Fabio Ciardi OMI, former professor at the Institute of Theology of Consecrated Life “Claretianum” and director of the Study Centre of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, led a Lenten retreat for the Generalate community of St. Pantaleo in Rome on February 25.
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate have as their founder St. Eugene de Mazenod (1782-1861), who suffered many difficulties and found consolation in the life of our Holy Father Joseph Calasanz, praying also at his altar in the church of San Pantaleo.
The sermon of the retreat was on the theme: “Prayer as a way of humanisation”. Fr. Ciardi recalled how humanity is born in dialogue with God, so prayer is far from being a ritual, let alone a ceremonial activity. Instead, prayer is a space and a time in which we are together to be loved. We gather in prayer because I trust that God loves me. In five words, Fr Fabio emphasised that prayer is the experience felt in the soul: I adore you, I love you, I thank you, I ask for forgiveness, and I ask for grace.
“The prayer must be uttered for our good and for the good of all humanity. Prayer expands the heart over God and all humanity. This way of praying is how our humanisation reaches its full maturity: we become complete men, and we become Jesus”.
Fr. Ciardi also shared with us what prayer was in his founder’s life. Thus, as the “sons” of these two magnificent saints, we continued the relationship between our respective Founders.
