Covid causes no retreat in Lent for the curia of Rome "Pope Francis sends a book to every minister"

Pope Francis sent copies of a book of XNUMXth century spiritual meditations to members of the Roman Curia to guide them during the Lenten retreat.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on January 20 the Vatican he announced that “this year it will not be possible to do the spiritual exercises of the Roman Curia” at the retreat center of the Pauline Fathers in Ariccia, 20 miles south-east of Rome. "The Holy Father then invited the cardinals residing in Rome, the heads of the dicasteries and the superiors of the Roman Curia to make their own arrangements, retiring in prayer" from February 21 to 26, the Vatican said.

The Vatican also said the pope will suspend all his engagements during the week, including the weekly general audience. To help them in their personal retreat, Pope Francis gave the members of the Curia a copy of "Have the Lord at Heart", a collection of meditations and notes written by an anonymous Cistercian monk known as the “Maestro di San Bartolo” monastery, Vatican News reported on February 18. The book was sent along with a letter from the pope to Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, deputy to the Vatican's secretary for general affairs.

“Have the Lord at Heart” is the collection and translation of handwritten notes in Latin found at a flea market in the northern Italian city of Ferrara, where the monastery of San Bartolo is located. Auxiliary Bishop Daniele Libanori of Rome, who edited the book, wrote in the preface that the XNUMXth century notes highlight "the wisdom of common sense" and document "a sensitivity and experience of the Church in spiritual guidance".

"The volume also contains a small treatise on the deadly sins", wrote the Italian bishop. “All this contributes to creating - many years later - a useful reading to overcome oneself and go faster towards God”.