It was a long journey until, on September 14, 2018, we arrived in the city of Capaccio, the capital, located in the province of Salerno, overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, and here we set out to start life and mission on the line of the Holy Gospels and with Franciscan Spirituality.
The expectation created here, where we must come, was transformed with the arrival of the first friars (Frei Patrick, Frei Neco and Frei Pedro) and their presence, in a fruitful reality, both in the internal life of the Fraternity, a life of prayer . , fraternal coexistence, life of sharing, of Franciscan poverty, local chapters, journey in brotherhood, and we all do it with the option of Franciscan life.
When our apostolic life was becoming more fruitful: projects with migrants, assistance to the poorest, to the sick; We assumed, in July 2019, the parishes of Capaccio, with Friar Flaerdi as pastor, and Monteforte (nearby town – 15 km) with Friar Patrick as pastor, and other pastoral services. With the Franciscan Family we have restructured the local SFO with formations, retreats and fraternal / missionary animation. We have strengthened relations with the OFS in Capaccio Scalo (nearby city – 10 km), all done with great joy and vigor by the Brazilian friars. In October 2019, Fray Pedro left the Fraternity to assume the mission of the Order of Friars Minor in the Peruvian Amazon. In February 2020, the Fellowship won another brother to collaborate, Fray Suelton.
2020 did not start very well, COVID-19 has arrived, which has spread throughout Italy. During the period of isolation, due to the virus, we dedicate ourselves daily to the prayer of the Holy Rosary, to the Holy Mass and we approach people through the Facebook of the Convent, broadcasting all the celebrations. On Palm Sunday we went out through the streets of the city of Capaccio with the Blessed Sacrament, blessing it and offering all our support, prayer and consolation. On that occasion we can see many faces soaked with tears that show two feelings: sadness, at the very delicate moment of the pandemic, and joy at being consoled by the real presence of the triune God.
Our presence raised vital hopes. We highlight, in particular, the reality of our work with migrants, such as the delivery of food, clothing, shoes, furniture and various other private and community needs of each migrant. A way of making them feel valued, welcomed and integrated into the social fabric. Migrants always see the Mediterranean Sea in unimaginable ways, entering the country through the islands of Malta and Sicily and through the Calabria region.
Then they disperse in search of dignity, food, work and peace, because in their homeland they do not reach the minimum condition of survival. During the pandemic, our Fraternity and the Fraternity of the SFO made masks, and together with the Parish of Capaccio we made deliveries for migrants.
Our mission here, from the initial project, follows the guidelines of Pope Francis to be an outgoing Church, to give consolation and to be heralds of the joy of the Gospel. We try to be a spiritual, welcoming and guiding presence; of gratitude to our ancestral Italian missionaries in Brazil, of a suitable formative space for our Custody (Language, culture, studies, spirituality, Franciscanism, mission), as well as other forms of assistance; And, we ardently wish to celebrate a Franciscan Missionary Week together with our Custody and the entire community of Capua, the invitation and the strong desire of all of us remain.
We ask everyone to pray for each friar, for our Order and for the entire Franciscan Family, in particular we ask you to pray for our mission here in Capaccio and for our Franciscan Custody based in Brazil.
