From the 17th-21st March 2025, the Plenary Assembly of the "Our Lady of Guadalupe" Conference comprising the Region of Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, was held at the Franciscan friary "San Luis Obispo" in Huamantla, Tlaxcala (Mexico).
The Provincial Ministers and 2 Vicars Provincial were assembled, namely: Br Ángel Gabino Gutiérrez Martínez of the Province of Saints Francis and Santiago, Br Enrique Muños Gutierrez of the Province of St. Peter and St. Paul, Br Edgardo Pérez Tejeira of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Br Gabriel Romero Alamilla of the Province of St. Philip of Jesus, Br Joel Cosme Torres of the Province of the Holy Gospel of Mexico, Br Pascual Núñez Santiago Vicar of the Province of the Holy Gospel of Mexico, Br Felipe de Jesús Santiago Ortega Vicar of the Province of St Juníper Serra. Also present was Br Alexis Ayala Ponce, Executive Secretary of the Conference.
In an atmosphere of fraternal dialogue, the Work Sessions began, presenting the Agenda of Activities and reading the Minutes of the previous meeting.
Amongst the topics discussed, the reports of the Secretariat for Formation and Studies, the JPIC Commission, the person in charge of Missions and Evangelization, the Commission of Lay Brothers, the Meeting of Educational Pastoral Care, in addition to reviewing the Economic Report and listening to Br Fausto de Jesús Ramírez, head of COFRAMEX, were made known.
The decision was made to support from the Conference the request of the Bishop of Santander, Monsignor Arturo Ros Murgadas, to make a Collaboration Agreement in the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana in Spain.
On various matters, we saw the participation of our Conference in the Chapter of Mats of the Order, in the Meeting of Lay Brothers and in the Plenary Council of the Order, to be held in Assisi, Italy.
During the Assembly, the vote was held to elect the new President of the Conference, as follows: Br Gabriel Romero Alamilla (Prov. St. Philip of Jesús) President; Br Enrique Muñoz Gutiérrez (Prov. Sts. Peter and Paul) Vice-President; Br Alexis Ayala Ponce (Prov. St. Juníper Serra) Executive Secretary.
During the Assembly we participated in the Mass of the Canonical Inauguration of Msgr. Juan Maria Huerta Muro, OFM, appointed as II Bishop of Xochimilco, Mexico City.
In conclsuion, we raised a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord in the Eucharist to grant us the gift of collaboration and synodality in the service of our Franciscan Conference.
The next meeting of the Conference will be in Tijuana, Baja California (Mexico) from the 24th-18th November, 2025.
