JERUSALEM, OCT. 6, 2010 (Zenit.org).- The Order of Capuchin Friars Minor opened a center for spirituality and formation for religious and laypeople who want to attend courses and retreats in that region.
The center, which is inspired by the motto, «I am the light of the world,» was inaugurated Sept. 28.
At the inauguration ceremony, Archbishop Fouad Twal, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, noted that this light is the witness that believers make to those around them. He added that this idea «is a topic of our next synod,» which will take place in Rome, beginning Sunday, and will focus on the Middle East.
«In Jerusalem, we can count on hundreds of religious congregations, 14 of which are contemplative communities,» the prelate said. «They are the strength and richness of the Latin Catholic Church.»
He continued: «Today we inaugurate a new center for spirituality and welcome, thanks to the goodwill of our beloved Capuchins, a center called to be light.»
«True Christians influence the world around them and reflect the light of the Lord,» the archbishop affirmed.
The property where the center is located belonged to the Capuchin order since the 1930s, when Archbishop Luigi Barlassina invited the religious to build a convent in the Jewish area of Jerusalem.
However, the friars had to leave Jerusalem during World War II, putting the project on hold. The property was taken over by the state for a psychiatric hospital. The Capuchin center project was later revived in the 1990s.
The center is available for groups or individuals, including priests, religious, catechists and pastoral workers, who want to attend seminars and training courses.
