From 23 August to 13 September 2026, Fra Darren Abela OFM one of our students in formation spent three weeks in the Holy Land as part of a formative experience offered by the Franciscan Province of St Paul the Apostle \u2013 Malta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The experience was intended to offer a deeper encounter with the land of the Gospel while combining prayer, service, fraternity and Franciscan formation. Living for several weeks in Jerusalem provided an opportunity not only to visit the Holy Places, but also to experience everyday life and ministry in the land where Jesus lived, preached, died and rose again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the mornings, Fra Darren offered his service at St Vincent de Paul in Jerusalem, assisting persons with disabilities. This ministry became an important part of the experience, offering an opportunity to encounter Christ in those who need particular care, attention and companionship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the afternoons, he served at the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, one of the most sacred places of the Christian faith, built around the sites traditionally associated with the Crucifixion, burial and Resurrection of Jesus. Serving in such a place offered a special opportunity for prayer and reflection at the heart of the Christian mystery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Throughout his stay, Fra Darren lived at St Saviour\u2019s Monastery in Jerusalem, the principal Franciscan friary of the Custody of the Holy Land. The friary is also home to a Franciscan formation community, where friars preparing to begin their theological studies live and continue their journey of formation. Sharing daily life with friars from different countries also highlighted the international and fraternal character of the Franciscan Order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The experience also included visits and pilgrimages to many places connected with the life and ministry of Jesus, including Bethlehem, Nazareth, Capernaum, Mount Zion, Mount Tabor, the Mount of Beatitudes and the Church of the Primacy of St Peter, together with several other biblical and Franciscan sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Walking through these places brought the Gospel into a different perspective. Places and passages that are often heard during the liturgy became more concrete through seeing the landscapes, towns and places connected with the life of Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Fra Darren, these three weeks became much more than a visit to the Holy Land. They were a time of service, prayer, fraternity and personal formation, offering an opportunity to deepen his relationship with Christ and to reflect more deeply on his Franciscan vocation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following in the footsteps of St Francis of Assisi, who himself travelled to the Holy Land and desired to encounter others with humility and peace, the experience was also a reminder of the Franciscan call to be present among people, to serve the most vulnerable and to proclaim the Gospel through fraternity and simple acts of service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Province is grateful for the opportunity given to Fra Darren to live this experience, which will continue to accompany him as he progresses in his journey of Franciscan formation and service to the Church.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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