Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest
Province of Great Britain
In French this is called Vendanges, in English – the harvesting of the grape to become wine. The work takes place in warm weather in the Tuscan hills and the seminarians and their Canon superiors all work together to gather the grapes. It is hard work!
After having prepared themselves for a few days in the house of the Sister Adorers in Le Noirmont, Switzerland, the new first-year seminarians recently received their choir habit from the hands of Canon Mora, the Seminary Rector.
This academic year will have seminary chapel filled with thirty young men beginning their priestly formation. Their newly-received choir habit, a blue cape, places them already under the protection of Our Lady as they begin their years of formation.
May the Blessed Virgin, protect them and nurture their vocations to be good and holy priests for the Church!
At the recent Chapter meeting of the Institute it was very pleasing to see dear Canon Fragelli in attendance. You will recall that Canon contracted Covid-19 at a very early in time in the pandemic and suffered greatly. However, with the help of God and Our Blessed Mother and with your many prayers, he continues to recover. At the time, Monsignor Wach made the following statement:
| Dear friends,
We give thanks to God for the presence of Canon Fragelli among us during the Chapter. He continues his rehabilitation with very promising results. During his visit, he was able to thank the medical staff of the Florence hospital who treated him at the height of his illness, for more than four months. In Christo Rege, Monsignor Gilles Wach |
From the Prior General, Monsignor Wach on the 24th July:
Dear friends,
We have the joy of bringing you good news from Canon Fragelli. As you can see, he is now standing, thank God.
Thanks again for your prayers!
His Eminence Cardinal Silvano Piovanelli, Archbishop emeritus of Florence ordained Abbé Amaury Montjean and Abbé Jean Marc Rodié to the Sacred Priesthood on Wednesday 3rd July 2002, the feast of St. Irenaeus at Gricigliano.
Let those come forward who are to ordained to Deaconship!
We will especially pray for
Abbé Michael McCowen and Abbé Liam Dodd
who will each be ordained Deacon on Wednesday 29th June in Florence.
Having contracted Covid-19 at our mission in Gabon in the early part of the pandemic, Canon Fragelli has undergone intensive treatment since he became very poorly.
He was initially brought to Italy for treatment and has now joined his family in Brazil for further convalescence.
Please keep him in your prayers
We are now reaching the conclusion of the penitential season of Lent and the ceremonies of Holy Week are before. Taking a step back to Ash Wednesday and the commencement of the Lenten period, we bring some photographs from the seminary Ash Wednesday Mass and distribution of Ashes.
As Holy Week approaches, I take the liberty once again of commending to your prayers, which are certainly even more fervent in this holy time, Canon Fragelli.
His general condition is good, his life out of danger. However, rehabilitation is long, the progress very slow: Canon Fragelli still cannot stand on his own or walk.
He is tested by this. This is all the more so since the care centre in Florence does not allow visitors to come, which above all deprives him of the daily consolation of Holy Communion.
Let us therefore redouble our prayers for his recovery: walking would allow him to return to one of our homes!
In anticipation, accept my deep gratitude for your charity,
In Christo Rege,
Monsignor Gilles Wach
6th April 2022