The Confreres Sons of Divine
Providence in the Philippines gathered for their one-week annual retreat from
October 17 – 22, 2016 at the Augustinian Contemplative Nuns (OSA) Retreat House
in Carmel Farms, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan. They have been accompanied during
this one-week reflection by Rev. Fr. Fausto Franceschi in mission in India.
Eleven (11) people, composed of
six religious priests and five religious brothers from the three houses we
count in the Philippines (Lucena, Montalban, Payatas) were the attendants. Fr.
Anthony, the coordinator of the Mission and Novice Master was not able to
attend due to his responsibility and also the eight other newly profes brothers
for academic reasons. Fr. Stefan Bulai as well was not able to join because
being in Romania at this moment for the sad news of the sudden departure of his
mother Tereza Bulai at the Father’s house. The last day Father Anthony and the Novices joined for the closing Eucharistic celebration.
During these six days, we have
been taken by Fr. Fausto to journey the road of the Father’s Mercy. The main
topic was the Year of Mercy with a particular insistence on the work of mercy
analyzed at the light of the Holy Scriptures, the Magisterium of the Church and
the Orionine Magisterium.
How did the year mercy work in
the personal life of the religious, was the point of Don Fausto. He has help to
look first and foremost the work of mercy as exercise of charity to oneself as
religious. How do we apply each work to our personal life and realities and
from there be able to open oneself to others. Now that we are moving towards
the end of the year of mercy, the resolution of each one at the end of this
spiritual journey will be to try to be “Merciful like the Father”, knowing that
the first subject in need of mercy is oneself. To be merciful ‘LIKE’ the Father
will mean experience first ourselves the mercy of God and then after delighting
of God’s mercy, imitate Him in being merciful towards others.
A word of thanks to all the
participants, all those who have made it possible, to the OSA Nuns, their personnel
and specially to Don Fausto Franceschi for his inspired words and experience.
Ave Maria and onward with Saint
Luigi Orione.
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