Communiqué of the General Definitory concerning the November 2024 Tempo Forte

Download pdf: Italiano - English - Español

The November Tempo Forte took place from the 4th –15th November at the General Curia "St Mary Mediatrice", in Rome; An extraordinary working session was held on the 22nd October in Dublin.

The General Definitory, in the first session of the work, experienced a time of personal narration; he has conducted updates on each of the current twelve Conferences of the Order, also in the light of the ongoing revision (Anglophone African Confederation, French-speaking African Conference., Holy Land-Egypt-Morocco-Turkey-Libya); it analyzed more accurately the path of some Entities of the Order (Chile, Peru, Lithuania, Malta, the Incarnate Word in West Africa, South Africa, the Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Venezuela, Russia), especially those that are in the process of changing their legal status (Transylvania, Slovenia, Australia, East Congo, Angola); addressed the issue of the economic sustainability of the Order according to Guideline no. 8 of the 2021 General Chapter, for which it established a Commission (CSE), appointing its members;

Br. Philippe MISCAMBLE, Minister Provincial of the Prov. "Holy Spirit", in Australia, and Br. David GAA, Minister Provincial of the Prov. "St. Barbara", in the USA, to take stock of the progress of the respective Provinces; Br. Nicola RICCARDI, Legal Representative of the Generalate and of the International College "St. Anthony", for a discussion on the economic-administrative process envisaged by the recently approved Regulations and to summarize the work for the fiscal redefinition of the spaces of the International College "St. Anthony"; Br. Byron CHAMANN, Director of the Communications Office, on updates for the Office; Br. Joe CONDREN, Interim Director of the Office for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults, for a discernment on the new Director of the Office; the Management Board of the OFM Fraternitas Foundation, on the approval of the 2025 Project Budget; Br. Darko TEPERT, Secretary for Formation and Studies, for updates on the work of the International Council for F&S, the International Meeting of Lay Brothers in 2025, the letters on formation for the Entities, the Fact Sheets on the centenary of the Canticle and the Ratio formationis; the Officials of the General Curia, on the occasion of the presentation of the Economic-Administrative Regulations; Br. Joel ESPLANA SULSE and Br. Saulo DUARTE, General Bursar and Deputy General Bursar, for the discussion of the 2025 Budget, investments and the situation of employees; Br. Juan ALDANA MALDONADO, Secretary of the Chapter of Mats 2025, Br. Sergiusz BALDYGA, Secretary of the CPO 2025, and Br. Matteo GIULIANI, methodologist, for the definition of the programme of the two events:

He participated in the feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, at the fraternity of the Friars Penitentiaries of the Lateran, and in the Academic Act on the feast of Blessed Duns Scotus, at the Pontifical University Antonianum;

It has appointed:

• Br. José GONZALES GONZALES, Visitor General of the Prov. "SS. Protomartyrs of Morocco", in Portugal;
• Br. Jorge Ivan GONZALES SILVA, Visitor General of the Prov. "St. Anthony" missionary, in Bolivia;
• Br. Mario Wilson RAMOS NOVOA, Visitor General of the Prov. "S. Francis Solano", in Peru;
• Br. Joao Carlos CARLING, Visitor General of the Cust. aut. "St. Benedict of the Amazon", in Brazil;

Approved the shortlist of candidates for Minister Provincial of:

• Prov. "Assumption of B.V.M.", in Brazil;
• Prov. "B.V.M. Queen of China", in Taiwan;
• Prov. "St. Paul the Apostle", in Colombia;

Analyzed the Relationships of the following Entities:

• Prov. "Our Lady of the Angels", in the Democratic Republic of Congo;
• Dip. Custody  “St. Francis of Assisi”, in Guinea Bissau;

It elected: 

• The Provincial Government of the Prov. "St. Barbara", in the USA;

Of the following Entities, ratified the Acts of the elections that took place: 

• In Chapter:
  •  Prov. "Holy Cross”, in Brazil; Prov. "The Most Holy Name of Jesus", in Brazil;
• In Capitular Congress: 
  • Prov. "Our Lady of the Angels", in the Democratic Republic of Congo; Aut. Cust. "Our Lady of Kibeho", in Rwanda and Burundi; Dip. Cust. "The Annunciation B.V.M." in Albania and Montenegro;
• Outside the Chapter: 
  • Of the: Minister, Vicar, 1 Provincial Definitor: of the Prov. " Protomartyrs of Morocco", in Portugal; 
  • Provincial Definitor of the Prov. Of the "Assumption of the B.V.M.", in Bosnia and Herzegovina,
  •  1; Novitiate Master: Prov. "St. Juniper Serra", in Mexico, 1;

It appointed:

• Br. Iurii SEMKO, Director of the Office for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults;
• Br. Erik MUTABAZI, Member of the JPIC Animation Committee;
• Br. Benoit MUTOMBO BWANACING, Member of the Scotist Commission;
• Br. Jacopo POZZERLE, Member of the "New Forms" Commission.
• Br. Victor L. QUEMATCHA, President; Br. Saulo DUARTE, Secretary; Br. John WONG, Br. Joel ESPLANA SULSE, Br. Matthias MAIER, Br. Reu GALOY and Br. Robson Luis SCUDELA, Members of the Order's Commission for Economic Sustainability;

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

• Indult of dispensation from temporary vows: 2;
• Exclaustration indult: 5;
• Indult of secularization ad experimentum: 3;
• Indult of secularization pure et simpliciter: 3;
• Indult of dispensation from solemn vows: 1;
• Indult of dispensation from the charges of the clerical state: 3;
• Transfer to another Institute: 1;

It examined, amongst other issues already in progress and new ones:

• Cases of Graviora delicta: 3;
• Dismissal from the Order: 3;

 It dealt with other issues of various kinds:

• Suppression of Houses: 1;
• Disposal of real estate: 3;
• Erection of a Novitiate House: 1;
• Anticipation/postponement Provincial Chapter: 1;
• Recruitment of staff: 2;
• Granting and/or renewal of obedience and/or scholarships: 2;
• Sending on missions: 2;
• Transfering to another Order Entity: 1.

Then, from 19 to 22 November, the General Definitory met the Presidents of the Conferences. Among the topics, the Presidents were asked to express their views on: i. the General Chapter 2027 (place, duration, methodology); ii. the duration of the mandate of the General Minister, Provincial Minister and Guardians; iii. the Conferences of the Order (the role of the General Definitor of the area and of the President, animation services), topics that will be taken up at CPO 2025. The General Definitory, together with the Secretaries of the Chapter of Mats and CPO 2025, discussed the two events with the Presidents. Finally, the Presidents unanimously approved the Budget 2025 presented by the General Bursar.

The next Tempo Forte is scheduled from the 16th-20th December; All the Entities of the Order are reminded to send any petitions to be submitted to the General Definitory within one week of the beginning of the work of the Tempo Forte (by Friday the 6 th December).

To the praise of Christ and the Poverello of Assisi. Amen!

Rome, 29th November 2024
Feast of All Saints of the Seraphic Order

Br. Antonio M. IACONA, OFM
Secretary-general