Reconfiguration proceeds in Canada, United States and ESC Spring Meeting updates

The spring meeting of the English-Speaking Conference (ESC), held outside London at Domus Mariae Conference Centre (April 9-13, 2018), was hosted by the Custody of the Immaculate Conception in England. During the meeting of the Conference, friars from the respective areas of the Conference updated members on the processes of reconfiguration: Canada: Chapter of Union The union of the two Canadian provinces will occur on October 23, 2018, at the start of their chapter of union. United States: Provincial Chapters in May Six of the U.S. provinces will hold extraordinary chapters on May 30 to vote on a possible merger. Those six provincials met in Chigwell on Sunday and on Monday morning regarding this renewal and revitalization process. Here are other highlights of the meeting: 1. A key component of the meeting was a new personal sharing format. Each provincial or custos shared a recent life-giving event that had given him new hope regarding our Franciscan life. It was gratifying and inspiring to hear how the Spirit is working throughout the United States, Canada, Ireland, England and Malta. 2. General Councilor Caoimhin O'Laoide presented an overview of the general administration's work-with special concentration on the June 2018 Plenary Council or the Order (CPO) in Nairobi. The members then reviewed and discussed the ESC's CPO Report. 3. The members reviewed and discussed the initial Vatican document on the World Synod on Youth (October 2018). 4. The members received a joint progress report from the Commission on the Franciscan Intellectual Tradition (CFIT) and the CFIT Task Force. The members were grateful for the quality of the scholarship that has been displayed by CFIT and the efforts that have been undertaken so far to bring this scholarship to the wider public - especially by developing a website with numerous resources, including the Early Franciscan Sources volumes in Latin and in English.