New Monastery of the Franciscans of the Immaculata -- Flowering Orders of Tradition

(Ancona) The traditional new  Franciscan Order of the Immaculate revives old, abandoned monasteries of other orders. One of the latest examples is the recolonization of the old Franciscan monastery from Colfano di Camporotondo in the Archdiocese of Camerino-San Severino Marche in the Marche region of Italy. The convent of the Friars Minor was founded by Saint Francis of Assisi 1215-1221. The 800-year celebrations is almost here.. Although it is not to be directly celebrated by  the Pope whose namesake the great Saint who launched the Order is, but it can be celebrated and even be Franciscan. The Franciscans had to leave the old monastery for lack of new vocations, that they had revived continuously for so many centuries. Or at least almost continuously. When the grounds were occupied by Italian guerrillas and joined to the newly formed Kingdom of Italy, the anti-clerical government led by a Masonic dominance stormed the Monasteries. For a few years the monastery of Colfano was overturned by the state and the archive destroyed. In 1870 the Franciscans were able to return.

For 33 months has been empty, except with the Franciscans of the Immaculate who on the 2nd of July, 2012 introduced new life, which continues the legacy of countless generations of Friars Minor who have prayed and worked in the spirit of the "Poverello" of Assisi.

The monastery in Colfano has been colonized by a contemplative branch of the young Franciscan religious order in the gray-blue habit. In 1970, two Franciscan pulled out of the branch of the Franciscans to live in strict observance rules of the order and to maintain devotion to Mary in a special way. From this personal experience of two men, one of the most prosperous and fastest growing orders of the Catholic Church has emerged. An order which is also committed to the white tradition. The priest celebrating in both forms of the Roman rite, but internally Rite of the liturgy is celebrated exclusively in the Old Rite.

Today the Order has  four branches, two male and two female. One branch is always pastoral, missionary and evangelically active in the world, the other branch contemplative.

Founded in 2007 as the last of the four branches of contemplative male branch. The members of the order of this branch live a life of prayer and penance. The first monastery was built in Amandola, always in the lands that belonged to the Papal States until 1860. Colfano is now in a year, the second convent.

The Franciscans of the Immaculate, besides their founder Father, Francis of Assisi, they have two saints of modern times whom they revere and whose work they try to imitate: the stigmatist, Padre Pio of Pietrelcina andr Father Maximilian Kolbe murdered in a concentration camp as a martyr. Padre Pio was a Capuchin of the order of Father Maximilian Kolbe, both were thus Franciscan Minorites. Padre Pio stirred, among other things, the love of the Old Mass. Father Maximilian Kolbe, a missionary zeal to contribute to the evangelization. Both priestly figures are also modeled in the personal life, in obedience and patience - from Father Kolbe - to martyrdom.

From the older, active evangelism of the male branch of the Order, there are already 55 convents in many countries. Two convents are in Brazil, which will be active during World Youth Day, reinforced by numerous brothers and sisters from other convents. The catechesis for young people plays an important role in the Order.

In German-speaking areas, there is a monastery in Kitzbühel in Tyrol. Two further attempts to settle there have failed owing to resistance from the dioceses.

The Order maintains, after the example of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, numerous media, including in Italy Il settimanale di Padre Pio (The weekly newspaper of Padre Pio), which includes some of the best Catholic newspapers that exist in Europe at least.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Town Camporotondo Fiastrone

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

AMGD