ROME - We received word this morning that our brother, Br. Giacomo Bini, OFM, former General Minister of the Order (1997 - 2003) has passed away after a struggle with cancer. He was 76 years old.
Br. Giacomo was born in Ostra Vetere (Ancona, Italy) on August 23, 1938 to Amalio and Teresa (Tamfani). He entered the Order on September 18, 1956, made Temporary Profession on September 19, 1957, and Solemn Profession on September 7, 1963 in the Province of Picena of St. James of the Marches. He was ordained a priest on March 14, 1964.
In our own Immaculate Conception Province, we will always remember the beautiful and spiritual time that Br. Giacomo spent with us during our Provincial Retreat in Assisi in 2007 in advance of our Provincial Chapter there that same year.
During that retreat, Br. Giacomo encouraged and challenged us. As we remember him, let us recall some of the inspiring words he shared with us then:
"Our hope is to be a taste of the future. The vows are all about the future. Look at the vow of chastity. We are not called to be consecrated Frigidaires. We say, 'I love you, but I don't attach myself to a physical love here and now because my ultimate love is ahead, in the future, with Christ."  | | Br. Giacomo during our Provincial Retreat in 2007 |
"We are not religious for our service. Don't measure your success because you are doing many things, or because you are a good priest - you could do all of this without a habit. We are future. The seeds of eternity must be planted in our hearts; we are pilgrims, always on the way." "We must create a milieu of enthusiasm or the brothers can become frustrated. We cannot evangelize with frustrated brothers. It is not a project that will save our lives. To whom do you belong? To your work or to your God?" "We must have a Copernican Revolution. We must change the center. We must have at least one hour of personal prayer each day; at least one hour of fraternal life each day. As St. Augustine said, 'Nothing is more necessary than to know what is not necessary.'"
He fulfilled the responsibilities of Novice Master, Definitor, and Vicar Provincial in the Province of the Marches. In February of 1983, he left for the missions and was incardinated into the Vice Province of St. Francis of Africa and Madagascar where he was entrusted with the responsibility of Definitor and Vicar Provincial. For the last six years before being elected General Minister he had been Provincial Minister at Nairobi. He studied at the Institut Catholique in Paris for two years and received the title of Doctor in Religious Sciences at the University of Strasbourg in 1971, defending his Thesis entitled Sin and Penance in St. Basil of Cesarea. He was General Minister from 1997-2003.
In 2007, Br. Giacomo was appointed Guardian of the International Friary of Palestrina, a community dependent on the General Minister, as a concretization of the 2006 Seminar on "new forms of evangelization in Europe." Currently he was president of the Foundation "Beato Egidio", that includes, in addition to Palestrina, Istanbul.
May the Lord grant him eternal rest and may he rest in peace.
Heavenly Father, we commend to your mercy Br. Giacomo Bini and all our brothers who have embraced Sister Death and we thank you for the gift of their lives. United in faith and prayer, through the intercession of our Immaculate Mother Mary, Our Holy Father Saint Francis and Our Holy Mother Saint Clare, keep us ever steadfast in your love as we strive for your vision of a world made new.
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