On July 30, 2025, in Lubumbashi (Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC), during the assembly of the brothers of East Congo, presided by Br. Nicodéme Kolani (Delegate and Visitator General), the Minister General Br. Massimo Fusarelli proclaimed the canonical erection of the new Province of Saint Anthony of Padua.
This new entity is a “rib” of the mother Province of St. Benedict the African and has as its own territory North Kivu and South Kivu, and as mission territory the four provinces of Eastern Congo.
The assembly began on July 29; the following day the Minister General and the Definitor General, Br. Siphelele Gwanisheni, met and dialogued with the brothers present. At the end of the solemn eucharistic celebration, the Minister himself read the decree of erection and that naming the new Provincial Minister and Definitory, thus composed:
The participation of the brothers and of the Franciscan Family hailed this moment long awaited and prepared.
The war in eastern DRC, which also affects our brothers, made it impossible to establish the province in its territory. Our thoughts, prayers, and sympathy for the grave situation of violence and occupation in Kivu were deeply present on this day.
The Minister General asked the brothers to grow as mediators of peace and reconciliation, according to our charism. The meeting with the definitors of both the mother province and the new province crowned the day.
On July 31, a new moment of sharing and dialogue between the brothers and the Minister and Definitor General completed the meeting.
The new province has 63 solemnly professed brothers, 22 temporary professed and novices.
Read the homily of the Minister General (French)
