Communique from the General Definitory - July 2022 Tempo Forte

The July Tempo Forte took place from 11 to 22 July 2022, immediately after the meeting with the ministers provincial and custodes elected in the last two years, which took place at the General Curia from 29 June to 8 July. The Definitory also carried out a thorough review of the proceedings of this meeting, taking into account the suggestions of the participants. In addition to welcoming the new Vicar General, Br Ignacio CEJA JIMÉNEZ, during this Tempo Forte, the General Definitory examined the amendments to the Particular Statutes of seven Entities of the Order, approving two of them. New scholarships were granted to several students for the academic year 2022/2023, and 69 were renewed for students already engaged in various study courses. In the afternoon of Monday, 11 July, the General Definitory met with all the curia officers to review the work carried out this year, the objectives achieved, and the different forms of collaboration developed. In several sessions, the General Definitory discussed the preparatory path for the General Chapter of Mats to be held from 1 to 8 June 2025 at Santa Maria degli Angeli-Assisi. Some meetings of the General Definitory were scheduled with some Conferences, with UCLAF and with UFME. Administrative matters of the "St Francis of Assisi" Foundations in Russia, Sudan and South Sudan, and "Notre Dame d'Afrique" in the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), dependent on the Minister General, were dealt with. Requests for admission to various stages of initial formation of candidates from the Foundations and Custodies dependent on the Minister General were examined. The General Definitory also had the opportunity to meet the General Bursar, the Secretary and the Vice Secretary General for Formation and Studies, the Secretary General for Evangelisation, the outgoing Director and the new Director of the General Office for Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation, the Director and the Vice Director of the Project Development Office, the members of the Management Board and the Governing Body of the OFM Fraternitas Foundation. During this Tempo Forte, the lists of Candidates for the service of Minister Provincial and Custodes of the following Provinces were approved:

• St Benedict the African, in the Democratic Republic of Congo,
• Holy Spirit, in Australia,
• St Anthony of Padua, in Bolivia.

The following Visitators General were elected

• Br Edgardo Manuel PÉREZ TEJEIRA for the Province of SS Peter and Paul, in Mexico (Celaya).
• Br Gianpaolo MASOTTI for the Province of St Bonaventure, in Italy (Lazio-Abruzzo).
• Br Robert Balingit MANANSALA for the Custody of St John the Baptist, in Pakistan.
• Br Agustinus Lorensius NGGAME for the Province of St Francis Herald of Peace, in Indonesia and West Papua.

The following Delegates of the Minister General were elected

• Br Darko TEPERT for the Province of the Holy Cross, in Slovenia;
• Br Domagoj RUNJE for the Province of St Jerome and SS Cyril and Methodius, in Croatia.
• Br Edwin de Jesús ALVARADO SEGURA for the Province of San Felipe de Jesús, in Mexico.
• Br Isidro Pereira LAMELAS for the Custody of St Clare, in Mozambique.
• Br Ignacio CEJA JIMÉNEZ, Vicar General, for the General House, the Custody of the Holy Protomartyrs, in Morocco, dependent on the Minister General; he also acts as liaison with the Custody of the Holy Land.

The acts of the elections were ratified that took place in:

• Chapter of the Custody of the Holy Land, of the Provinces of St Mary of Graces, of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, of the Immaculate Conception, of St Anthony of the Friars Minor, in Italy, of the Most Holy Saviour, in Slovakia, of the Holy Martyrs of Gorcum, in the Netherlands, of St Francis, in Poland, of St Junipero Serra and St Felipe de Jesús, in Mexico, and of the Custody of St Anthony of Padua, in the Philippines;
• Chapter Congressus of the Provinces of the Assumption BVM, of the Immaculate Conception, of St Mary of Graces, of the Seven Holy Martyrs of Calabria, of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of St Michael the Archangel, in Italy, of the Immaculate Conception BVM, in Spain, of the Moroccan Holy Martyrs, in Portugal, of St Francis, St Hedwig and the Assumption BVM, in Poland, of St Jerome and of the Most Holy Redeemer, in Croatia, of the Holy Cross and of the Assumption BVM, in Bosnia-Herzegovina, of St Junipero Serra and of St Felipe de Jesús, in Mexico, of the Holy Spirit, in Canada, of the Holy Cross, in Brazil, and of the Custody of St Anthony of Padua, in the Philippines, and of the Holy Protomartyrs, in Morocco, dependent on the Minister General.

The Reports at the conclusion of the Canonical Visitation of the following entities were analysed:

• Province of San Pedro Bautista, Philippines;
• Custody of St Anthony of Padua, in the Philippines;
• Province of the Holy Cross, in Slovenia;
• Province of San Felipe de Jesús, in Mexico.

The Report on the Status of the St Francis of Assisi Foundation in Papua New Guinea, dependent on the Minister General, was again reviewed and discussed in an attempt to outline better the possible future of this entity and the friars enrolled in it. The following cases of separation from the Order were dealt with:

• Dispensation from temporary vows: 4
• Indult of exclaustration: 6
• Indult of dispensation from solemn vows: 1
• Indult of secularisation ad experimentum: 5
• Indult of secularisation pure et simpliciter: 2
• Indult of dispensation from the clerical state and leaving the Order: 5
• Dismissal from the Order due to unlawful absence: 3

Three cases of graviora delicta and five cases of possible delicts contra sextum were examined. From Sunday 24 to Wednesday 27 July, the General Definitory will devote itself to an in-depth and prolonged review meeting of this first year of work, both from the point of view of the reports and the work objectives achieved. The next Tempo Forte is scheduled from 5 to 16 September 2022. To the praise of Christ and the Poverello of Assisi. Amen!   Rome, 23 July 2022

Br Giovanni Rinaldi, OFM

Secretary General