General Definitorium meets with Brazilian and Southern Cone Conferences

The meeting of the General Minister and his Council with the Conferences of Friars Minor of the Southern Cone (Argentina, Chile and Paraguay) and Brazil began on Monday, February 12, 2018, in the historic St. Francis Convent in São Paulo, Brazil.  The successor of St. Francis of Assisi, Br. Michael Perry, opened the gathering with the Eucharistic Celebration at 7:30 am, with the concelebrants, Provincial Minister Br. Fidêncio Vanboemmel and Provincial Minister Br. Inácio Dellazari, President of the Brazilian Conference. The meeting of the General Minister and his Council with the friars of the two Conferences continued in the Hall of St. Damasus, in the cloister of the Convent. In addition to Br. Michael, also present were: Vicar General Br. Julio César Bunader and Definitors: Br. Valmir Ramos, Br. Ignacio Ceja, Br. Nicodeme Kibuzehose, Br. Ivan Sesar, Br. Lino Gregorio Redoblado, Br. Caoimhín Ó Laoide and Br. Antonio Scabio. Br. Jürgen Neitzert, the Definitor General from Germany, was not present in São Paulo due to the death of his father. In attendance from the Conference of the Southern Cone are Br. Isauro Covili (Province of the Most Holy Trinity - Chile), Br. Emilio Andrada (Province of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin of Rio de la Plata - Argentina and Paraguay) and Br. Daniel Alejandro Fleitas Zeni (Province of San Francisco Solano, Argentina). From the Brazilian Conference of Brazil: Br. Inácio Dellazari (Province of St. Francis of Assisi), Br. Fidêncio Vanboemmel (Province of the Immaculate Conception), Br. Hilton Farias de Souza (Province of Santa Cruz), Br. Rogério Viterbo de Souza (Custody of the Seven Joys of Our Lady); Br. Marco Aurélio Cruz (Province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus), Br. Francisco de Assis da Paixão (Custody of St. Benedict), Br. Bernardo de Souza Brandão Neto (Province of Our Lady of the Assumption), Br. João Amilton dos Santos (Province of St. Anthony), and Br. Flaerdi Valvassori (Custody of the Sacred Heart of Jesus). Br. Inácio opened the presentations with an overview of the Conference of Brazil and the challenges facing the friars in a country as big as Brazil. He then spoke of the evangelizing work and history of the Province of St. Francis, in Rio Grande do Sul, where he is Provincial Minister. Br. Fidêncio closed the morning with the presentation of the Province of the Immaculate Conception, the second oldest in Brazil. For more information on the meetings click here (in Portuguese). [gallery type="rectangular" link="file" ids="17825,17826,17827,17828"]