We are coming to the end of International Formators' course and one highlight was our pilgrimage to Assisi yesterday. The mass we celebrated helped us to focus on Saints Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as well as St Francis. And from our perspective we thought they were excellent formators! We therefore asked God to give us the grace to imitate them. After the mass here am I, praying at the tomb of St Francis for peace in the world, especially in places where there is religious conflict. I also prayed for the ongoing success of the Church's mission of Inter Religious Dialogue, and that Seminarians may continue this mission begun by St Pope John Paul II in Assisi in 1986
At Mass in the Chapel in the Catacombs of Domitilla yesterday, 20th July, praying for the seminary at the graves of Saints Nereus and Achilleus. Praying in a special way for the intercession of the Holy Martyrs in making our pastoral work training effective. May they who were unafraid to bear witness to Jesus even in the face of death help us not to count the cost while we develop our pastoral skills. Fr. Aniceto Pereira Rector
On the morning of Sunday, 9th July, our entire group of formators went on a pilgrimage to St Peter's Basilica. Each of us prayed for our particular churches and also for the Universal Church. We celebrated Mass on one of the side altars inside the Basilica and spent a lot of time in prayer in union with the Saints. We then prayed the Angelus along with the Holy Father, who greeted us very warmly. I pass that greeting warmly to you too. Fr. Aniceto Pereira Rector
I arrived in Rome on the 30th of June and soon after lunch I found my way to St. Peter's Square and prayed for the Seminary through the intercession of the Proto Martyrs of Rome whose feast we were celebrating. Even as we have begun our program, I pray that you may have a profound celebration of the Mass of the Holy Spirit on the Feast of St. Thomas, presided over by His Eminence, Oswald Cardinal Gracias, followed by the Lectio Brevis. I am sure the Cardinal, who is so close to the Holy Father, will instill in all of us a great fidelity to the Church and a concern for the needs of the universal Church. That dimension will surely deepen the significance of our own vocation. The Cardinal will
