From the 26th to the 29th of June, 2023, the Meeting of the Union of Latin American Conferences of the Order of Friars Minor (UCLAF) took place in Lima, Peru. Addressing the theme of new forms of presence and evangelization today, the meeting was attended by Br. César Külkamp, the Definitor General for Latin America, Fr. Francisco Gómez Vargas, OFM, the Secretary General for Missions and Evangelization and 60 friars from all over Latin America. On the basis of the reports presented and the studies carried out, on the last day the participants, divided into groups, prepared a final text of the meeting, which will be transmitted to the Ministers Provincial and the Custodes of the Entities and will also serve as an object of study and work for the Secretariat for Missions and Evangelization and for the General Definitory.
We present, below, the conclusions:
1. The new forms are original experiences that seek to return to the essence of what Francis lived, offering answers to current challenges, based on a careful exercise of listening to reality. It is important to consider the changes in the times we live in and what we are experiencing, thinking of what action we can take and being a presence that will resonate in people's hearts. We are experiencing a civilization crisis in many respects and there are many provocations that await us: protagonism of the laity, especially women, profound transformations of the world of work, being more exclusive, destruction of our common home, inequalities, wars, hate speech, crisis of meaning, etc.
We need to ask ourselves "How and where people seek God today and where and how can we address these concerns."
2. "I came that they might have life and life abundantly" (Jn 10: 10). The quality of life of many people is not so good; they must be accompanied along their life processes so that their life may be dignified. We are few, but where we are we can make a difference. We must be creative, trying to place ourselves amongst the poor. There are many documents about this in both ecclesial and Franciscan writings.
It is essential to recover our identity as brothers and friars minor. We must be clear about our process of conversion, to proclaim God and not ourselves. We must recover the kenotic sense of our vocation. The Gospel challenges us to make choices, we cannot be distracted. We must focus on returning to living more simply. Moreover, being prophets of peace is an urgent and indispensable call to continue to live faithfully and authentically our Franciscan charism.
3. The personalisation of projects is an obstacle to the development and continuity of new initiatives. It is important to maintain a balance between caring for structures and following emerging insights and proposals. Ongoing formation and openness to dialogue with the laity can be valuable resources in this process. In the same way, constructive and hopeful criticism is necessary to reconfigure initial and ongoing formation, a formation capable of forming in the hearts and minds of the friars a true and profound Franciscan identity that learns to look at and inhabit the world starting from the Gospel with a prophetic vision.
4. The primary objective is to work for the dignity and life of the people, especially those living in poverty. This requires creativity, clear choices and an attitude of constant negation of self-comfort. It is necessary to move from a pastoral care of conservation to a pastoral of conversion; to promote synodality and active dialogue with the friars and the community in general.
5. Commitments, in order to make a real impact, must transcend the personal sphere and be supported by the Ministers Provincial. Moreover, it is essential that fraternity support those friars who seek and develop new paths and projects.
6. Lines of action: - Promote the Amazon project to Entities in other parts of the world. - To form ourselves so that we can inhabit the "digital continent" in a Franciscan way. - That the formation of the friars who join the projects of mission and evangelization take place in the place to which they will be destined. - Animate and promote the options and indications of this meeting and also of previous congresses.
7. Animation should be the task of the Secretaries of Evangelization and Mission at the General level of each Conference and of each Entity. A team could be formed to promote the product of this meeting and of previous ones, in the perspective of new forms of presence, life and evangelization. What should be the tasks of the animation team? - Design and address the ideas put forward, offering UCLAF a clear and achievable proposal with respect to objectives, managers and deadlines. It is essential that there be clarity in the adherence of the Ministers Provincial to what has been mentioned. On the other hand, from the sentiments and opinions of the groups, it is believed that it is not necessary to form such a committee, because there is a risk of increasing bureaucratization. It is believed that the lack of facilities is not the problem. This service could be entrusted to the Secretaries of Evangelization and Mission of each Conference.
8. The participation of the laity is fundamental, not only in Congresses and Meetings, but as ordinary agents and protagonists of our evangelizing mission where ever we are.
