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On July 14, 2007, Fr. Isidoro M. Cipres, Fr. Raffaele M. Bolonos,
and fra Dominic M. Adajar set off for Argentina, thereby
increasing the number of nations that benefit from the presence
of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate (FI) to twelve.
It was only in 1970 that the first FI community began in a little
town “unknown to cartography”
in southern Italy—Frigento—
and now they are already present
on every inhabited continent in
the world. Beginning with the
first mission in the Philippines,
1978, the missions of the United
States, Brasil, and Benin were
added in 1991, Nigeria and Australia
in 1997, France and Great
Britain in 2001, Austria in 2002,
Kazakstan in 2003, and finally
Argentina, last chronologically
but not least in difficulty.
Many years have passed
since the time when this
most beautiful South American
country represented
economic hope for many
Italian and European immigrants:
Argentina is a country
now going through a dark period
in its social history. The lingering
effects of the grave economic
and political crisis of 2001 have
upset the lives of innumerable
families and the poverty rate
has increased notably, with
consequent hardships and social
disorders such as unemployment
and petty crime.
Only recently has the country
apparently regained its footing, though the situation
remains extremely delicate,
above all in the large cities.
Argentina is a country in
which the Good News of Christ’s
Gospel arrived five-hundred
years ago, but today, like all
Western countries, is in need of
“re-evangelization.” The decline
of spirituality in Europe (the
main point of reference for this
country) began when the evangelization
of South America was
not yet completed. A peculiar situation
now exists: on the one
hand there is a strong Christian
tradition, and on the other a confusion
in morals and in the development
(“progress”) of the
culture, owing to the “bad example”
of Europe, once the evangelizer
but now gone adrift. Like
all South American countries,
Argentina has a heartfelt and
passionate approach to religion
that accentuates its huge spiritual
potential.
Unfortunately, along with
peaks of great Christian devotion,
we find situations of extreme
spiritual and material neglect,
as in the case described to us
by our own Fr. Isidoro, who
found himself having to baptize
in extremis a dying child: in fact,
no one in his large (eight children)
and extremely poor family
was baptized. By divine Providence,
however, the little one
had the grace to meet our friar
and receive the Sacrament shortly
before his death.
Yet we must look to the future
of this splendid country with
faith and trust, because the
Christian history of Argentina is
Marian history. In 1536, the
Spaniard Pedro de Mendoza disembarked
on the right bank of
the Rio de la Plata, founding
what is now the great South
American metropolis of Buenos
Aires. He gave it the name Puerto
de la Santa Maria de los
Buenos Aires o Buen Aire, in fulfillment
of a vow made to Our
Blessed Lady at the beginning of
his enterprise, thus marking the
beginning of a particular presence
of Our Lady in this nation.
Mary has always been very much
alive and operating in every aspect
of the country’s life: so
much so that in 1636, She Herself
wanted to make Her love for
the Argentine people felt with a
prodigy, which led to the construction
of the shrine of Our Lady
of Lujan in the place where it
occurred, Pampa, about 60 kilometers
(40 miles) west of Buenos
Aires.
Here is the story of the
event: “In the stern of a caravel,
a sailor bringing with him two
terra cotta statuettes from Brazil,
destined for a Portuguese man
living at Sumampa (today Santiago
del Estero), crossed the river
and decided to spend the night in
nearby “Canada de la Cruz,”
near the home of Don Rosendo
de Oramas. At daybreak, continuing
his journey on dry land, the
drivers noticed that one of the
wagons firmly resisted the enormous
strain of the oxen. After
several vain attempts, they determined
that it was only because of
the presence of a single box that
the wagon would not move. It
was removed and opened: inside
was a small statue of the Immaculate
Conception, 58 centimeters
(about 23 inches) high and
dressed in a red tunic and blue
mantle strewn with stars. All
those present cried out at the miracle
and knelt trembling before
the image, which had so clearly
demonstrated its desire to be
honored in that very place, called
‘Arbol Solo,’ or lone tree.”
And now Mary has called
the Franciscans of the Immaculate
to “disembark” right at
Buenos Aires, in Villa Celina, in
the parish of “Our Lady of the
Guard.” Part of the Diocese of
San Justo, it is one of the poorest
quarters of the city, an area
where material poverty and the
deterioration of the environment
make the life of the people difficult,
and anything but dignified.
On September 12, 2007, the
friars received this parish of
30,000 souls from the hands of
Bishop Baldomeo Carlos Maria
Martini.
Not many months have
passed, and already a few youths
have asked to experience Franciscan
life. Also, many families
await a visit from the missionaries,
who presently number only
three, but are already very active
in the local community.
Plans for the immediate future
include the enlargement of
the house (friary) in order to be
able to host a larger community
and finding accommodations for
a community of Fransciscan Sisters
of the Immaculate. To realize
all this, they will rely on the support
of benefactors for the work
of the FI in this new and difficult
mission.
The objectives will be
reached if every one of us will
ask Immaculate Mary, Queen of
the Universe, to provide all that
we—through our own strength—
are unable to accomplish.
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The Word Was Made Flesh is a monthly missionary review of MISSiOMARIAE.NET. It publishes articles on the missions and related topics such as the Directives of the Magisterium on the missions, Apostolic spirituality, Mariology, homilies and sermons and more...