AS Camilo Barréra, Bogotá, Colombia
As I flew back to Bogotá after Associate Commitment Day, I thought: How joyful it is to realize that I have found my place!—a place where the entire me can find itself with The Love, with no "but" that can stop me….
I felt it through the different people of the Franciscan Community: their reception, their listening, their open arms, their guided tours through Little Falls and St. Cloud. I felt it through the trees’ wonderful colors, the cold and the sun, the beautiful squirrels and through delicious food. I felt it through the happy connections between the retreat topic and the liturgies Thursday to Sunday.
For a very long time I’ve looked for a place where my whole history is at home—and I got it! A place where diversity, respect and faith coexist as friends. They are not just pretty words—no! I concretely and intensely experienced it during the five days I lived in Minnesota.
Still, I cannot say with Peter: "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters..." (Luke 9:33). No! Many more people deeply wish to find themselves within The Love despite differences. We must work to overcome our narrow certainties and be open to the enormity of The Love* because our Father loves each one in a special way. From Bogotá and from all places, it is possible to love and grow our Global Franciscan Community.
*There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female. All are one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28)
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Camilo during the “Being a Global Franciscan Community”
retreat in Little Falls.
As I flew back to Bogotá after Associate Commitment Day, I thought: How joyful it is to realize that I have found my place!—a place where the entire me can find itself with The Love, with no "but" that can stop me….
I felt it through the different people of the Franciscan Community: their reception, their listening, their open arms, their guided tours through Little Falls and St. Cloud. I felt it through the trees’ wonderful colors, the cold and the sun, the beautiful squirrels and through delicious food. I felt it through the happy connections between the retreat topic and the liturgies Thursday to Sunday.
For a very long time I’ve looked for a place where my whole history is at home—and I got it! A place where diversity, respect and faith coexist as friends. They are not just pretty words—no! I concretely and intensely experienced it during the five days I lived in Minnesota.
Still, I cannot say with Peter: "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters..." (Luke 9:33). No! Many more people deeply wish to find themselves within The Love despite differences. We must work to overcome our narrow certainties and be open to the enormity of The Love* because our Father loves each one in a special way. From Bogotá and from all places, it is possible to love and grow our Global Franciscan Community.
*There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female. All are one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28)
Camilo during the “Being a Global Franciscan Community”
retreat in Little Falls.
