Archbishop Tobin Visits General Chapter

Archbishop Joseph Tobin, secretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, visited the General Chapter today, presiding at the Eucharistic celebration of the Feast of the Stigmata. The archbishop showed off his Franciscan knowledge by recounting much of the story behind Francis' stigmata. 

He also related personal stories linking him to the Capuchins. The stories began when Mauro Jöhri, general minister, told the crowd that Archbishop Tobin's mother had brought communion to the enclosed mother of our former general minister, Bishop John Corriveau. Tobin then included in his introductory remarks to the Eucharist that the Capuchin way of expressing Francis' stigmata was very visible in Capuchin ministries to poor people in Detroit and Milwaukee. Tobin is a native of Detroit and was in formation for the Redemtorists in Racine and Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. 

Later, during his homily, he related a story of a young religious sister who accompanied an ailing sister to visit Capuchin Solanus Casey at St. Bonaventure Monastery in Detroit. Upon entering the room, Solanus immediately addressed the sister saying that she need not worry; she was cured, Tobin reported. Then Solanus turned to the accompanying sister and told her that she would be asked to suffer much with Christ. The younger sister soon develop rheumatoid arthritis and suffered for 32 years, embracing the suffering as her vocation. 

Tobin cut a popular figure with the entire chapter. He told jokes and appeared very comfortable and informal among the friars. After pranzo (mid-day meal), he had a picture taken with NAPCC Capuchins and shared his goal to help heal the divide between American religious women and various offices in the Vatican.  

Tobin's visit is the last visit by a dignitary during the chapter. There are four and a half work days left, and we have passed only one of the twelve chapters of the constitutions. Tomorrow should be interesting. We are scheduled to vote on between three and five of those remaining chapters. That won't mean work on them is over, as the votes are likely to pass only with the opportunity to submit further amendments. Those must be submitted in writing and voted up or down. We hope the end is in sight as it is a weary crowd.