PRAYER GROUPS “FRIENDS OF ST. ROCCO”


The prayer groups “Friends of St. Rocco”, which arose by the will of the Procurator of San Rocco and P. Guardian of the Archconfraternity, Brother Constantino De Bellis, as a response to the exhortation of Vatican II, are a wonderful reality not only for the many Italian devotees, but also for those of other European countries.

They arose mainly to follow a spiritual and formative path, with the aim to help the members to become "beacons of light", "vivarium of faith", "outbreak of love”, according to the virtues of St. Rocco who gives inspiration. The figure and the virtuous life of St. Rocco, based on Christian ideals of love for God and charity towards our neighbors especially in times of hardship and need, is full of a light that illumines our lives and makes the journey of faith easier in these times characterized by so much fear and insecurity.

The Friends of St. Rocco are invited to be, as the Procurator has always urged, men and women of charity, after the example of the Pilgrim Saint, whose message brings us back to the commandment of love.

May the annual meeting be for everyone a time of communal reflection on our faith and our listening to the Word! May it give us fervour and interior progress of our spirit of love towards God and our suffering brothers and sisters! The Prayer Groups Friends of St. Rocco hope to operate in obedience to the repeated calls of the Popes and Hierarchy, following the Tradition admirably expressed by the Ecumenical Councils, and especially by Vatican II.

The groups are committed to following the general principles of the ‘Rochelian’ spirituality (Franciscan) of St. Rocco:

- Full and unconditional fidelity to the doctrine of the Catholic Church, led by the Pope and the Bishops. The spokesman of the group is the Priest Spiritual Director.

- Prayer with the Church, for the Church and in the Church, with active participation in liturgical life, seriously lived as the summit of intimate communion with God

- Effective and active charity and relief of the suffering and needy as a practical demonstration of love for God


Each group, living in communion with the Procurator of St. Rocco and under the guidance of the Spiritual Assistant, chooses a formative line according to the needs of individual members and of the social realities of the area.
The meetings focused on formation and prayer for individual groups, held on the 16th of each month, are designed not only for the growth of the participants, but to radiate the message of the Gospel and the sanctity of St. Rocco.