Priests’ Annual Retreat: Learning to Trust in God’s Care with St. Francis led by Fr. Guglielmo Spirito, with the reflections focusing on the theme “Put your trust in the Lord and He will take care of you.”

From November 9 to 12, priests serving in the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia gathered in Abu Dhabi for their annual spiritual retreat themed, “Put your trust in the Lord and He will take care of you.”

The four days of prayer and reflection were guided by Fr. Guglielmo Spirito, a conventual Franciscan friar from the General Custody of Assisi and professor of spiritual theology at the Pontifical University Antonianum in Rome.

Invited by Bishop Paolo Martinelli in the year marking the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis (Transitus), Fr. Guglielmo chose to approach the Franciscan legacy not simply as a commemoration, but as an opportunity to reflect on the spiritual life and the heart of priestly ministry.

Throughout the retreat, the priests gathered each evening for Mass at St. Joseph’s Cathedral, joining the parish community in prayer. The celebrations were presided over by Bishop Paolo Martinelli, with Fr. Guglielmo delivering the homily. The retreat concluded on the morning of November 12 with a final Mass celebrated privately for the participating priests.

A Franciscan of many interests
Originally from Argentina, Fr. Guglielmo recalls being fascinated by St. Francis from his youth. Two encounters left a particular impression on him: Franco Zeffirelli’s film “Brother Sun, Sister Moon,” which he watched as a teenager, and G.K. Chesterton’s essay on St. Francis of Assisi. “If I ever become truly a Christian, I will become a Franciscan,” he remembers telling himself, even during a period when he was somewhat distant from religious practice.

His vocational journey was not straightforward. Initially a diocesan priest, he studied pastoral theology of health care in Rome, where he worked with the Missionaries of Charity. Mother Teresa herself encouraged him to follow his Franciscan vocation and he eventually joined the Conventual Franciscans. His intellectual curiosity extends beyond his academic specialization, moving between the Church Fathers, the spiritual traditions of Eastern Christianity and the imaginative world of J.R.R. Tolkien. Today, he teaches at the Pontifical University Antonianum and dedicates much of his time to preaching and spiritual formation around the world.

Learning to trust and to care
At the center of Fr. Guglielmo’s reflection during the Priest’s Retreat was a movement that runs through the entire Christian life: God who comes down to meet humanity, as it is revealed in the mystery of the Incarnation.

“This movement of descent is also at the heart of St. Francis’ own spiritual journey,” Fr. Guglielmo explained in an interview with AVOSA. “When he turned away from himself and opened his heart to others, he discovered the possibility of living in solidarity and in tenderness and in compassion, experiencing the overwhelming love of Christ.”

One of the most significant moments in the life of St. Francis, was the encounter with the lepers, the only episode of his life that he recalled in his Testament. “That experience of showing mercy transformed his heart: what had once seemed bitter became sweet. For Fr. Guglielmo, “this dynamic is the essential key to understanding compassion and pastoral care.”

The retreat also explored the figures of the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph. The latter, Fr. Guglielmo explained, “offers priests a particular example of fatherly care: a love that accompanies, protects and serves without possessing.”

In this light, the theme of the retreat became an invitation to rediscover trust in God’s Providence and to renew the way priests care for the people entrusted to them.

A living Church and a spirit of fraternity
For Fr. Guglielmo, this was also his first visit to the Arabian Gulf. Although he has travelled extensively for teaching, preaching and spiritual formation, he admitted that the experience of the Church in the Emirates took him by surprise.

He was particularly struck by the vitality of parish life, the participation of the faithful in daily Masses and their devotion.

“This Church is much more alive than what I have imagined,” he said, reflecting on the contrast with the situation he has experienced in many European countries.

For Fr. Guglielmo, discovering such a vibrant Church was a glimpse of what J.R.R. Tolkien calls “eucatastrophe”: an unexpected joyful turn when everything seems dark. From a theological perspective, he considers it a sign of hope and an invitation to trust in God's Providence.
 

He also expressed his appreciation for the welcoming environment he encountered in the UAE and for the opportunity it offers Christians to live their faith.

Speaking about the Franciscan presence in the region, Fr. Guglielmo reflected on the spirit of fraternity that characterizes the followers of St. Francis across different cultures: “There is something recognizable in the Franciscans,” he observed, describing it as “a welcoming brotherhood with open arms.”

For him, this simplicity, spontaneity and openness explain why Franciscan spirituality has found a home in so many different cultures. “There is no narrowness in the Franciscan true spirit. It’s the capacity of just breathing and helping others to breathe.” The Capuchins, traditionally known as the “friars of the people”, have particularly preserved this familiar and welcoming spirit.

“At a time when fraternity is deeply wounded, this way of life is a sign of hope, showing that another way of living together is possible.”

The annual retreat offered the priests of the Vicariate an opportunity to step away from their daily pastoral responsibilities, deepen their relationship with the Lord and renew their commitment to serving the faithful.

Through the example of St. Francis, they were invited to rediscover that trusting in God's care is also the foundation of their own mission to care for others, with humility, compassion and the joy of the Gospel.