Community life
From 2 January to 12 February, as usual, the ordinary welcoming of guests was suspended. This enabled the community to cultivate more the dimension of fraternal life and of community discussion.
A first occasion of formation and discussion were two days of reflection offered by br Goffredo and br Luciano on the topics respectively of monastic liturgy and of articulation between individual, community, and word in monastic life. Immediately afterwards, from 4 to 6 February, the community held its annual chapter, in which the prior brought out three aspects for reflection. The first is fraternal life, concerning which it was noted that the community is living a time of particular grace, characterized by the absence of great worries. In spite of deficiencies on various levels, on account of which our spiritual struggle has to continue, we recognize that by the grace of God we are living in a climate of authentic brotherly love. The second aspect to consider are two dimensions in the present church panorama and that of the near future, which will require of us particular vigilance, reflection, and, especially, personal and community awareness: ecumenism and liturgy. The third aspect that can be noted is that the community is becoming more and more a place of encounter for guests coming from all of Europe and even beyond, hence it is necessary to intensify our efforts to learn foreign languages. Among the points of discussion, the chief one regarded the fraternities: a decision concerning the Jerusalem fraternity, on the supposition of a new home and of other brothers joining it; a discussion concerning the special context of the fraternity of Assisi, to be opened shortly, and what will be requested of the brothers sent there; discernment concerning a fraternity of sisters.
At the end of January we also lived a moment of great communion in welcoming our sisters of Cumiana to spend a day with us. As Enzo expressed it at the beginning of the midday prayer, we wished to “celebrate” that communion that we have been living for many years already with the five sisters of the monastic community of Cumiana. It is a strong and firm communion, never damaged, which is manifested by a sharing of the same monastic spirit and of concrete common moments: their faithful participation at our liturgies on the great occasions of the year, regular visits, and support in need.
On 18 April, at the beginning of vespers, br. Enzo gave the monastic habit to br Moreno Pollon, as the community approved at the last chapter. After some years of discernment of eremitical life, first in the diocese of Treviso and lately at Castiglione delle Stiviere, from this moment br Moreno officially lives the Rule of Bose as a hermit associated with our community.
We wish to note also that at the end of March br Mauro ended his work outside the community, which he had exercised for a long time: thirty-one years of highly appreciated service as a doctor at the hospital of Ivrea, where he also held many managerial posts — top clinician of immunohaemotology — and teaching tasks in the health structure of Piedmont.
Finally, in January sr Chiara attended a month-long English course in London, staying at St Michael’s Convent, a community of Anglican Sisters of the Church. Br Matthias traveled for a few days to Sweden, invited by the Lutheran bishop of Linköping, Martin Lind, to participate at the ordination ceremony of several deacons and pastors of that Church; on that occasion he also paid a visit to the community of Biärka-Säby, with which we have many exchanges. Later br Luigi spent a month in Athens for a specialized course in modern Greek; he also visited some Orthodox monastic communities and friends. A sister and a brother have spent a period in Jerusalem. Sr Raffaela stayed there fro three months, at an institution of the Vincentian sisters; br Sabino gave a five-week course on patristic exegesis to the students of the Franciscan Biblical Studium.