From the 8th to 13th October 2024, the meeting of the Animation Offices of the General Curia with the respective offices of the African Conference was held in Lomé, Togo. About 25 friars participated, including Br. Victor Luis Quematcha, Definitor General, Br. Francisco Gomez Vargas and Br. Dennis Tayo of the General Secretariat for Missions and Evangelization, Br. Darko Tepert and Br. Hieronimus Yoseph Dei Rupa of the General Secretariat for Formation and Studies, Br. Daniel Nicolas R. Blanco and Br. Taucen Hotlan Girsang of the General Office for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC). Br. Virgile Agbessi, President of the African Conference and Minister Provincial of the Host Province of the Incarnate Word, Br. Siphelele Gwanisheni, Vice-President of the Conference, and representatives of the respective Offices of the African Entities (Togo, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Kenya, Central African Republic, Rwanda and Burundi, South Sudan, Angola, Mozambique and Guinea Bissau.
Each office of the Curia presented a report and projects; Afterwards, participants from each of the three Offices were allowed to meet and make suggestions on the way forward.
Some of the topics covered included the need to strengthen collaboration between the Entities, the creation of the "African Network" group to assess situations and share resources, share personnel in different Entities, work with the rest of the Franciscan Family, promote new missionary adventures, assist the neediest Entities, train formators, improve communication.
Some final proposals were drawn up in the various areas:
Formation and studies: Every two years there should be a formation of formators at the level of the African Conference, considering issues of Mission and Evangelization, JPIC and interreligious dialogue.
Mission and Evangelization: Support for missionary projects for the Franciscan presence on the continent, including the presence in Nigeria, is recommended.
JPIC: There should be a network of collaboration between the friars of the African Conference for the pastoral care of the stigmatized, i.e. migrants, refugees, vulnerable people, and for the care of creation.
On the last day, the assembly listened to the encouraging message of the Minister General, who emphasized the need for collaboration, appreciated the gift of vocations in the Conference and invited the friars to deepen an "African flavour" in expressing the Franciscan vocation.
The rest of the meeting offered the friars of the General Curia the opportunity to meet and learn about the reality of the activities of the friars in Togo and the houses of formation of the Province that are located in this part of the country, particularly the Postulancy and the Novitiate.
Similar meetings have already taken place at other conferences. The objective of the General Curia is to carry out a synodal fraternal discernment to promote collaboration between the Offices of the General Curia and similar offices in the Entities.
Download the Message on the Minister General
