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The Tempo Forte of July took place from the 13th to the 23rd at the General Curia “St. Maria Mediatrice”, in Rome; an extraordinary session was held on the 8th, during the Chapter of the Under Ten Mats, at the “Domus Pacis” at S. Maria degli Angeli Our Lady of the Angels (Assisi).
The General Definitory, in the first session of the work dedicated to prayer, also proceeded with the personal narration; it verified the meeting with the new Provincial Ministers and Custodes (11th-19th May) and the Chapter of Mats Under Ten (4th -12th July last); it defined the programme for the Spiritual Exercises and the two days with the friars in the Holy Land (5th-14th October) and for the meeting with the Presidents of the Conferences (25th-28th November); shared updates on some African, Brazilian and European Entities and on the “St. Francis” Foundation, in Russia; agreed on the drafting of the encyclical letter of the Minister and the General Definitory on the occasion of the Solemnity of St. Francis.
The General Definitory met: the Commission for the loan and agreement of the spaces of the OFM Fraternitas Foundation at the General Curia; the Stratford Fraternity Commission; Br. Darko TEPERT, for the drafting of the letter to be sent to all those in formation on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the Transitus of St. Francis; the General Bursar; the Secretariat of the 2027 General Chapter; Br. Claudio DURIGHETTO, Attorney General, for an initial evaluation of the draft of the new SSGG; the Office for the Safeguarding of Minors and Vulnerable Adults; the Commission for the Fraternal Economy of the Order.
The General Definitory
elected:
- Visitor General:
- Br. Jimmy ZAMMIT, Definitor General, for the Prov. "St. Casimir", in Lithuania.
- Br. Alfio LANFRANCO, for the Prov. "The Holy Martyrs of Calabria", "Our Lady of Grace", "Sacred Heart and "The Immaculate Conception B.V.M.", in Italy.
- Br. Hilton FARIAS DE SOUZA, for the Prov. "The Most Holy Name of Jesus", in Brazil.
- General Delegate:
- Br. Alexis Roland LAWSON, for the Fond. Our Lady of Africa", in Congo, dip. by the Minister General.
approved the shortlist of candidates for Provincial Minister/Custodian/President of:
- Prov. "Our Lady of Guadalupe", in Central America and Panama.
- Cust. aut. "Our Lady of Kibeho", in Rwanda and Burundi.
- Fond. "Our Lady of Africa", in Congo, dip. by the Minister General.
decreed:
- The canonical erection of the "St. Anthony of Lisbon" Foundation, in East Timor, dependent on the Prov. "St. Michael the Archangel", in Indonesia, in Custody dependent on the same Province.
analysed the Report:
- of the Visitors General on:
- Prov. "Sts Francis and James", in Mexico.
- Fond. "Our Lady of Africa ", in Congo, dip. by the Minister General.
- of the General Delegate on:
- Fond. "St. Francis", in Papua New Guinea.
ratified the Acts of the elections that took place, in the following Entities:
- In Chapter:
- Prov. "St. Francis stigmatized", in Italy.
- Prov. "St. Michael the Archangel", in Ukraine.
- Prov. "Sts. Francis and James", in Mexico.
- Prov. "Our Lady of the Angels", in Poland.
- Prov. Franciscan monastery of Arantzazu, Spain.
- In the Chapter Congress:
- Prov. "St. Wenceslas", in the Czech Republic.
- Prov. "St. Michael the Archangel", in Ukraine.
- Prov. "Sts Francis and James", in Mexico.
- Outside the Chapter, of:
- Provincial Definitor: Prov. "St. Pedro Bautista", in the Philippines, 1; Prov. "St. Michael the Archangel", in Ukraine, 1.
- Guardian: Prov. "Holy Trinity", in Chile, 4; Cust. "Annunciation of the B.V.M." in Albania and Montenegro, 1; Interprovincial Fraternity "The Portiuncula friary" of Lusaka.
heard the General Delegate for:
- Prov. "St. Wenceslas", in the Czech Republic.
- Franciscan Prov. of Arantzazu, "St James of Compostela", "Immaculate Conception B.V.M.", in Spain and “ The Protomartyrs of Morocco", in Portugal.
- Cust. "Annunciation of the B.V.M." in Albania and Montenegro.
- Frat. "St. Joseph" in Waterford, USA.
approved the:
- Ratio formationis: Prov. “St. Bonaventure”, in Italy
- Ratio formationis et Studiorum: Prov. “The Most Holy Trinity”, in Cile.
co-opted/elected/appointed:
- Br. Nikola PAŠALIĆ, of the Cust. Holy Family", in the USA, dip. from the Prov. "Assumption of B.V.M.", in Bosnia and Herzegovina, member of the Franciscan Endowment Fund.
- Br. Hugues Charlie RAKOTONDRAINIBE, of the Prov. "Immaculate Conception B.V.M.", in Madagascar, as attaché to the General Secretariat of the Pontifical University Antonianum.
has dealt with the following cases of separation from the Order:
- Dispensation from temporary vows: 2.
- Dispensation from solemn vows: 2.
- Secularization pure et simpliciter: 3.
- Secularization ad experimentum: 4.
- Dispensation from the obligations of the clerical state: 7.
examined new/ongoing cases of:
- Dismissal from the clerical state: 1.
- Graviora delicta: 1.
dealt with the following practices concerning the friars:
- Readmission to the Order without repeating the novitiate: 1.
- Anticipation of Solemn Profession: 1.
- Admission to temporary profession (Entity dependent on the Minister General): 3.
- Admission to the renewal of temporary profession (Entity dependent on the Minister General): 1.
- Admission to Priestly Ordination (Entity dependent on the Minister General): 1.
- Granting/renewal/exchange of obedience and/or scholarships: 7.
dealt with the following practices concerning Houses and real estate:
- Deletion: 2.
- Alienation: 2.
has dealt with other cases:
- Anticipation/Postponement of the Provincial Chapter: 2.
- Works authorisation: 3.
- Economic Matters: 10.
- Economic demands: 2.
- Miscellaneous.
The next Tempo Forte is scheduled from the 7th to 18th September: the files received by the General Curia by Friday the 28th August will be processed.
To the praise of Christ and the “Poverello” -Poor Man of Assisi. Amen!
Rome, 23rd July 2026
Br. Antonio M. IACONA, OFM
Secretary General