Retreat with the Comunitat de Jesús 22 January 2022. Antonio SICILIA VELASCO

To begin with, I want to share with you what my experience was on my return from Guatemala a little over 10 years ago.

In the first interview with the bishop I resigned from a parish ministry and chose to continue in a missionary ministry, outgoing, trying to make my way in an unknown environment even though it was my city. I joined a grassroots Christian community that I had known well for many years and I committed to volunteering with two NGOs, which made it possible for me to contact people from very different environments and realities unknown to me in the life of my city. This led me to two realities that currently vitalize my life as a citizen, my faith in Jesus and my commitment to the Kingdom: 1) My family expanded. I share a house, table, joys, difficulties, hardships and projects with a family from Senegal made up of a married couple and three children aged 16, 4 and 1 and a half years and who left in Senegal another two children aged 14 and 12. We also share the faith and trust in God that they call Allah and I, simply, Father. A great unexpected gift for me. And 2) My option for the poor materialized at this time with the concern and relationship with migrants, their world, their faces, their stories, their dreams, their way of the cross… which led me to commit to the Circle of Silence.

Read the full document in PDF: Retreat with the Comunitat de Jesús 22 January 2022. Antonio SICILIA VELASCO eng

AFS Letter Canonization January 2022

January 16, 2022

Hello everyone

As we have already announced, we are sending you the next letter from the secretariat here. Currently, work is running at full speed. Last week we had several video conferences and we will meet again next Friday. In addition, Giuliana took part in the meeting of the Italian preparatory group on Thursday.

However, we still cannot give precise information on certain details, such as the address of the house where the AFS meeting will be held or the definitive canonization programme. As soon as we have this information, we will communicate it to you.

But here is some important information!

Accommodation during canonization

In the letter of December 2021, we had already asked you to inform us of the accommodation you had reserved during the canonization and the number of people who will be accommodated there. The preparation team will leave a bag there for each of these people with the entrance ticket for St. Peter’s Square or the Basilica and the prayer booklet for the Monday morning thanksgiving mass in the Basilica. from the Lateran…

Please send the requested information immediately (if possible before January 30) to BOTH of the following addresses:

1. famigliacdfitalia@gmail.com
2. segen@psgtrefontane.it

Even if you do not know the address of the house where you will be staying, please send the number of people to these addresses to obtain the entrance tickets to Place Saint Pierre.

Visa

To apply for an entry visa, it is recommended to proceed as follows:

  • You will receive an invitation letter template that you should fill out and send to relevant people in your community or country.
  • In addition to the invitation letter, everyone needs proof of health insurance during the stay in Italy to obtain the visa. We are currently studying the possibility of taking out one in Italy.
  • In addition, you will find in the appendix the official announcement of the canonization.
  • With these two documents, the people invited go to the nunciature of their country of origin, which confirms the invitation so that the visa can be requested.

Hygiene rules

In view of the number of infections in Italy, the Italian government has decreed that all those arriving from outside Europe must be quarantined for 10 days. (see the message from the Ministry of Health – unfortunately only in Italian). Of course, this may change by May. But it is essential that all those who wish to go to Rome find out about the conditions for entering Italy from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of their country.

Canonization program

You will have to get up very early to attend the canonization mass. It will start at 9:00 a.m. or 9:30 a.m., St. Peter’s Square and the Basilica will be open from 7:00 a.m.

For priests and deacons who wish to concelebrate at the canonization mass in Saint Peter, on Sunday morning, you must register at this email address:

biglietti@celebra.va
https://biglietti.liturgieponitificie.va/

AFS meeting

The idea came to ask for an audience with the Pope in order to be able to give him personally the “gift” for the canonization of Brother Charles. We are currently working on how to send this request to the pope.

In the December letter we asked to register for the AFS meeting (Monday 16 until Friday 20 May) before January 15 (!), but only four people responded…

You are all cordially invited to register as soon as possible with Marianne Bonzelet afs.foucauld@gmail.com

You will certainly receive more letters from us in the weeks and months to come. As soon as we have any news, we will let you know immediately.

Antoinette Roberti will also send you a letter regarding the design of our website. Antoinette does her best and offers you additional help. It would be nice if you could support her in her work.

Fraternally to each and everyone and in union of prayer,
Giuliana – Brigitte – Régine, with Marianne

There you go, I have just received a message from Giuliana with the canonization program:

  • Saturday, May 14 afternoon: 3 shows by Francesco Agnello, Charles de Foucauld, universal brother, at Saint Louis des Français at 3:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. (shows given in French)
  • Saturday May 14 evening: in Saint Louis des Français, prayer vigil organized by the Diocese of Viviers
  • Saturday 14 May evening: at the Basilica of Saint André della Valle, show by Francesco Agnel-lo, Charles de Foucauld, universal brother, at 8.30 p.m. (show in Italian)
  • Sunday, May 15 morning: 9:00 a.m. / 9:30 a.m. Canonization Mass, Saint Peter’s Square
  • Sunday May 15 evening: 7:30 p.m. Oratorio on Charles de Foucauld, produced by a group of young people, in Italian, in Saint

PDF: AFS Letter Canonization January 2022