Br Virgil Agbessi, new President of the African Conference

The Ministers Provincial, Custodes and Presidents of the African Franciscan Foundations gathered in Lomé, Togo, elected Br Virgil Agbessi as President of the African Conference and re-elected Br Siphelele Gwanisheni as Vice-President. In addition, Br Lage Afonso Nhampoca was elected to the office of Secretary and Bursar of the Conference.

During the five days of work, the African Conference shared the Franciscan charism and each entity’s social and political situation; it also met and facilitated dialogue with various Secretaries and Offices of the Curia: Br. Victor Luis Quematcha, General Definitor, Br. Francisco Gómez Vargas, Secretary General for Missions and Evangelisation, Br Efren Parmenio Ortíz, Director of the Development Office and, remotely, Br Hieronimus Yosep Dey Rupa, Assistant Secretary for Formation and Studies, Br Albert Schmucki, General Definitor and Director of the Office for the Safeguarding of Minors and Vulnerable Adults.

At the end of the five-day meeting, the participants resolved as follows:

• that the ministers, custodes and presidents of the entities of the African Conference study at the local level collaboration between the entities in formation within the next six months;
• that the African entities send and receive friars from other entities for formation and missionary service;
• that the formation centres in Lusaka (Zambia), Kolwezi (DR Congo) and Abidjan (Ivory Coast), with the help of the Order and canonical visitations, receive more friars in formation from the Conference;
• that the scholarships the Order offers to the entities of the Conference also encourage technical studies in the African centres.

In addition to the deliberations, the Conference analysed the challenges facing the Franciscan entities: such as communication and participation in Conference meetings, the quality of formation of lay friars, the sustainability of the friars’ growth and the safeguarding of minors and vulnerable people. Regarding this last point, the Conference launched a Commission for Safeguarding coordinated by Br Fredrick Odiambo.

The following participated in this meeting:

Br Armando Cossa – Custos of St Francis in Guinea Bissau

Br Federico Gandolfi – Guardian of Juba, South Sudan, outgoing Secretary of the Conference

Br Fredrick Odiambo – Provincial of St Francis Nairobi

Br José Nzau Nzau – Provincial of St Benedict the African in Congo DRC

Br Grégoire Bowa – Provincial of St Mary of the Angels in Congo DRC

Br Peter Tindo – President of the St Francis Foundation in Sudan

Br Lage Nampoca Afonso – Custos of St Clare in Mozambique

Br Siphelele Gwanisheni – Provincial of Queen of Peace in South Africa

Br Virgil Togo Agbessi – Provincial of the Divine Word in Togo

The following attended as guests:

Br Victor Luis Quematcha – General Definitor

Br Francisco Gómez Vargas – Secretary General for Missions and Evangelisation

Br Efren Parmenio Ortíz – Director of the Development Office.