Provincial Letter- SUMMER 2007

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Dear Friars,

Peace and Good Things!

Although the readings for the Easter Season are fundamentally the same each year, this year the accounts from The Acts of the Apostles have been particularly catching my ears and firing my imagination.� I am especially moved and inspired by the response of the infant Church to the challenge of what to do with the Gentile converts.� They remind us that the Church of the first century struggled with groups of people believed to be outside of the scope of the Church�s ministry and mission; how they opened themselves up to the Spirit and ultimately gave themselves to the task of surrendering old ways and establishing new ones. Circumcision was a long standing sign of the covenant God made with the People of Israel and it was probably unthinkable in the minds of many to imagine that one could be counted among God�s people without submitting to it.� Filled with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and a desire to allow greater access to Christ and the message of the Gospel, the Apostles and elders had the courage to �think outside the box� and broaden their vision so that the Church could grow and the Reign of God might be established in new places and among new groups of people.

The Church at the beginning of a new century is likewise plagued by division and disagreement.� Some of it is from without, but more damaging is the reality that within the Catholic community there are significant and ever-growing factions who would tear at the fabric of the peace in which Jesus desires us to live.� For some, harmony can only be had at the price of uniformity and who is and who is not a member of the Church depends on whether or not they meet certain limited criteria.

Recognizing the danger that lay at the end of such a path, a number of years ago the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin called for a dialogue on what he called �common ground.�� He envisioned that this would be a dialogue characterized by openness, honesty, civility, and mutual respect and that it would give us an opportunity to �to examine our situation with fresh eyes, open minds, and changed hearts, and to confront our challenges with honesty and imagination.�� These are the very principles that guided the infant Church at the Council of Jerusalem and that were clearly stated in the documents of the Second Vatican Council.� Gaudium et Spes tells us that �the Church�s mission requires�that we foster within the Church�mutual esteem, reverence and harmony and that the bonds which unite the Faithful are mightier than anything dividing them.� Hence, let there be unity in what is necessary, freedom in what is unsettled, and charity in any case.�

The accounts from Acts and the Conciliar statements of the Church bring two important considerations to the fore.� In the face of the many challenges confronting the contemporary Church and the groups of faithful men and women who feel unwelcome we would do well to remember the love, desire to live in peace, and sense of mutual respect that characterized the infant Church and that framed the vision of the Second Vatican Council.�� We would likewise do well to cultivate a willingness and desire to participate in the life of the Church in a �full, conscious, and active� way and to strive for a vision and an embrace as wide and encompassing as those of God, ever open to those who seek to join us on our journey.

May the Spirit that gave birth to the Church at Pentecost and who continues to guide the Church be poured upon each of us in abundance and may its presence dispel all fear so that we may continue to be a vital brotherhood responding to the needs of the Church!

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������������������������������������� (Very Reverend) Anthony M. Criscitelli, TOR
Minister Provincial

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