Fraternal visit to the territory of the North Slavic Conference

 The Minister General, Fr. Michael A. Perry, OFM, and all the members of the General Definitory went on a fraternal visit to the Territory of the North Slavic Conference of our Order from Monday 20^th to Sunday 25^th June 2017. The meeting began in Prague, Czech Republic, where the General Government arrived Monday afternoon for a visit to the city, and then all went to Wambierzyce, Poland. On this very evening, they joined in fraternal recreation. The following day, they celebrated the Eucharist in the local Marian Shrine. Later on, they left for the Sanctuary of Mount Saint Anna in southern Silesia for the meetings where, first of all, the Provincial Ministers and Presidents of the Foundations: the Byzantine Greeks in Ukraine and Russia-Kazakhstan presented the Entities of the Conference. The next day, they addressed the current issues and the most pressing challenges for the Order and for the Conference. In the afternoon, the members of the Conference, under the guidance of Fr. Ivan Sesar, OFM, General Definitor, elected Fr. Bernard J. Marciniak, OFM, of the Province of St. Francis of Assisi in Poland as President of the Conference. The fraternal encounter with about two hundred and fifty friars in initial formation, accompanied by their Formators, and the Holy Mass presided by the Minister General were a very meaningful and substantial point of this Fraternal visit. On the morning of June 23, the General Government, the Provincial Ministers and the President of the Russia-Kazakhstan Foundation visited the Marian Shrine of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska and celebrated the Eucharist. After that, they visited the city of Krakow and the Fraternity of the Curiae of the two Provinces: (Immaculate Conception of BVM and Santa Maria of Angels), and the Major Seminary in Bronowice Wielkie. The Minister General presided over the solemn Eucharist Saturday, June 24^th, in Katowice-Panewniki. The entire General Government, the  members of the North Slavic Conference, many Brothers and Sisters of the SFO and GIFRA participated in this Eucharistic Celebration. After a brief afternoon visit to the city, there was a final meeting of the General Definitory with the North Slavic Conference. They thanked the outgoing President, Fr. Alan T. Brzyski, OFM, of the Province of Saint Edvige in Poland, for his recent years of generous service. [gallery type="rectangular" link="file" ids="16031,16043,16042,16041,16040,16039,16038,16037,16036,16035,16034,16033,16032"]