ROME — Well wishes for the feast day of St. Francis and reports of youth events around the world are some of the topics included in the most recent issue ofFraternitas, the newsletter of the General Curia.
In an article titled “Sollemnitas Sancti Francisci,” the letter of the General Definitory for the feast of St. Francis noted that Francis “did not specify any specific way of apostolic activity, rather, he clearly indicated the conditions for Christian discipleship, its manner of understanding and living the Gospel radically, viz, through the spirit of prayer and devotion, fraternity, poverty, minority, proclamation of Gospel of peace, preaching and evangelization.”
The letter further read: “These are the priorities which we have sought to study in-depth and to put into practice in the last few years.”
This summer, youth around the world gathered for three events, which Fraternitasreported on:
• Franciscan March Toward Assisi: More than 1,300 young people from youth groups around the world marched for five days in a journey of reflection and prayer during the Franciscan March Toward Assisi. On Aug. 2, the groups were welcomed to St. Mary of the Angels by the General Minister, where they received pardon in the chapel of the Portiuncula and celebrated the feast day of pardon. On Aug. 4, the General Minister celebrated the Eucharist, and sent everyone back home to bring the word of grace they received.
• Gathering of Prayer for Youth: Young people met from Aug. 1 to 6 in Medjugorje in Bosnia-Herzegovina, for the 20th International Gathering of Prayer for Youth. There were more than 50,000 youth participants — the largest crowd ever — representing 69 countries and all five continents. More than 600 priests also attended.
• European Franciscan Youth Congress: The V Congress of European Franciscan Youth was celebrated in Lithuania from Aug. 18 to 24. “From Martyrdom to the Resurrection” saw young representatives from 11 European countries visit Lithuania with their spiritual assistants.
“It was a great honor for Lithuanian Franciscan youth to host other young Franciscans in their country,” Fraternitasreported.
Fraternitas also reported that Fr. Alberto Lopera Trujillo, OFM, the founder of Fraternitas, died June 23 in Cali, Colombia. Ordained a priest in 1952, he was the first rector at the University of St. Bonaventure in Colombia. He also worked in the Protocol Office of the General Curia, where he published the first issue of Fraternitas in 1967.