IMAGE: CNS photo/courtesy of the Little Brothers of Jesus
By Cindy Wooden
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — When Pope Francis chose one of the
Little Brothers of Jesus to be rector of the Diocese of Rome’s main seminary,
members of the order founded by Blessed Charles de Foucauld were stunned.
“The explicit request of Pope Francis” that Father Gabriele Faraghini,
51, be released for service as the seminary rector “was, for our little
fraternity, a bolt out of the blue, a novelty that literally floored
everyone,” said a note posted on the brothers’ website. But the order’s
general chapter confirmed the nomination, which was announced July 31.
Most of the brothers live in small communities with a home
life revolving around eucharistic adoration and prayer. Many of them, the
priests included, are manual laborers, who strive simply to be a presence of
friendship and solidarity with their co-workers and neighbors. Service in
diocesan institutions and offices is not a normal part of their ministry,
although it is not explicitly excluded.
Father Faraghini studied at the Rome diocesan seminary and
was ordained for the Diocese of Rome in 1992, although he already had begun
exploring the teachings of Blessed Charles and life with the Little Brothers of
Jesus, according to the order’s announcement of his appointment. Superiors at
the seminary had encouraged him to continue toward ordination while discerning his
“call within the call” to priesthood and religious life.
He spent five years in parish ministry in Rome before
beginning his formal formation with the Little Brothers in Foligno, Italy. He
did his novitiate in Nazareth before returning to Italy and making his
profession as a member of the order.
As a Little Brother, he served at Italian parishes in Limiti and in Foligno and, at the
recent general chapter of the order, presented a report on what it means to be
a Little Brother of Jesus in a parish.
Quoting part of the report, the order’s website focused on
Father Faraghini’s reflection on “presence,” on “just being
there.”
“To imitate Jesus in his daily life in Nazareth is to
be in a place and share the life of those who are there,” he wrote.
The ministry of Blessed Charles, who lived among the Tuareg in the Sahara
desert of Algeria, was simply to make friends with the local people, he
continued. “Humanly speaking, it was a waste of time and pastorally, according
to our criteria of evaluation, a failure. After all, even Jesus was not a great
pastor, if we consider the results: his 12 pupils betrayed him before the
cross, the crowd that sang ‘Hosanna’ wanted him condemned to death. But if we
look on the side of love, Jesus was the shepherd who gave his life for the
sheep.”
The Little Brothers’ website announcement said Father Faraghini “is not an
extraordinary priest, but is one who always tries to do his best. He doesn’t
love social networks because he prefers one-on-one encounters with people, whether
great or small, close to or far from the church.”
“He is a not a big fan of ‘pastoral plans’ because Charles de Foucauld held that
‘you must let yourself be guided by the circumstances and the help of God.’ Pope
Francis knows all of this,” the order said, “but he didn’t bat an
eye, saying that a priest must know how to live in brotherhood, pray and love
people. The rest will follow.”
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