Catecheses, presbyters’ retreats, and solidarity. These three lines will be the inspiration behind the forthcoming Lent in the community of Antioch, run by the parish priest, father Domenico Bertogli. “We want to live this time in preparation to Easter as a time of announcement and forgiveness in communion with our Orthodox brothers”, he states to SIR, giving also a few previews of other events, for instance one with the Capuchin fathers in Cappadocia in April. “We are waiting for mgr. Ruggero Franceschini, president of the Turkish Bishops and the current administrator of the apostolic vicariate of Anatolia, to come visiting us soon in replacement of the late mgr. Luigi Padovese. An important visit, which is also aimed at strengthening our congregation who is waiting for the arrival of a new pastor after mgr. Padovese’s murder on June 3rd last year”. Moments of solidarity will not be missing either, with the local Caritas that, as the parish priest explains, sent a letter to the congregation to invite it to “materially share what they have with those who are in need”.

A special intention of prayer will go to the Church of Iskenderun, currently run by a small community of friars minor conventual, “that was deeply affected by mgr. Padovese’s death. In this respect, the arrival of a new bishop is, in my opinion, urgent, but we will have to wait a little bit longer, maybe a couple of months. Unfortunately, we will have to wait much longer to have a trial who will do justice to mgr. Padovese’s death”. “To commemorate him as best as we can – father Bertogli adds –, we will continue our mission of announcement. After so many requests since last Thursday as leaders of the Catholic, Orthodox and Jewish communities, we no longer have an escort. It was unnecessary, and we did not feel free, we have telephones we can call from to report any problem, fear or need”. An announcement that will be revived, according to the priest, not least “by the pilgrims coming to Tarsus and Antioch again. Since late February, we have been receiving several groups from Portugal, Italy, France, Germany. It is one of the fruits of the Pauline Year; pilgrims strengthen the small Christian community that thus feels to be part of the universal Church. And this is vitally important to us”.

© SIR - 8 marzo 2011