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MINISTER PROVINCIAL
Fr. Anthony Criscitelli, T.O.R.
Church of St. Bridget
3811 Emerson Ave. N.
Minneapolis, MN 55412 |
�
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!
�
� ������������������������������������ (Very Reverend) Anthony M.
Criscitelli, TOR
Minister Provincial
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