THURS.  29   FRA. JOSE RODRIGUEZ CARBALLO  OFM,   MINISTER  GENERAL OF THE FRIARS MINOR  during his visit to  the OFM friars in Malta,  honoured us with a visit.  After his visit to Archbishop Paul Cremona OP at his residence in Attard,  the little town adjoining Balzan,  he arrived at our chapel at 9.45 am,  accompanied by Fra. Sandro Overend OFM, Provincial in Malta, the Definitor General for the English speaking friars,  Fra Francis Walter, American and the Maltese Vicar Provincial and Bursar, Fra. Richard Stanley Grech.   Bro. Loreto Zerafa of the Gozo Community accompanied the visitors as photographer.

After praying before the Blessed Sacrament, we all sang the Magnificat.  Fr. General spoke to us in the chapel, first in English then in Italian.  He expressed his joy to be with us because of the traditional close links between the Minors and the FMM from the foundation of the Institute to the present.  He told us that he would be meeting our Superior General, Sr. Suzanne and the Council on 14 November in Rome.  We are brothers and sisters, sisters and brothers, he repeated.  He expressed his gratitude to the Institute of Mary of the Passion, adding to the accepted meaning of her name in religion, her phenomenal passion - her life overflowing with zeal and ardor which he wishes for all of us.  He told us that our Institute has the brain of the Jesuits because it is very well structured and the heart of Francis.  As for the OFMs, he described the friars as poets, adding that the friars are not so orderly a group.  He encouraged us to nourish our Franciscan heart and to allow it to guide us.

Fra Jose Rodriguez accepting the trend of a reduction in numbers both for the Minors and for the FMMs, especially in Europe and North America, said that numbers and statistics, are not what matters.  The Friars and the FMMs need to involve themselves in Refounding the Order and the Institute.  He encouraged us to be hopeful, to love the Gospel, to live it personally and together and to give it to others.  The world needs gospel people.  Fr. General underscored for us, the three essential elements, namely Fraternity, Mission and the Eucharist.  He spoke with admiration on Internationality, so vital to the Institute since its foundation and so valuable as a sign and witness to the world conveying the possibility for peoples to live together.  He told us not to be preoccupied about updating our charism but to live it in a relevant way today - our feet are to advance forward, our arms must be outstretched and our hearts must love.

Fr. General encouraged us to dream and to live  our namesake, namely Franciscans in the spirit of St. Francis,  Missionaries where we are and according to our possibilities and last but not least  Marian, always present,  like Mary at the Annunciation, at the Presentation, at  Cana, at Calvary and at Pentecost i.e. available and faithful.

After the talk we proceeded to the dining room where we all had something to eat and drink as we kept up our sisterly / brotherly sharing which had a tangible sense of warmth.  Fra. Carballo  was interested in our missionary experiences, marvelling at the long years quite a number of Maltese sisters spent in countries outside of Europe.  He heard with interest that since the foundation in Malta, 125 Maltese sisters were sent to 30 countries outside of Europe.  He discovered that Malta is in the same Province as England, Scotland and Ireland.

After refreshments, Fr. General paid a short visit to our 4 sisters in the Nursing Unit; he greeted and blessed each one individually.

The next leg of the visit took Fr. General to Stella Maris School, across the garden,  where he was  so happy to meet so many boys who ran towards him in the playground, with bread in their hands as it was lunch break at the time