Communiqué of the General Definitory Concerning the Tempo Forte of September 2025

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The Tempo Forte of September took place from the 12th to the 25th at the General Curia, “St. Mary Mediatrix”, in Rome; it was preceded by a verification period (7-11) that the General Definitory lived at Massa Lubrense (Prov. Immaculate Conception BVM, in Italy); on September 17 the Minister General along with some brothers of the General Definitory went to the Sanctuary of La Verna for the annual celebration of the Solemnity of the Stigmata of St. Francis. 

The General Definitory exchanged information about visits to the various entities of the Order; drew up the program for the meeting of the Conference Presidents (November 19-22); planned the celebration of the Jubilee of the Roman houses dependent on the Minister General (October 8-9); discussed the nature and function of the UFME; decided to celebrate and planned the Under Ten International Chapter (S. Mary of the Angels, July 4-12, 2026), appointing the commission; evaluated the rotation of new technicians for the General Curia and the hiring of some employees for the General House; discussed the place for the celebration of the 2027 General Chapter; implemented sharing on some Entities of the Order that belong to the African, Latin American, and European Conferences; launched the appeal for the search for new missionaries for the International Fraternities for the interreligious dialogues of Istanbul and the Nagasaki Peace Project; defined the program of the meeting with guardians, vicars and treasurers of the Roman houses dependent on the General Minister; met Br. Franco MIRRI, Director of the OFM Fraternitas Foundation, and Br. Baptist D’SOUZA, Delegate of the Secretary General, regarding various Projects approved and updated; Br. Daniel RODRIGUEZ BLANCO, Director of the JPIC Office, for updates on the office and animation; Br. Hector Gonzalo COLLIPAL OSSES, new Rector of the Fraternity “Gabriele Allegra” of the International College of St Anthony (CISA), for an exchange of ideas and information; Br. Joel ESPLANA SULSE, General Economo, and Br. Saulo DUARTE, Vice General Economo, for updates of an economic nature; Br. Francisco GOMEZ VARGAS, Secretary to the Secretary General for the Missions and Evangelization, and Br. Dennis TAYO, Animator General for the Missions, for updates on the Secretariat and on animation; the members of the Animation Committee, for an exchange of steps to be completed toward the 2027 General Chapter; Br. Darko TEPERT, Secretary General for Formation and Studies, for the redaction of the letter on formation addressed to vocation animators.

The General Definitory appointed:

• Br. Lage Nhampoca AFONSO, Visitator of the autonomous Custody “Our Lady of Kibeho”, in Rwanda and Burundi;
• Br. Albert SCHMUCKI, General Definitor, Delegate General for the Prov. “Most Holy Martyrs of Gorcum”, in the Netherlands, and the Prov. “St. Elizabeth”, in Germany;
• Br. Gerardo CANDELARIO RITO, Assistant to the Secretary General;
• Br. Daniel RODRIGUEZ BLANCO, Coordinator; Br. Hector Gonzalo COLLIPAL OSSES, Vice Coordinator; Br. Anicetus Evaristus JEBADA, Br. Josip JAZVIĆ, Br. Daniel CAVALIERI, Br. Richard Kakule MAHAMBA, members of the preparatory commission of the Under Ten International Chapter;
• Br. Juan Isidro ALDANA MALDONADO, Vice Rector of the “Fraternity Gabriele Allegra” at the International College of St Anthony (CISA);
• Br. Jimmy ZAMMIT, member of the commission for the review of the financial management of some entities; 
• Br. Baptist D’SOUZA, Delegate for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults for the General House;
• Prof. Michele LODONE, member of the Council of Regents of the College of St. Bonaventure – Quarrachi Editors;

Elected the government of:

• The erected dependent Custody of “Immaculate Mother of God”, in Angola;

Analyzed the report:

• of the Visitator General, on the:
  • Prov. “Most Holy Martyrs in Gorcum”, in the Netherlands;
  • Dalmatian Prov. “Most Holy Redeemer”, in Croatia;
  • Prov. “St. Francis”, in East Africa;
  • Prov. “St. Francis of Quito”, in Ecuador;
  • Prov. “Most Holy Martyrs of Morocco”, in Portugal;
  • Prov. “Most Holy Name of Jesus”, in Italy;
  • Foundation “St. Francis of Assisi” in Sudan and South Sudan;
• of the Delegate General, on the Foundation “St Francis”, in Papua New Guinea;
• of the Minister Provincial, on the Prov. “St. Wenceslaus”, in the Czech Republic;

Conditionally approved the particular statutes (SSPP) of the:

• Prov. “Holy Cross”, in Bosnia-Herzegovina;

Ratified the Acts of Election which took place in the following entities:

• In Chapter:
  • Prov. “Assumption BVM”, in Italy;
  • Prov. “St. Clare”, in Mozambique;
• In Capitular Congress:
  • Prov. “Holy Cross”, in Bosnia-Herzegovina;
  • Prov. “Most Holy Martyrs of Morocco”, in Portugal;
  • Prov. “St Anthony of the Friars Minor”, Prov. “St Michael Archangel” and Prov. “Most Holy Name of Jesus, in Italy;
  • Prov. “St. Francis of Quito”, in Ecuador;
  • Prov. “Most Holy Martyrs of Gorcum”, in the Netherlands;
• Outside of Chapter, of:
  • Guardians: Seraphic Prov. “St. Francis of Assisi”, in Italy, 1; Prov. “Our Lady of Guadalupe”, in the USA, 1; Prov. “Immaculate Conception BVM”, in Italy, 1; Prov. “Most Sacred Heart of Jesus”, in Italy, 1; Prov. “Our Lady Queen of Peace”, in South Africa, 1; 

Dealt with the following cases of separation from the Order:

• Dispensation from temporary vows: 3;
• Exclaustration, extended: 2;
• Secularization ad experimentum: 5;
• Secularization pure et simpliciter: 1;
• Transfer to another institute: 2;
• Dispensation from solemn vows: 3;
• Dispensation from the obligations of the clerical state: 2;

Examined, among matters already in progress and new:

• Dismissal from the Order: 6;

Dealt with the following matters regarding the brothers:

• Transfer to OFM from another institute: 1;
• Obedience to re-enter from the mission: 3;
• Renewal of obediences and/or scholarships: 18;

Dealt with the following matters regarding the Houses:

• Suppression of Houses: 6;
• Alienation of real estate owned by the Order: 1;
• Questions about the novitiate: 2;
• Studium Biblicum HK: 1;

Dealt with the following matters of a different nature:

• Matters of an economic nature: 9;
• Dispensations granted: 1;
• Various.

The next Tempo Forte is scheduled for November 19 to 25, with the Presidents of the Conferences joining from November 19 to 22.  All entities of the Order are reminded to submit their petitions to the General Definitory by Friday, October 31.
To the praise of Christ and the Poverello of Assisi. Amen!
Rome, October 8, 2025

Br. Antonio M. IACONA, OFM
Secretary General