Comunicato of the General Definitory March 2017

The General Definitory met between 14^th and 24^th March 2017. The first session of the Definitory took place on 15^th March because the Minister General was engaged with the Chapter of the Foundation of St Francis in Russia and Kazakhstan which took place in the Curia between 14^th and 18^th March. When the Definitory came together, the first item on the Agenda was to consider the resignation presented by Br. Lóránt Orosz from his offices of Definitor General and Procurator General. After discussing the matter with Br. Lóránt, the Definitory gave its consent to the Minister General so that he could accept the resignation presented. With this decision, the number of Definitors present was reduced to six, since Br. Caoimhín is currently carrying out the visitation of the Province of St John the Baptist, USA. In the course of the two weeks of the Tempo forte, the Definitory examined over 130 files (plichi) dealing with a wide variety of administrative matters from different parts of the Order. The General Definitory ratified the election of some recently elected Ministers Provincial and Custodes. These included:

• Carlo Maria D’Amodio, Minister Provincial of the Province of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in Italy (Naples).
• René Bustamante, Minister Provincial of the Missionary Province of St Anthony, in Bolivia.
• Alejandro Adolfo Wiesse León, Minister Provincial of the Province of St. Francis Solanus, in Peru.
• Francisco de Assis Siqueira da Paixão, Custos of the Custody of St Benedict in Amazonia, in Brazil.

  During the first week, the Definitory announced to the Chapter of the Foundation in Russia and Kazakhstan its new President and Council: Br. Stefano Invernizzi (President), Br. John Gibbons, Br. Eliot Marecki, Br. Bernardin Turmann (Councillors). Br. Amaral Bernardo Amaral, of the Custody of St Clare in Mozambique, was elected as Visitator General for the Province of Our Lady Queen of Peace, in South Africa, to replace Br. Emmanuel Musara, of the Custody of the Good Shepherd, in Zimbabwe, who had to resign the office for health reasons. The Definitory thanked Br. Emmanuel for his generosity in accepting the office and wished him a speedy recovery. Br. Paul Smith was elected as a Delegate General to accompany the Custody of St Francis of Assisi, in Papua New Guinea. His role is fundamentally to offer support and encouragement in certain areas to the Custos and his Council. The Minister General and Definitory devoted a lot of time to the preparation of the methodology to be used in the Plenary Council of the Order that is scheduled to take place in Nairobi in June 2018. It is hoped to progress this further during the Tempo Forte of May 2017. The personnel needs of several houses and Entities dependent on the Minister General were also discussed. Amendments to the Particular Statutes of several Entities were examined in the light of the comments of the Juridical Commission of the Order. The Definitory approved the modifications made to the Statutes of the Province of the Holy Japanese Martyrs, in Japan, and of the Custody of the Holy Land. The other texts were returned to the Provinces for further work. They will be considered again later. A number of reports were presented and discussed by the General Definitory. These included:

• The Financial Report for the Year 2016, presented by the General Treasurer, John Puodziunas.
• The annual Report of the activity of the General Procurator’s office presented by Priamo Etzi, Secretary of the Procura.
• The Report of B Gerard Moore, Visitator General, concerning his visit of the Province of St. Francis Solanus, in Argentina.
• The Report of B Saul Zamorano, Visitator General, concerning his visit of the Province of St. Francis Solanus, in Peru.

  Updates were received from several of the Offices of the General Curia. These included the Secretariat for Formation and Studies; the Secretariat for the Missions and Evangelisation; the Office of Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation; the Communications Office; the Fundraising and Development Office; and the General Archive. As well as the Financial Report of 2016, the General Treasurer’s Office provide an update on the current financial situation of the General Curia and its operations. The next Tempo Forte will begin on 8^th May 2017. Wishing all the brothers the joy and the blessings of the Risen Christ!  

10^th April 2017

Aidan McGrath ofm Secretary General