Tradition of Prayer Among Capuchins and A Profile of Indian Capuchin History(1632-2010)

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION CHAPTER ONE THE CAPUCHIN APPROACH TO PRAYER Mathew Paikada CHAPTER TWO PRAYER AS EXPRESSION OF BEING LESSER BROTHERS Francis Kolly CHAPTER THREE PRAYER ILLUMINES EVERYDAY FRATERNAL LIFE Francis Kolly CHAPTER FOUR ONGOING RENEWAL OF BROTHERHOOD THROUGH PRAYER Francis Kolly CHAPTER FIVE CAPUCHINS IN INDIA A HISTORICAL READING IN RETROSPECT Benedict Vadakkekara TRADITION OF PRAYER AMONG CAPUCHINS AND A PROFILE OF INDIAN CAPUCHIN HISTORY (1632-2010) As human beings, the desire to pray is innate to us. From time immemorial people in all cultures have experienced the Transcendence and have felt the need of responding to It by praying. Jesus is the example par excellence of prayer. St Francis of Assisi is looked upon as one among those who genuinely sought to follow Jesus in his life of prayer. As a reformed branch of the Franciscan Order, the Capuchin brotherhood finds itself in a privileged position to show to the world the way in which Francis followed Christ. The five essays in this book are intended to show how thousands of Capuchins have tried and still try to walk the spiritual path trodden by Francis. While the first four chapters delineate their life of prayer from their Order's inception in 1 528, the last one offers a historical sum-up of their presence in India. Their Order's quick spread in India is a concrete demonstration of the significance of its charism for India, the land reputed for its mystics, gurus and ordinary men and women of deep faith and holiness. The outstandingly spiritual orientation of their fellow-countrymen is a constant reminder to the Indian Capuchins to jealously safeguard their spiritual patrimony (from the Introduction).