Recruiting the heroes of the Mystical Body
through mortal remains recalling deeds
Capuchin Saint Leopold Mandić
and Capuchin Saint Pio of Pietrelcina,
will be placed in honor as models of mercy,
ministering within confessional stations,
for the Capuchin Mercy ceremony
at Saint Peter’s Basilica of mercy.
Not relics only, but bodies respond,
as though ready to begin again,
these heroes of the confessional,
inspiring Capuchins and directing them
to lead the priests of the world
on a crusade of Mercy.
Saint Felix of Cantalece
will rush to go along,
eagerly anxious this once to wear a stole
and not just the quester’s mercy cloak.
Not only Capuchins,
with their bone-piled chapels
but all the holy bones
will be combined by devotion
for Mercy’s Holy Year march,
those of Saint Peter,
beneath the basilica crypt,
and Saint Paul,
and saints of all the centuries,
in a march on alienation from God.
Leopold and Pio led person after person
down the tricky path of return to God.
Sometimes the saints would say
to the person confessing,
their hearts made open to the confessors,
let me say what it is you find so hard to tell,
I’ll help your heart find peace.
Instead of only these two Capuchin saints
thousands more will reach out in mercy
at a thousand different places.
In the Constitutions from Albacina,
the zealous friars were urged
to eat the sins of the people,
in the theology
of the Jesus who is sin.
Absolvo te, absolve te,
no hymn can claim the words,
but, oh, the masterful fit
to miserere, miserere,
for Capuchins lived convinced
that the person who prayed the one
could not help but hear the answer,
like an operatic tenor’s cry of victory.
Far above forgiveness
the missionaries of Mercy
convey the gifts
of union and joy in God,
for empty arms,
those that let let go
of varied favorite sins,
are now held wide
to take in all of God.
The Capuchins and priests of the world
find challenge in the quest
to knock at every penitent’s heart
to lead each home again,
assured the light would be left on.
If the papal preacher were present,
another Capuchin,
his message would be
go and do what you have been doing.
February 2016
Bonaventure Stefun, OFM Cap.