Provincial Minister
The Suret il-Bniedem Foundation was founded by the Capuchin Friars Minor in Malta. The life and mission of the Capuchin Friars Minor are to be characterized by a particular virtue, which was so dear to our founder Saint Francis of Assisi, and which is considered to be the crown of all virtues, namely, humility, or to use a more Franciscan term, minority. This virtue touches the heart of the Franciscan charism. In fact, Saint Francis once willfully exclaimed: “I want this Order to be called Order of Friars Minor!”
What impressed Saint Francis in the life and ministry of Jesus was not Christ’s power to heal people or that he was a miracle worker, nor that he attracted crowds by his inspired teachings or that he raised people from the dead, but rather the abasement, the kenosis (i.e. the emptying of himself), the humility of Jesus exemplified in his Incarnation, in his Passion and death on the Cross, and in the mystery of the Holy Eucharist. No wonder the text of the washing of the feet was Francis’ favorite Gospel text! The humble gesture of the Son of God who in the Last Supper bends himself to the ground to carry out the work of a slave, left Saint Francis in awe and amazement of the humility of Jesus.
Any follower of Francis (religious, cleric or lay) can truly say that he/she has internalized the Franciscan spirit if his/her life and work is imbued by a true spirit of humility or minority. Authentic Franciscan spirituality is founded on the sure rock of humility. Humility is the guarantee of true holiness. Indeed, there is no true holiness without a genuine effort to truly live the most-worthy motto of Saint John the Baptist, “He must increase and I must decrease” (Jn 3:30). I clearly remember that at the death of our Capuchin brother and bishop Mons. Paul Darmanin, everyone had one word to say: “What a truly humble pastor he was!” This is the most beautiful certificate that a Capuchin friar can receive at his death!
The humility, the minority of the Capuchin friar propels him to prefer those forms of apostolate that are considered the most difficult and the lowest in society, and which place him in direct contact with the poor, the destitute, the needy and those who are found in the peripheries of society. This ‘going out’ to minister to those in the fringes of society is very much in line with Pope Francis’ constant reminder since the beginning of his pontificate that, “The Church is called to come out of herself and to go to the peripheries, not only geographically, but also the existential peripheries: the mystery of sin, of pain, of injustice, of ignorance and indifference to religion, of intellectual currents, and of all misery”.
Perhaps this is what the Suret il-Bniedem Foundation is all about. It reveals a joint effort by Capuchin Friars, lay volunteers and employed staff, in an attempt to alleviate the wound of homelessness in Malta. This is a most relevant project since homelessness is a growing reality that is pushing people to the periphery of society. By reaching out to this specific “periphery”, Suret il-Bniedem Foundation is giving a sure witness of how minorty can be incarnated.