On 10-14 October 2022, in Assisi, the Provincial Ministers of the two Conferences CONFRES (Spain and Portugal) and COMPI (Italy and Albania) met, accompanied by the General Definitor, br. Cesare Vaiani.
This was the first face-to-face meeting, after the decision, announced in May 2021, to proceed towards the unification of the two Conferences. The Ministers deepened their knowledge of each other and decided what are the next steps to be taken together.
Part of the meeting was shared by the Ministers and their respective Provincial Treasurers, who met with the General Treasurer, br. John Puodziunas, in obedience to mandate no. 7 of the General Chapter, which asks for “a meeting with the Provincial Ministers and Provincial Treasurers to encourage and form them in the spirit of Fraternal Economy and stewardship in the Order”.
In addition to the day together with the Ministers, the Treasurers continued separately with another day, animated by both the General Treasurer and the Director of the Fraternitas OFM Foundation, br. Franco Mirri. The Ministers also had a day and a half of separate meetings to address the specific themes of each Conference. The days, enriched by the celebrations in the Sanctuaries of Assisi lived with the two recently elected Franciscan bishops, br. Sabino Iannuzzi and br. Mario Vaccari, have allowed a good experience of collaboration and fraternal sharing.
