Malta hosted the joint meeting of the International Council for Missions and Evangelisation (CIME) and the Executive Commission for Missions and Evangelisation (CEME), which took place from 22 to 26 March 2026. During these days, the participants shared experiences and contexts of missionary evangelisation in the different Conferences and Entities of the Order, in an atmosphere of prayer, dialogue and discernment.
Representing the CEME were Brothers Br. Francisco Gómez Vargas and Br. Dennis Tayo, Secretary and Animator of the General Secretariat for the Missions and Evangelisation, together with Br. Johannes Freyer, Br. José Rodríguez and Br. Clement Boumekpor. Present to represent CIME were the Secretaries of the Conferences: Br. Edgar Abad, Br. Peter Boegel, Br. Arcangelo Borek, Br. Matteo Brena, Br. Sandesh Manuel, Br. Leopold Mičić, Br. Elcardo Muhereza, Br. Marcel Tshikez, Br. Mauricio Meza Sánchez, Br. Eduardo Augusto Schiehl and Br. Nicholas Shin. Each one contributed with the richness and challenges inherent in his own missionary reality. Also, present were the Definitor General, Br. Jimmy Zammit, who brought greetings from the Minister General, and Edgar Abad Marcos Mendoza, who served as translator.
One of the central themes of the meeting was an in-depth study of the Ratio Evangelizationis of the Order (REO), continuing the path that began in 2022 and culminated with the publication of Ite in Mundum on the 8th December, 2025. Progress has been made in the search for concrete methodologies for its implementation and in the development of contextual guidelines (Ratio Particolare), adapted to different cultural and pastoral realities.
In addition, proposals regarding the missionary and evangelising life of the Order were drawn up in preparation for the 2027 General Chapter, including contributions for the revision of the General Statutes. In this context, a specific time was dedicated to the study of Chapter V of these Statutes, which deals with missionary evangelisation, in order to update some terms in the light of current challenges. During the meeting, the specific Statutes of the General Secretariat for the Missions and Evangelisation were also examined.
The meeting ended with a renewed commitment to promote a creative and contextualised evangelisation, faithful to the Franciscan charism.
