San Lorenzo de Brindis Fraternities
On February 2, 2022, two international fraternities of
San Lorenzo were inaugurated on the triple border between Brazil-Colombia-Peru,
the result of an agreement between the three circumscriptions that are in this
territory and also the collaboration of other circumscriptions that have made
brothers available. One of the fraternities is located in Leticia, Colombia and
has 5 brothers (brothers Félix from Colombia; Lázaro from Ceará, Brazil; Adán
from Northern Mexico; David from Peru; and Kellycio from Mato Grosso, Brazil).
The other fraternity is located in Benjamin Constant, Brazil and also has 5
brothers (brothers Aceme from Amazonas, Brazil;
Héctor from Peru; brother Celso from Amazonas, Brazil; Manuel from
Colombia; and Marcos Venicius also from Amazonas, Brazil). One fraternity is a
20-minute boat ride from the other.
As
fraternities of San Lorenzo they are called to live our charismatic Capuchin
values first and foremost as indicated in the Constitutions. First of all,
there is the fraternity, which is
our first apostolate. Even though they are from such different countries and
cultures, they must develop among themselves that esteem and mutual service
that Francis wanted for all his followers. The joyful sharing of everyday life
and mutual esteem must be visible in them. The minority among them and in pastoral care should also characterize
them. Gladly taking on simple jobs, making themselves "submissive to every
human creature," they must show that they are there to serve and not to be
served. Their life of prayer must
also be intense. They ordinarily pray in fraternity the entire Liturgy of the
Hours, make the fraternal Eucharist the culmination of each day and dedicate at
least one hour of the day to meditation or mental prayer, thus giving God the
priority that gives meaning to everything else.
It is from these Capuchin characteristics that they want
to be missionaries in the Amazon. They have an intense pastoral activity, but
without neglecting our way of being: fraternal, minor and contemplative. This
is how they serve communities, in parishes and beyond. As brothers of the
people, they carry out missionary experiences in fraternity in the indigenous
and riverside communities, bringing the joy of the Gospel where life cries out
for it. They want to serve the simplest people and are open to learning their
customs, languages and culture. They are discovering that the missionary is the
first one to be evangelized, since the seeds of the Word are already
everywhere.
It is there that these two fraternities also want to
offer all the brothers of the Americas, especially the post-novices, the
possibility of having a beautiful missionary experience, with some theoretical
formation and also practical experiences. This will help to awaken even more in
all of us a taste for the mission from our Capuchin charism.
“My dear Amazonia” calls you. Answer “Here am I”. My brother: share,
support and enjoy this experience.
