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The Tempo Forte of March took place from the 9th to the 20th at the General Curia “Santa Maria Mediatrice” in Rome.
The General Definitory, in the first session dedicated to prayer, also proceeded with personal narratives; it reflected in four working sessions on the points of the theme of the 2027 General Chapter: the reflections will be incorporated into the Instrumentum Laboris; it returned several times to update itself on the problematic situations of some Entities of the Order; it met with the Legal, Fiscal, and Technical Advisors, the Legal Representative, and the General Bursar for some matters under discussion; together with Br. Joel ESPLANA SULSE and Br. Saulo DUARTE, the auditors of KPMG for updates on the recently concluded audit; Br. Darko TEPERT, for drafting the letter to be sent to the novitiate formators; Br. Daniel RODRIGUEZ B., on the organization of the 2026 Under-Ten Chapter; Br. Franco MIRRI and the Management Board of the Fondazione OFM Fraternitas, for updates on completed and ongoing activities; Br. Sergiusz BAŁDYGA, for updates on the Chapter work and the progress of the Provinces of Spain and Portugal; the Minister Provincial of the Province of St. Barbara, in the USA.
The General Definitory
has elected as Visitor General:
- Br. Rob HOOGENBOOM, of the Province of St. Leopold, in Austria and Italy.
- Br. Konrad G. CHOLEWA, General Definitor, of the Fraternity of the Lateran Penitentiaries, in Rome.
- Br. Siphelele GWANISHENI, General Definitor, of the Fraternity of the College of St. Isidore, in Rome.
Approved the list of candidates for Minister Provincial of:
- Province of “Saint Francis Stigmatised," in Italy.
- Province of "St. Paul the Apostle," in Malta.
- Seraphic Province of "St. Francis of Assisi," in Italy.
- Province of "St. Wenceslas," in the Czech Republic.
Analysed the Report of the Visitor General on:
- Province of "Holy Martyrs of Korea," in South Korea.
- Province of "Holy Spirit," in Canada.
- Province of "St. Francis Solano," in Peru.
- Province of "St. Benedict the African," in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- Foundation of "St. Francis of Assisi" in Russia.
- Pontifical University Antonianum.
Has ratified the Acts of the elections held in the following Entities:
- In Chapter:
- Province of "St. Benedict the African," in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- Province of "Holy Martyrs of Korea," in South Korea.
- Province of "St. Thomas the Apostle," in India.
- Province of "Holy Martyrs of Japan," in Japan.
- Province of "Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary," in the USA.
- In Chapter Congress:
- Province of "St James of Compostela," in Spain.
- Province of "Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary," in Spain.
- Province of "Holy Spirit," in Canada.
- Province of "St. Benedict the African," in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- Province of “Holy Martyrs of Korea,” in South Korea.
- Aut. Cust. “St. Anthony,” in Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei.
- Outside Chapter, of:
- Guardians: Autonomous Custody “Our Lady of Kibeho,” in Rwanda and Burundi, 4; Prov. “Holy Trinity,” in Chile, 1; Prov. “St. Francis,” in East Africa, 1.
Has conditionally ratified the SSPPs of:
- Province “Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” in Italy.
- Province “St. Francis Solano,” in Peru.
- Province “Holy Gospel,” in Mexico.
- Province “Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
- Province “Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the River Plate,” in Argentina.
- Province of St. Thomas the Apostle, in India.
- Province of the Holy Spirit, in Australia.
- Conf. of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in Mexico and Central America.
- Advanced School of Medieval and Franciscan Studies (ITA and LAT).
For the Entities dependent on the Minister General:
- Appointed Delegates for the Safeguarding of Minors and Vulnerable Adults in some Houses dependent on the Minister General.
- Appointed Local Bursar: Br. Reginaldo Romulo MONTE CANTO, for the Fraternity of "Santa Maria Mediatrice" – General Curia.
- Admitted candidates: to the novitiate: 1; to solemn profession: 1; Priestly Ordination: 1.
Handled the following cases of separation from the Order:
- Dispensation from temporary vows: 2.
- Exclaustration/extension: 3.
- Secularisation ad experimentum: 1.
- Dispensation from solemn vows: 3.
- Dispensation from the obligations of the clerical state: 2.
Examined new/already pending cases of:
- Dismissal from the Order: 5.
Handled the following matters concerning friars:
- Readmission to the Order: 3.
- Granting/renewal/change of obediences and/or scholarships: 13.
- Obedience for the mission: 4.
Handled the following matters concerning Houses and real estate:
- Suppression: 23.
- Alienation: 2.
Handled other matters:
- Financial Matters: 13.
- Financial requests: 7.
- Waivers and exemptions: 2.
- Miscellaneous.
The next Tempo Forte is scheduled for the 4th-8th May 2026; the Meeting of the Minister and General Definitory will follow, from the 11th to the 19th, with the newly appointed Provincial Ministers and Custodes.
We wish one and all a Happy and Blessed Easter!
In praise of Christ and the Poverello-Poor Man of Assisi. Amen!
Rome, 29th March 2026
Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
Br. Antonio M. IACONA, OFM
Secretary General
