B. EGIDIO OF ASSISI FOUNDATION
The Blessed Giles Foundation was established on February 2, 2010, and depends directly to the Minister General. It is currently formed by the International Fraternity for ecumenical and interreligious dialogue Santa Maria Draperis of Istanbul (Turkey) and the European Missionary Society of Palestrina (Rome-Italy).1. THE FOUNDATION:
-The Istanbul International Fraternity was founded in 2003 and was officially opened on February 28, 2004. In 1995, the-then Minister General, Br. Hermann Schalück, during his visit to the Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I, had the intuition to create a fraternity for the promotion of ecumenical dialogue. In subsequent years, the Ministers General have taken this initiative to establish the current fraternity for ecumenical and interreligious dialogue.
-The European Missionary Society of Palestrina was officially founded on March 19, 2007. In March 2006, there took place in Assisi a seminar that assembled a group of Friars engaged in new forms of evangelization in Europe together with members of the General Definitory. From that workshop came the proposal accepted by the Minister General and his Definitory to establish a missionary and itinerant fraternity in secularized Europe.
2. THE LIFE OF THE TWO FRATERNITIES
Our Order is considered itself a “contemplative fraternity in mission” (CPO, Guadalajara 2001). The lives of the two fraternities take shape from this understanding.
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| I frati di Istanbul nella Cappella del Convento |
.The relationship with God is nourished by daily prayer in fraternity, lectio divina and frequent attendance at the weekly prayer of other Christian traditions and \religions.
.The fraternal life is characterized by cultural diversity that requires mutual acceptance and availability to expropriation. The friars strive to live this cultural diversity as a mutual enrichment.
.In the dimension of Minority, the brothers work to take care of the quality of life and service rather than efficiency and results; they are to focus on gratuity. In accordance with their capabilities, they come to the assistance of our brothers in need, particularly through the IIMP Association (Istanbul Inter-Parish Migrant Program) coordinated by the Protestant churches. This offers the brothers an opportunity to have significant ecumenical relations. The Friars willingly respond to the many requests of the local church.
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The dimension of evangelization is lived out primarily in the development of ecumenical and interreligious dialogue(Istanbul). We try to participate as fraternity in activities organized either by the brothers or others. Several annual events are: The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Commitment in the Month of Ramadan, Ongoing Formation Course, Visit the Mosque of Şişli, Interfaith Prayer in the Spirit of Assisi … There are also different activities in the local church, such as written articles in the diocesan magazine entitled, Presence, inter-religious committee, ecumenical commission, etc. There are many requests for groups, individuals and sometimes journalists who want to know about the life of the community and the commitment to dialogue..
Ordinary pastoral service is offered to some linguistic communities, such as the Parish of St. Louis of the French, the Italian Parish of Santa Maria Draperis, the Korean Community in the same parish, Sunday Eucharist in Spanish, etc
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La Fraternità non è legata ad un territorio,
ma ad un servizio e a una missione
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The fraternal dimension, essential in everyday life, develops into a sincere dialogue, especially during the times of the Chapter and they can be either frequent or prolonged (i.e., several days each month).
In order to enhance dialogue, the use of TV has been done away with. The fraternity does not have employees, for all the Friars work manually (at home, in the field, with others), thus fostering fraternal relationship.
This fraternal atmosphere involves people who gravitate toward the monastery, thus expanding the fraternity!
.The contemplative dimension is experienced thru personal prayer and ample space given to prayer in fraternity done calmly. In addition to the daily liturgy, they share the Gospel of the day once a week. Friday is a retreat day. Prayer is open to the people at the Eucharistic Liturgy, Vespers, Eucharistic Adoration, and weekly meetings on the Sunday Gospel.
.Mission is understood as a “meeting”; it is experienced in different ways and is characterized by prayer and fraternal relations. In the convent, mission is expressed mainly by welcoming the Friars and the laity and catechesis and prayer open to ordinary people. When they go about the world, the charism of each is expressed in many different forms and ways, trying to harmonize and make fruitful the gifts of each one, such as mission among the people, itinerancy thru the streets, sharing with the poor (Rom), religious formation, art -iconography, etc.
3. FEATURES
The Foundation:3. FEATURES
1) is an international fraternity and is at the direct service of the Order.
2) is animated by the search to listen / meet / dialogue with modern man, in ecumenism and interreligious dialogue in Istanbul and “missionary “in Palestrina.
3) is not tied to a territory, but to a service and a mission.
4) accepts or welcomes candidates and brothers from other entities.
5) consistently seeks for a simple way of life that is open to sharing.
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Fraternità missionaria europea
Convento S. Francesco
Via S. Francesco, 49
00036 PALESTRINA (RM), ITALIA
Tel. +39 06 953 81 95
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Fraternità internazionale d’Istanbul
İstiklal Caddesi, 215
34433 Beyoğlu – İstanbul
TÜRKİYE
Tel. +90 212-244 0243
Fax. +90 212-243 2291
