyed to Arricia, where a group of our Sisters, including those in formation, had completed a retreat. Eleven of our temporary professed Sisters renewed their vows during the Mass. We felt privileged to be present for the occasion and enjoyed a festive dinner with all those gathered. On our way to the Area House that afternoon we made a quick stop at Casa Schervier and Casa Sant'Antonio. That evening and the following morning we enjoyed a farewell with the Sisters there and as usual experienced their warm hospitality. The month in Italy has been a tremendous grace for us and we are indeed grateful to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Church, our Congregation, the Sisters of the Italian Area and Francis, Clare and Mother Frances. Sister Mary A. Maloney, SFP
Here are some comments from each of the participants:
It was after a long experience of living side by side with the poor and the lepers that Francis attained the apex of love at Mount Alverno, while receiving Christ's wounds as a gift. May our journey as Franciscan Sisters of the Poor become ever closer to the path traveled by Francis, Clare and Mother Frances. My gratitude to God, to Sisters Rose Margaret and Mary Maloney, to Casa Sant' Elisabetta's community and to all the Sisters and Associates who accompanied us in prayer throughout this marvelous Assisi experience. Sr. Helena Paula Carvalho, SFP * * * I truly want to be a Franciscan Sister of the Poor, living the Gospel message with love for Jesus Crucified, the King, to embrace all people and creation as brothers and sisters in Him in love. In daily prayer before the Crucified, the Spirit will enlighten me. Sr. Madeline Marie Hill, SFP * * * The group, though in silence and from different cultures, became very comfortable with each other as friends and true sisters would be in a family. What we shared gave us a special bond forever. I never questioned in my mind or heart what you asked of us because I knew you were only instruments of the Holy Spirit and that you always sought that guidance. This time became an experience and an encounter of the deepest kind with God as our center. I am deeply grateful to the congregation for making this spiritual journey possible for me. Sr. Paula Huecker, SFP * * *
I had a positive experience for the week that I participated. I recommend that similar programs continue. I thank Sr. Rose Margaret Delaney and Sr. Mary Maloney for leading this program (August, 2005). Thank you. Sr. Annunciata Marino, SFP * * * The experience of this time was very powerful. The contemplation lived proved difficult for me. Every day and every hour I offered my efforts to God, but I asked for the blessing to enter ever further into this great mystery called Jesus Crucified and Abandoned. I understood in a new way the three aspects of the one Cross that I am called to transform into love. The first aspect is Christ Himself, who gave His life for me, so I must also give mine for Him. I am the second aspect, with all my troubles and human and physical frailties. The third aspect is my neighbor, beginning with my Sisters in the community. The great gift that I received was learning to listen to the silence of God that speaks in the depths of the heart. Sr. Viera Farinelli, SFP * * * • The family spirit made the living together and the interpersonal relationships easier for me. • The experience of multiculturality was a rich and beautiful school of listening, of discovering the new, with the help of the sacred exercise of patience. • Listening to the Word of God every day was an opportunity for reflection, meditation, prayer and contemplation of its effectiveness in my life and on my journey after Him. Sr. Marie Augustine N'Dione, SFP * * *
This “Stop” in the middle of the summer was balm for the soul and body. I experienced, a bit, being with Jesus at Bethany and resting with Him and in Him, present among us. I am leaving with new energy, with new love and especially with a renewed conviction that, “there is need of only one thing” - to become holy and holy together. Thank you to one and all. Sr. Maria Cristina di Nocco, SFP * * * I was grateful that our schedule included participating in a later Mass each day because I would have found it difficult to go to an earlier Mass. I was very tired when I came and found the more leisurely schedule helpful. I appreciated our prayer times and was happy we did not pray the Office together. It would have been difficult to accommodate the four languages. The type of prayer we had enabled us to use all the languages and to pray in a simple way. I also found the reflection on the Chapter Presentations to be very helpful and I hope we can use these in our local community this year. I was disappointed that we did not have more time to pray in the holy places in Assisi, but overall, I am very happy I was able to be here. Sr. Regina Nigro, SFP
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Franciscan Sisters of the Poor
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