The Tempo Forte of November, at the General Curia, was held from 3 to 19. From 14 to 18, the ten Visitators General, who have begun to visit or will visit the Entities of the Order assigned to them, were received at the Curia. Various opportunities for formation were offered, and fraternal meetings were held. This was greatly appreciated by the participants at the meeting.
At the opening of the working sessions, the General Definitory devoted time to personal sharing; in the working sessions, it heard the presentation of the African Conference from Br Victor L. QUEMATCHA and that of the Brazilian-Cono Sur Conference from Br César KÜLKAMP. César KÜLKAMP. It met with the Curia Officials for a discussion in view of ever greater collaboration and coordination between the various Offices and to continue in the work of reviewing the Curia (Chapter Orientation n. 29). It set up the Commission for the Rethinking of Conferences (Chapter Mandate n. 31), formed by Br Cesare VAIANI, President, Br César KÜLKAMP, Br Claudio DURIGHETTO and Br Francisco GOMEZ. It planned visits to the Conferences and detailed the meeting with the Conferences of UCLAF and UFME. It reviewed, by listening to the reports of the respective Delegates, the progress of the dependent Entities such as the Custody of Morocco, the Foundation of Sudan and South Sudan, the Foundation of Papua New Guinea, the Foundation of Russia, the Foundation of Congo Brazzaville. It met with the Secretary General for Formation and Studies, Br Darko TEPERT, with whom they exchanged ideas about the Commission's members for drafting a document on affectivity, formation for consecrated chastity and the criteria of discernment for sexual orientation. It met the General Bursar, Br John PUODZIUNAS for updates on financial matters, the revision of the Solidarity Contribution and the presentation of budgets. It examined the situation of the Apostolic Vicariates and considered resolutions on the subject. It met with the General Secretary for Missions and Evangelisation, Br Francisco GÒMEZ VARGAS, to evaluate the Meeting on New Forms of Life and Evangelisation. It elected the coordination team: Brs Ferdinand VAN DER REIJKEN, Gabriele DALL'ACQUA, Bernard Ondrai MLÉČKA, Andraž ARKO. It met with the Director of the Development Office, Br Efren Parmenio ORTIZ, to examine the Projects. It appointed the Commission to study the structure and tasks of the Legal Representation: Br Claudio DURIGHETTO, President, Br John PUODZIUNAS, Br Nicola RICCARDI and two other external lay professionals. Finally, the concluding session evaluated the quality of the work experienced together since the last review (July 2022) to the current Tempo Forte.
Br Victor L. QUEMATCHA, General Definitor, was elected as General Delegate for the St Francis Foundation of Sudan and South Sudan.
The acts of elections of the following entities were ratified:
Of Secretary of the Province outside Chapter:
The Minister General with the Definitory, having consulted the fraternity members, elected the Vicar and Discreets of St Anthony's International College in Rome.
The election of the new Council of the Foundation "Imaculada Mãe de Deus" in Angola (dependent on the Prov. "Immaculate Conception B.V.M.", in Brazil) and the election of the Government of the North Slavic Conference (SLAN) was noted.
The Reports after the Canonical Visitation of the following entities were analysed:
The "Particular Statutes of the Canonical Visitation and the Presidency of the Provincial Chapter" were revised and approved. In addition, a Form has been added to evaluate the safeguarding of Minors and Vulnerable Adults (TMAV).
The Directiones Domorum and the Schematismus Ordinis Fratrum Minorum are currently being revised. Further information will be requested from the various Entities of the Order, whom we thank and ask for their kind cooperation.
Other various dossiers were addressed, including:
The following cases of separation from the Order were dealt with:
The following were granted:
The following were examined:
The next Tempo Forte is scheduled from 12 to 17 December. Therefore, all the Secretariats of the Entities of the Order are reminded to send their petitions to the General Definitory no later than one week before the start of the Tempo Forte; petitions received at a later time will be postponed to the next Tempo Forte.
To the praise of Christ and the Poverello of Assisi. Amen!
Rome, 5 December 2022
Br Antonio M. IACONA, OFM
Secretary General
