Sr. Agnes Regan SSFPA was the main planner and organizer. She was assisted by friar Bob Showers OFM Conv. of Angola. OFS members from fraternities in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Mishawaka and Chicago participated.
Our journey began with several days in Rome. The Hoosier Franciscans visited and prayed in the various papal basilicas in the Eternal City. On Wednesday, we attended the general audience with the pope at St. Peter's on the Vatican. One full week was dedicated to Assisi and its environs. It was in Assisi that St. Francis was born, there he died, and there he founded the world-wide movement of the Franciscans. The Franciscan movement includes the different branches of the First Order of men, the Second Order of the Poor Clares, the Secular Franciscan Order of people "in the world" and many differ-ent groups of Third Order Regular Franciscans like the sisters of Mishawaka. |
The pilgrimage included trips to Greccio (where Francis made the first living Christmas manger), San Damiano (where St. Clare founded the Poor Clares), Rivo Torto (where the friars first developed their concept of a 'friary'), and Mount La Verna (where Francis received the stigmata, the living wounds of the crucified Jesus on his hands, his feet and his side). Within Assisi, we prayed at the places where Francis was born, where he was baptized, where he fought against the death penalty, where he founded the Order, where he wrote the Rule, where he died, and where he is buried.
Of course, there was also time for relaxation, wonderful food, beautiful scenery, good wine, good conversation and, in some of our cases, meeting up with old friends and acquaintances.
22 October 2018