Assisi Pilgrimage 2024 - Br Fred
In January, Marian and I went to Assisi and stayed in the center of the city for a week. We were part of a group of 12 pilgrims and blessed to be shepherded by Brother Peter who guided us, helping us keep our time as both pilgrimage and retreat. Our group had breakfast and Morning prayer together each day and then went to one or a few places together. Then we were encouraged and assisted in going our own way in the afternoon to have our own experiences as the Spirit would lead. Each opportunity to meet or interact with the people of Assisi, the many religious, other pilgrims, artists, shop keepers, taxi drivers, chefs, area residents, all provided me as many spiritual insights and as much joy as did the many amazing places which document or venerate our beloved Francis and Clare. I hope that all my CFC brothers and sisters know that I brought you with me, I thought of you, I prayed for you, both individually and collectively. You were part of both preplanned and spontaneous intercessions in front of the San Damiano Cross and during our Sunday Eucharist.
It was very enriching each time I was in the side chapel at the Basilica of St. Clare, one time praying, another time for worship, and a third time which I will later describe, always in awe of viewing the actual cross that spoke to Francis. Yet, I must admit that it was the church and monastery of San Damiano which was the most powerful and inspiring place for me. Our group was blessed to have this place, for the most part, all to ourselves. It is a place that you should let quietly sink into yourself. Seeing the poor walls, the wild additions and evidence of many renovations, there is an unexpected and fascinating beauty to this place. It is of course, where Francis received his call to rebuild our Lord's church. And I could feel the presence of God as I imagined the Poor Ladies living out the Gospel life. It is described by some as a deep well. "Blessed is the one who takes the time and gets to draw from it, "Sister Water, humble, precious and pure." St. Clare's Dormitory over the vault of the church is austere and yet the space is filled heavily by the Spirit of God. Here the sisters lined up together on straw mattresses and here was where Clare died. I was so captivated. When everyone else had moved on, I stood alone in the empty dormitory which was so full of presence of God, I seemed nearly frozen in place; I found it hard to leave. In the Basilica of St. Francis, I thought about the closeness of the earliest Franciscans. Before descending to the crypt, we passed the burial marker for noblewoman, Blessed Jacopa, who Francis called Brother Jacopa. We slowly walked around the tomb of the Poverello and paused to see the markers of four followers entombed at the corners of his crypt, Brothers: Masseo, Rufino, Angelo, and Leone (Leo). The Gothic Upper Church is full of frescos. The book, Illustrated Guide of Assisi, translated by Benedict Fagone, which Brother David recommended was a treasure of information. I used it to find a few ceiling and transept frescos that I really wanted to see and study in person, and both Marian and I read the book’s descriptions as we gazed at the 28 frescoes by Giotto on the lower section of the walls which depict scenes from the life of Francis. If you go, take that book with you, I will even offer you my copy, please do not go without it.
Our group also had Evening Prayer and Dinner together and I was struck by the realization that with all this history and all the veneration of Francis and Clare, I felt called to focus somewhat more on “what they taught” - the Franciscan way of life. So, I was grateful that Peter suggested that we do a Saturday evening group discussion on Franciscan Spirituality. Three in our group have a Franciscan vocation and we happily shared our views and experience in living out the Gospel life. Everyone seemed enriched by the discussion. I benefited greatly before we held this discussion because spent the entire Saturday morning dwelling with the Incarnational part of our Spirituality – so easy with Nativity scenes in front of Crucifixion paintings, with the many Eucharistic adoration chapels, you see Cup and Crib, and Cross and Creation along every path you take in Assisi and you even hear the bells calling out when Mass is going to begin. By midday I was emersed in thought and trying to log examples in my mind of the “Relational” layer of Franciscan Spirituality, that is how we relate to those we travel with and how we engage with others in humility, all people, and all creatures. And when returning to Casa Papa Giovanni that day – I thought about Vocation, how we all have “what is ours to do” but also how there is continual discernment and adjustment especially between (contemplation/adoration) time and (ministry/service) time. I was viewing our spirituality though a specific lens, that gives it three cords or layers, woven together, the Incarnational, Relational, and Vocational elements of Franciscan Spirituality.
Some other highlights of our pilgrimage would be: From arrival, I would greet every person wearing a Franciscan habit with “Pace e bene!” and in every case the greeting came back to me, usually with big smiles and eyes lit up! It was the off-season in Assisi and there were no crowds, no lines, no sea of tourists. So, my greeting was a very simple and really easy way to share my joy with others. And certainly, getting to read the lessons for the Sunday Eucharist at St. Leonard’s Anglican parish was an unexpected joy. And hearing the Poor Clares sing at a Prayers for Christian Unity worship was like a soundtrack from heaven. Also, when a Franciscan Friar sitting at a small desk in the Eremo Hermitage gift shop ask me about my Franciscan Community, we had to work past our language barrier. So, I gave him the CFC webpage and as he looked it up on his laptop, which automatically translated in into Italian. He read over the pages, sometimes commenting aloud in a mix of English and Italian. Then he stopped and looked at me in surprise and said, “Men and Women! Clero ah… ordinato and Laici (Ordained and Laity) and with a gesture of amazement- his hands making an explosive gesture above his head. He shouted out… “Wow! … one big happy Family.” And I smiled and repeated it back “Yes, one big happy family.”
During our added time in Tuscany, Marian and I were enjoying a winery tour when to our surprise, Alberto, our excursion driver, finding out I was a Franciscan, insisted on taking us (no additional charge) to the Le Celle Franciscan Hermitage/Monastery near Cortona. It is an impressive place of silence and mysticism. After spending time in all the public areas, I think that both Alberto and I were for a moment tempted to pull the rope that rings the bell to the hermitage because all the locals rejoice in telling everyone how these very secluded Friars will always come and answer that bell and provide help or provision to anyone who rings it. But alas, we did not feel we needed any help or provision.
These are just some of the highlights of our trip, but I want to add that both Marian and I adored Brother Samuel, SSF from London, England. We were captivated by his presence and we were blessed to hear his amazing preaching two times during the week. Br. Peter has mentioned how much he appreciated his time and discussions with Friar Sam. I found it a joy to later learn that Brother Cristian also knows him. Now to end my blog entry – I will describe a final treasured experience in Assisi. In the early hours of the morning, we were leaving Assisi, I went to the Piazza of S. Chiara to withdraw some Euros at the ATM for our travel to Cortona. Since I was so close to the Basilica of St. Clare - I decided to enter one last time for prayer in front of the San Damiano cross. I saw no one in the main Sanctuary and as I entered the side chapel, I saw only two people. It was a Poor Clare and a Friar Minor sitting on a pew up front. I entered quietly and sat down a few rows behind them. Although they spoke softly and in Italian, I could tell they were discussing the cross. Each one made a few comments - sometimes pointing to the cross and always glancing at the other and then gazing back. The other would respond. At some point our Sister looked back and notice me and nodded and our Brother then did the same. They sat for a moment silently looking at each other. I said "Pace e bene" and they replied with the same. Then they turned back to gaze at the cross and resumed their softly spoken commentary with each other. I offered a few short silent prayer petitions and then quietly moved to the back, mesmerized by this chance witnessing of the cross that spoke to Francis. still "speaking" today. At a column in the back, I discretely took a picture before exiting. An amazing end to a pilgrimage in Assisi.
