AUSTRALIA’S apostolic nuncio Archbishop Giusepe Lazzrotto was in Brisbane recently to help Padua College, Kedron, celebrate the feast of St Anthony of Padua.
The college operates within the Franciscan charism and, with 2009 marking the 800th anniversary of the Franciscan order, the celebration on June 12, the day before St Anthony’s feast day, was a significant occasion for the school.
Archbishop Lazzrotto arrived on June 11 and stayed overnight with the Franciscan friars before presiding at a Mass concelebrated with Kedron parish priest Franciscan Father Peter Clifford and Padua College chaplain Franciscan Father John Boyd-Boland.
During his homily, Archbishop Lazzrotto told the students they were in communion with the people of Padua who would continue their celebrations for an entire week.
He urged them to look to St Francis and St Anthony for inspiration in their lives.
“Ask yourself how is it possible Anthony and Francis’ voices are still heard today,” he said.
Archbishop Lazzrotto said what made them great was their understanding of the gift of peace.
“This is what people look for and ask for when they go to Padua (Italy) – peace of the heart.”
Archbishop Lazzrotto said although there was much knowledge in the world today there was still very little peace.
“Why is it that we have so little peace in the world? It is because knowledge is not enough. We also need wisdom of the heart.
“That is what Francis and Anthony knew so well.
“People know that these two have found the right way to acquire, to build up the wisdom of the heart.”
The Mass in Padua’s La Cordelle building also provided an opportunity for Franciscan brothers and priests to renew their vows.
Br Ignatius Hickson, Fr Finian Perkins, Fr Brian Lester, Fr Clifford, Br John Lourey, Fr Boyd-Boland and Br Tom Davidson all renewed their Franciscan vows before Br Lourey was presented with a papal blessing marking the fact that the Franciscans have been in Kedron for 80 years.
Archbishop Lazzrotto said it hadn’t taken much to persuade him to make the trip to Queensland.
“I have a very close connection with Padua – I was a diocesan priest of Padua before I was asked to join the diplomatic service and the (Kedron) friars knew that.”
He said it was his fourth trip to Queensland since taking up the appointment of apostolic nuncio to Australia in 2008 and there were two more trips planned in the coming months.
“I will be back here at the end of June for your sesquicentenary celebrations and then I will return in October for the opening of the new Santa Teresa Spirituality Centre.”
