On the 2nd June 2025, the International Chapter of the Mats began at the basilica of Our Lady of the Angels in Assisi, with a day full of meaningful encounters. The day began with the invocation of the Holy Spirit in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels where Fr. Massimo Fusarelli, Minister General, lit a candle from the Paschal Candle of the Porziuncola. The candle was then carried in procession, accompanied by all the participants, to the Conference Hall of the Domus Pacis. Following this, the Minister General, along with Fr. Francesco Piloni, Minister Provincial of the Seraphic Province of St. Francis, welcomed all the participants, and the presentations of all those present followed.
During the opening Mass, presided over by Fr. Massimo Fusarelli, the importance of this meeting, which has its historical roots, was highlighted: “We gather here around the Porziuncola, in poverty, in the joy of encounter, and in mutual listening to recognize what pleases the Lord.”
The Minister General emphasized that this Chapter represents “a moment of communal discernment, where we allow the Spirit to speak through all the voices that reach us from so many parts of the world.”
In the afternoon, a conference-by-conference presentation methodology was implemented, with a representative from each conference presenting the geographical location of the conference in a 20-minute format and summarizing the most significant conclusions reached during the meetings held at each conference. A 5-minute "buzz" session was used after each presentation. The presentations included the Southern European Conference (CEM), North African and Middle Eastern Conference (CONAMO), English-speaking Conference (ESC), North Slavic Conference (SLAN), South Slavic Conference (SLAS), and East Asian Conference (EAC). The day concluded with prayer in language groups.
