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The Tempo Forte took place from 6 to 17 March and was held at the General Curia in Rome; other work sessions were held beforehand on 23 and 24 January, in São Paulo, Brazil, and on 2 and 3 March, in Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The General Definitory had a time of personal sharing to deepen the relationships, and to share the experience of UCLAF, in São Paulo and UFME, in Medjugorje; they elaborated in detail the Programme of the Meeting with the Presidents of the Conferences (15-18 May 2023) and clarified some objectives and modalities of the Meeting with the Visitators, which will not be held in presence; they continued the reflection on the revision of the personnel of the Houses and Offices dependent on the Minister General; they listened to Br. Darko TEPERT, Secretary General for Formation and Studies about the: Conference of Lay Brothers, International Congress of OFM Study and Research Centres, Document on Affective Maturity, Situation of the Pontifical Antonianum University; they met with the Board of the OFM Fraternitas Foundation for sharing updates and future perspectives; they listened to Br Cesare VAIANI, General Definitor, on the work done by the Commission on the history and role of Conferences in the Order; they met Br. Salvador BURGOS LEON, Director of the Translations Office: the friars of the Order are encouraged to give their availability to help the Office in the work of long-distance translation; they drafted a first revision of the special Statutes of the General Definitory; they inquired about the nature and modalities of the presence of a new international fraternity in London; they listened to the lawyers on some situations still active; they heard updates on economic matters presented by Br. John PUODZIUNAS, General Bursar; they met with the Board of the General Secretariat for the Franciscan Missions (GSFM) in Waterford; they listened to Br Caoimhín Ó LAOIDE for an update on the progress of the unification of six American Provinces (US6); they visited the fraternity and the structure of St Isidore's College, the headquarters of St Bonaventure College of the Frati Editori di Quaracchi, and the fraternity of SS Quaranta Martiri, on the day of the liturgical feast of the titular saints.
The General Definitory:
Nominated:
- Br Walter SCHREIBER, Visitator of the autonomous Custody "Our Lady of the Seven Joys", in Brazil (Campo Grande);
- Br Mario FAVRETTO, Visitator general e Delegate general for the Dependent Custody "St Francis of Assisi" in Guinea Bissau (Cumura), which will become autonomous;
- Br Nicodème BAKIMANI KOLANI, Visitator general e Delegate general of the Province of "St Benedict the African" in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Lubumbashi) for its restructuring;
- Br Teofil CZARNIAK, Delegate general of the Province of "St Francis", in Africa, Madagascar e Mauritius (Nairobi) for its restructuring;
- Br Manuel CORULLÓN FERNÁNDEZ, Delegate general of the Dependent Custody of the "Immaculate Conception of the BVM" in Madagascar and Mauritius, which will become autonomous
- Br Mario DEBATTISTA, Delegate of the Minister General, to represent the Foundation of "St Francis" Sudan e Sud Sudan in the formation bodies of Lusaka and Nairobi.
Approved the shortlist of candidates for Minister Provincial of the:
- Province of the "Immaculate Conception of the BVM", in Poland (Kalwaria Z.); Province of St Mary of the Angels in Poland (Kraków); Autonomous Custody of "St Anthony of Padua", in the Philippines (Cebu City); Province of St Wenceslaus in the Czech Republic (Prague).
They ratified the election of the following entities that took place
In Chapter:
- Autonomous Custody of "St John the Baptist" in Pakistan (Karachi)
In Capitular Congressus:
- Province of St Francis of Assisi, in Brazil (Porto Alegre); Province of the Most Holy Martyrs of Japan, in Japan (Tokyo); Province of St Michael Archangel in Indonesia (Jakarta); Province of St Francis Solanus in Peru (Lima); Province of the "Incarnate Word", in West Africa (Lomé); Autonomous Custody of "St John the Baptist", in Pakistan (Karachi).
Outside Chapter:
- of Provincial Definitor: Province of "The Most Holy Martyrs of Korea", in South Korea (Seoul): 1; Province of the "Immaculate Conception BVM", in Spain (Madrid): 1;
- of Secretary of the Province: Province of "Our Lady Queen of Peace", in South Africa (Vanderbijlpark);
- of Provincial Bursar: Province of the "Immaculate Conception of the BVM", in Spain (Madrid);
- of Guardians: Province of "S. Antonio dei Frati Minori", in Italy (Milan): 2; Province of "Most Holy Martyrs", in South Korea (Seoul): 3; Province of "Santa Fe", in Colombia (Bogotá): 1;
They analysed the Reports after the Canonical Visitation of the following Entities:
- Autonomous Custody of "St Benedict in Amazonia", in Brazil (Santarém); Province of "St Barbara", in the USA (Oakland); Fraternity of Penitentiaries "St John Lateran", in Italy (Rome); Province of "St Francis Solanus", in Argentina (Río Cuarto); Province of "Holy Martyrs of Japan", in Japan (Tokyo); Autonomous Custody of "St John the Baptist", in Pakistan (Karachi).
They accepted the resignation of:
- Br Evodio JOÃO, of the Autonomous Custody of "St Clare", in Mozambique (Maputo), as Director General of the Communications Office;
- Br Efren P. ORTIZ ORTIZ, of the Province of "Santa Fe", in Colombia (Bogotá), as Director General of the Development Office.
They appointed to various offices:
- Br Nikola KOZINA, of the Province of the "Holy Cross" in Bosnia-Herzegovina (Sarajevo), Director General of the Development Office;
- Br Byron A. CHAMANN ANLEU, of the Province of "Our Lady of Guadalupe", in Central America and Panama (Guatemala City), Director General of the Communications Office;
- Br Fernando CALDERON JUÁREZ, of the Province of the "Holy Gospel" in Mexico (Coyoacán), sacristan of the General House;
- Br Marco Antonio MENDOZA MARTINEZ, bursar of the Pontifical International Marian Academy.
- Ms Anne PEACH, member of the Commission for the Safeguarding of Children and Vulnerable Adults;
- Mr Pedro Marcelino FERNANDEZ NAVARRETE, OFS, member of the Coordination Committee for the Franciscan Network of the Mediterranean of JPIC;
They approved, sub conditione, the particular Statutes of the::
- Fraternity of the Penitentiaries in "St John Lateran", in Italy (Rome); Fraternity of St Isidore's College, Rome; Province of the "Holy Family", in Egypt (Cairo); Province of the "Holy Cross", in Bosnia-Herzegovina (Sarajevo); Province of "St Francis of Assisi" in Brazil (Porto Alegre); Province of "St Thomas the Apostle", in India (Bangalore); Autonomous Custody of "St Anthony of Padua" in the Philippines (Cebu City).
They dealt with the following dossiers concerning changes in legal status:
- Erection of Guardianates: 4;
- Erection of filial Houses: 5;
- Suppression of Houses: 13;
They dealt with the following cases of separation from the Order:
- Indult of exclaustration: 1;
- Extension of exclaustration indult: 5;
- Indult of secularisation ad experimentum: 4;
- Indult of secularisation pure et simpliciter: 2;
- Indult of dispensation from the obligations of the clerical state and of leaving the Order: 3;
- Indult of dispensation from solemn vows: 2;
- ipso facto dismissal from the Order: 15.
They examined:
- Possible cases of graviora delicta: 2;
- Possible cases of contra sextum: 3.
They dealt with other dossiers of various kinds:
- Concession of obedience for mission: 6;
- Concession of obedience to return from mission/particular service: 3;
- Concession of obedience to reside at the "Beato Gabriele Allegra" Fraternity, at the CISA, in Rome: 5;
- Anticipation of Provincial Chapter: 2;
- Promotion to Assistant Professor: 1;
- Conferral of Honorary Degree: 1;
- Indult of bi-ritualism: 1;
- Property disposals: 2;
- Plenary indulgence: 2;
- Approval of FOA Balance Sheet 2022.
In conclusion, the Definitory reviewed the progress of the Tempo Forte.
The next Tempo Forte is scheduled to take place from 8 to 19 May 2023; all the Secretariats of the Entities of the Order are reminded to send the petitions to be submitted to the General Definitory within a week of the start of the Tempo Forte: petitions received at another time will be postponed to the following Tempo Forte.
To the praise of Christ and the Poverello of Assisi. Amen!
Rome, 12 April 2023
Br Antonio M. IACONA, OFM
Secretary General
