From March 31 to April 3, 2025, the first part of the Provincial Chapter of the German Franciscan Province of St. Elizabeth took place in Vierzehnheiligen.
In addition to the 50 capitulars and three minute-takers, 11 other brothers participated in this open part of the chapter. In addition to the report by the Provincial Minister, Br. Markus Fuhrmann, OFM and the exchange on provincial issues, the focus was on the structural planning of the Province, on a culture of prevention by evaluating cases of sexual abuse, and the future of the Franciscans in Central Europe.
The friars of the Province of St. Elizabeth were particularly pleased to welcome the following guests to discuss this last point: the Provincial Minister of Netherlands, Br. Theo van Adrichen, OFM; the Provincial Minister of Austria, Br. Fritz Wenigwieser, OFM; the Provincial Minister of the German Capuchin Province, Br. Helmut Rakowski, OFMCap; and the Provincial Vicar of the German Province of the Franciscan Minorites, Br. Mateusz Kotyło, OFMConv.
General Definitor Br. Albert Schmucki, OFM participated in the entire first part of the Chapter, contributing to the discussion on typical reactions among friars and lay people in cases of sexual abuse, with a keynote speech and a report from the entire Order.
The Chapter proposals were also presented, which will be discussed and adopted in the second part of the Chapter in June at Haus Ohrbeck near Osnabrück.
