Communiqué of the General Definitory concerning the December 2025 Tempo Forte

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The December Tempo Forte took place from the 15th to the 19th at the General Curia "St. Mary Mediatrix", in Rome. 

The General Definitory, in the first session of the work, after an adequate space of time dedicated to prayer, lived, in the personal narrative, a time of in-depth verification of the work carried out together; it discussed the friars serving in the Roman Houses dependent on the Minister General; it socialized the information that emerged from the meeting with the Presidents of the Conferences; it continued its reflection on some themes related to the General Chapter (presentation of the candidates for Minister and General Definitor by the Conferences, number of General Definitors to be elected, identity and role of General Definitors, revision of current Conferences); established, for the year 2026, the modalities for the formation of appointed Visitators General; met:

Br. Sergiusz BAŁDYGA, Secretary of the 2027 General Chapter, for updates on the Chapter work in its preliminary phase; Br. Daniel RODRIGUEZ B., coordinator of the Under Ten Chapter 2026, on the organization of the event; the Governance of the General House; Br. Joel ESPLANA SULSE and Br. Saulo DUARTE, Bursar and Deputy Bursar General, for updates of an economic nature, together with Mrs.Joycelin NGO, President of the IRC. 

The General Definitory elected as Visitor General: 

Br. Sandro R. DA COSTA, for the Prov. "Holy Faith", in Colombia; 

elected the Government of: 

• Dependent Foundation of "St. Francis of Assisi" in Sudan and South Sudan, by the Minister General; 

approved the shortlist of candidates for Minister Provincial of: 

• Prov. "Sts. Cyril and Methodius", in Croatia; 

has dealt with the following cases of separation from the Order:  

• Secularization ad experimentum: 3; 
• Secularization pure et simpliciter: 1; 
• Dispensation from the obligations of the clerical state: 1; 

examined new/ongoing cases of: 

• Dismissal from the Order: 1; 

dealt with the following practices concerning the friars: 

• Admission to Orders (Entity dependent on the Minister General): 1; 
• Renewal/change of obedience and/or scholarships: 1; 
• Obedience for service in another Entity: 2; 

dealt with the following practices concerning Houses and real estate: 

• Alienation: 1; 

has dealt with practices in the nature of: 

• Economical: 3. 
• Miscellaneous. 

The next Tempo Forte is scheduled from the12th  to 23rd January 2026; 

All the Entities of the Order are reminded to send the petitions to be submitted to the General Definitory by Friday the 2nd January. 

May I wish all the Entities of the Order, on behalf of the General Definitory and myself, a Merry Christmas and a peaceful year 2026. 

To the praise of Christ and the Poverello-Poor Man of Assisi. Amen! 

Rome, 24th December 2025 
Christmas Eve

Br. Antonio M. IACONA, OFM 
Secretary General