Missionary course at Brussels ends.
After nearly 3 months of program about Franciscan Mission the 11 missionaries participating at the Brussels course moved on Sunday 14th to Italy. They will make a pilgrimage and a retreat at the Franciscan places. It is the moment for them to internalize the learning from the weeks before.
Sunday 7th Minister general Br. Mauro Jöhri presided Eucharist in the big parish church of the friary at Brussels. It was to commemorate the 10 years of the program. In 2000 the OFM started the international community “Our Lady of Nations” in order to prepare brothers for the international mission projects of the Order. Five years ago the Conventuals and Capuchins joined the program. It is since then: Inter-franciscan, inter-national and inter-generational (brings new and experienced missionaries together). Since 2005 40 Capuchins have participated at the course.
The Capuchin participants were: Br. FRANCIS ASSIS Edwin Monis OFMCap (from India working in Japan) , Br. VELAYAPPILLIL Mathai Paily RENNY OFMCap ( from India and working in Assam, North East India), Br. KATTA Melkiyore OFMCap (from India and preparing for China). Br. Bill Frigo from the Calvary Province (USA) represented the Capuchins in the coordination team, working together with Br. Vicente Imhof OFMConv (Germany-Peru) and the new appointed team from the OFM. Br. GIANFRANCESCO SISTO (Italy – Kenya) and Br. DIDIER VAN HECKE (France - Belgium).
The program includes cultural and academic sessions. It pretends also to be a spiritual process. During the evaluation held with Br. Mauro, the missionaries expressed how much they learned. Even if certain thing could be changed, the overall view was positive. Some mentioned, that there was no preparation at all before they left for the mission. Some expressed clearly, that they will go back to the mission with a new approach and willing to preach with their life and not so much with words only.
The next session will be in French in 2011 from March 1st to May 29th.
The next English session will take place in Autumn 2011 from September to November.
