From the 19th to 23rd November, the annual meeting between the General Definitory and the Presidents of the OFM Conferences was held at the General Curia.
On Tuesday the19th November, the friars, moderated by the General Definitors, Br. Konrad Cholewa and Br. César Külkamp, had the opportunity to share the experiences they had lived in their Conference over the past year, touching on topics such as the Mat Chapter and the Meeting of the Lay Brothers, and describing the strengths and challenges of their realities.
This was followed by the presentation of the Minister General, Br. Massimo Fusarelli, focused on the verificationof the work of the General Definitory in the middle of the six-year period and on the prospects for the next General Chapter, which will be held in 2027. Br. Massimo thus illustrated some points that will be deepened and shared with everyone in a Letter to the Order that will be published on the 8th December on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.
The sharing in language groups was then returned in the plenary session before the celebration of the Eucharist, presided over by Br. José Alirio Urbina, President of the Bolivarian Conference, who focused on the importance of the synodal journey of listening to the Word of the Lord, to go out to meet our brothers and sisters towards the peripheries.
The following day, in the Mass presided by Br. Marko Mrše, President of SLAS, invited everyone to "multiply the gifts received from God", as narrated in the Gospel of the day (Lk 19:11-28), and to give themselves for the whole world, as taught by St. Francis.
Subsequently, the Definitor General, Br. Cesare Vaiani, presented the "Synthesis of the responses to the Questionnaire on the Conferences", which was then the subject of the work in the language groups.
The morning ended with a plenary moderated by Br. Massimo Fusarelli which focused on the 2027 General Chapter: specifically, proposals were made on the place of the celebration, duration and methodology.
In the afternoon, Br. Cesare also shared a reflection on the structure of the Conferences starting from the SSGG, specifically from art. 201.
On Thursday, the 21st November, the morning celebration was presided over by Br. Aidan McGrath, President of the ESC, who in his homily recalled the 800th anniversary of the arrival of the first friars in England, celebrated last September, but also the 400th anniversary of the foundation of the College of St. Isidor in Rome. If you look at the numbers of friars of yesterday and today, you could live these centenaries with a veil of sadness, said Fr. Aidan, but recalling the words of the former Minister General Br. Giacomo Bini ("it is certain that it is the Lord who calls whom He wants, how He wants and when He wants") he invited everyone not to be discouraged, but to welcome the gifts that the Lord offers and to entrust themselves more to Divine Providence.
The day's meetings were an opportunity to update those present on some of the Order's international events to be held in 2025: Br. Juan Isidro Aldana Maldonado spoke about the Chapter of Mats, Br. Sergiusz Bałdyga of the Order's Plenary Council and Br. Darko Tepert, Secretary General for Formation and Studies, of the Meeting of Lay Brothers. In the afternoon, the latter dealt with the theme of collaboration in the Conferences in Initial and Ongoing Formation, followed by updates on the Ratio Evangelizationis (by Br. Francisco Gómez Vargas, Secretary General for Missions and Evangelization), on the Protocol for New Missionaries (Br. Dennis Tayo, General Animator for the Missions), and on Educational Pastoral Care (Br. Joaquín Echeverry, General Definitor).
On the last day of meetings, the General Treasurer Br. Joel Sulse presented the 2025 budget, which was then discussed in the language groups and was later approved in the plenary assembly.
Br. Massimo Fusarelli presided over the concluding Mass of the meeting. In his homily he emphasized the importance of listening and, starting from the liturgy of the day (Rev 10:8-11/Ps 118/Lk 19:45-48), he questioned everyone about the "sweetness" and "bitterness" of being Friars Minor today: "Becoming men of listening, in the bitterness and sweetness of the word received and proclaimed, is a central part of our vocation and mission as Ministers and servants of fraternity", said the Minister General.
Read the homily of the Minister General
