#16 | Visit to the Americas

PANEL 16: Visit to the Americas

Photo 1: Fr. Albera with Fr. Malan (left), Fr. Balzola (right) and indigenous Bororos Leaders, (Campinas, Brazil).

Photo 2: La Serena (Chile).

Photo 3: Fr. Albera and Fr. G. Gamba, Provincial of Uruguay. Montevideo, 1900.

Fr. Albera’s Story

From the Spiritual Diary of Fr. Albera (from 1902 to 1915, written in English):

May 1902 (Lima)
Today, May 2, I began my spiritual exercises which I really feel I need since I’ve been travelling for the past twenty-one months. My mind is very distracted, my heart has run dry. I want to be alone with myself and ask heaven to refresh me somehow. I believe I have the right intention to live these spiritual exercises well and to draw fruit from them; but I know my weaknesses all too well, and so I entrust myself fully to God’s grace.

1.I resolve to live these spiritual exercises as if they were the last ones of my life. My age and the dangers of this journey all motivate me to live these exercises well.

2. I promise that during these days I will exercise ever-greater fervour, piety and deep recollection, listening attentively to the voice of God. Loquere, Domine, quia audit servus tuus [Speak Lord, your servant is listening].

3. I shall beseech Jesus Christ, the divine healer, to minister to my soul and heal me, and I resolve from this moment onward to remove all obstacles to the grace of God.

Audio guide