From April 28 to 30, 2025 the OFS spiritual assistants of the First Order (OFM, OFMConv and OFMCap) held their first formation seminar organized by the Conference of National Spiritual Assistants of Colombia. The Seminar was held in Chinauta, Cundinamarca, where 22 friars gathered for this historic event of the national OFS and GiFra.
Br. Miguel Ángel Estupiñán Zafra, OFM, National Assistant, introduced those present to a deep conversation about the expectations, experiences and difficulties encountered as spiritual assistants.
In the midst of this climate of openness, Br. Elkin Soza, OFMConv, presented a clear and precise diagnosis of the current situation of the OFS and GiFRA in Colombia.
Thereafter, the General Spiritual Assistants addressed the following themes:
Each session was followed by group work, in which the participants elaborated proposals for the National Conference of Spiritual Assistants.
The group work helped a lot in the formulation of the conclusions and the way forward in the future, which will ensure adequate formation of spiritual assistants and of all the brothers not yet trained.
The formation seminar ended with the Holy Mass celebrated by the Provincial Minister of the Franciscan Province of the Holy Faith, Br. José Alirio Urbina Rodríguez, OFM, who in the homily recalled that the true treasure of the Order is not in its documents or in its structures, but in the shared life, in the fraternity lived as witnesses of the Kingdom.
