By Matters India Reporter

Orlong Hada, Feb 21, 2020: The Indian Franciscan Major Superiors, 97 of them from all over India gathered together in the Orlong Hada hill area in Meghalaya in North Eastern India to spend four days (from Feb 17 to 20) of deep personal and collective reflection on their lives and their various apostolates to society, especially to the least and the last.

Their spirituality, based on Francis of Assisi’s listening to God’s call, preaching the good news and serving the poorest.

The Congregation of the Missionaries of St. Francis (CMSF) popularly known as Borivily Brothers, has developed people of North East by their Socio-pastoral and educational apostolates.

CMSF focuses on the character formation of young boys and girls through the Franciscan Youth Federation (FYF) through their outreach programs. This Franciscan Congregation has developed a Hill in Orlong Hada into a Franciscan Pilgrim Centre by rebuilding important places connected to St. Francis for spiritual revival with transformation.

The group spent a long duration with input sessions, listening to the primary Franciscan sources from the 13th century, and visiting the prominent replica buildings constructed in this area, said Father Nithiya Sagayam, National Coordinator, the Association of Franciscan Families of India (AFFI).

The participants began with San Damiano Chapel where a replica of the Cross that spoke to St. Francis, “Go and repair my house/ Church which is in ruins.”

They spent time praying for the whole church that is challenged by the scandals of wealth and power.

The group spent quality time at the Portiuncula, the cradle of Franciscan heritage, where Francis and Companions lived in solidarity with the lepers, beggars and the unwanted people over there.

The participants listened to the sources on how Francis lived his radical prophetism against the Assistant mentality that preferred to materialism and comfort; the visit to Fonte Colombo, where he wrote the Rule of the Order even though his followers wanted a carefree life without any bindings.

This visit enabled them to get rooted in the demands of the Rule and Life of every Franciscan to choose a disciplined and principle-centered life.

The pilgrimage to the Crib at Greccio at an early morning prayerful meditation was an invitation to relive the Humility of Jesus’ incarnation that calls for a prophetic witness against the worldly pomp and glory.

They climbed to the Mount La Verna, where St. Francis got the stigmata, offered to him by Jesus as he longed to participate in his sufferings. This strengthened the participants to face the challenges and sufferings that come on their way while they stand for principles based on Gospel values and accept the wisdom of the cross.

Father Scaria Varanath OFM animated the group by leading them to interpret these Franciscan spots for effective evangelization.

Bishop Victor Lyngdoh of Jowai diocese invigorated the participants to revive the Franciscan roots amidst their service to the poorest of the poor.

The group spent enough time also to revive their life and mission in keeping with the vision of St. Francis. This has led them to focus on the forgotten people in the society in the country.

This led them to give topmost priority to the poorest and marginalized for their socio-economic, political and cultural welfare. They also revived their Franciscan Constitutional duty to be for the poor, of the poor and by the poor and ultimately to be voluntarily poor amidst the poor with whom, God the Daridranarayan, resides.

The Indian Franciscan Network of around 50, 000 Religious members, come under the umbrella of the AFFI.

It has 56 Franciscan Religious Congregations and 165 provinces serving the country through schools, colleges, hospitals and social welfare activities, to all people, irrespective of caste, creed or region but with a special focus on the poorest and the unwanted.

This AFFI nationwide network gives trainings and seminars for formators, administrators, superiors and social workers to enhance their potentials and update them for better commitment.

Annually the major superiors (Generals and Provincials) gather together in February, to review their life and apostolate and to update themselves on current concerns. This is the 19th consecutive year.

For the year 2020, the major superiors planned both at the national and regional level with special focus on the following:

AFFI focuses on imparting an in-depth understanding of the life of Francis in the formation and enables candidates who are under training to be future priests and nuns to live in solidarity with the poorest and the marginalized.

It would guide the Franciscans for an effective commitment especially those in their mid-life update the members with regular communications and networking with others.

Finally, AFFI revamps the youth to be committed to the social welfare through Franciscan Peace Club.