Meeting of the Franciscan Network of the Mediterranean in Greece

From the 31st March-4th April, 2025, the Coordinating Committee of the Franciscan Network of the Mediterranean (RFMed) held its annual meeting at the Franciscan friary in Rhodes, Greece.
The Greek Mediterranean island is not only a tourist destination during the European summer but also a passageway for many migrants and refugees from Asia Minor and Africa.

The Franciscan fraternity in Rhodes belongs to the Custody of the Holy Land and, in addition to serving the only Catholic parish with its churches on the islands of Rhodes and Kos, also seeks to offer various types of assistance to people in irregular migration transit. Amongst the aid is a bag of food distributed to the poor, migrants, and refugees every Tuesday in commemoration of Saint Anthony.

Br. John Luke Gregory, OFM, parish priest and guardian of the friary, acknowledges the lack of institutions that assist migration in the area. Therefore, he asserts, the little they can do is greatly appreciated by the recipients.

Amidst this situation and mindful of other realities, the RFMed brothers and sisters expressed their concern about the rearmament in many European countries and the winds of war and conflict currently being experienced or foreseen in the Mediterranean. They also reaffirmed the opportunities offered by the Franciscan family's countless presences in the region and the challenge of continuing to build the network to offer more regional responses to migration, peace, and youth.

During the sessions, the figure of Saint Francis of Assisi was present, as the poor man of Assisi - “Poverello” carried out his mission during times of crusades and religious and intercultural conflicts. Based on this memory, it is necessary to “maintain the hope that another Mediterranean is possible because we Franciscans are pilgrims of hope,” stated one of the participants.