From the 15th to the 18th of April 2026, the Franciscan Province of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Río de la Plata in Argentina and Paraguay, founded in 1612, joyfully welcomed the Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor, Br. Massimo Fusarelli, OFM. From the moment of his arrival, his presence was characterised by the style typical of the Franciscan charism: walking alongside the friars, listening to their stories and sharing in the daily life of the fraternities. The friars experienced the closeness of one who does not arrive as a distant authority, but as a brother walking with his fraternity. He was accompanied by the General Definitor for Latin America, Br. César Külkamp, OFM, expresses shared responsibility in the governance of the Order and communion in mission.
At the Franciscan Residence of San Antonio de Arredondo, in Córdoba, friars from across the Province gathered: alongside the Provincial Minister, Br. Emilio Andrada, OFM, there were brothers from the Southern Zone and CABA, Santa Fe Central, Córdoba Capital, Mendoza, NEA, Corrientes, NOA and Paraguay. The Poor Clares of the Southern Cone and the Franciscan Third Order Sisters of Córdoba also took part. The format was simple in protocol yet rich in fraternal presence: a welcome, a presentation of the Province, Eucharistic celebrations, a dialogue assembly, group work and opportunities for personal encounter, all combining prayer, reflection, and shared discernment.
The visit had several objectives: to encourage fraternal life, to listen to the concrete reality of the Province and to strengthen communion within the Order. As the Minister General put it: “To meet with you, to listen to you and to share our Franciscan life.”
On the first day, Br. Massimo invited everyone to look at life through “spiritual eyes” — in the words of St Clare — capable of recognising the presence of God in oneself and in one’s brothers and sisters. His message was clear: light, like love, is not kept to oneself; by giving it away, it grows. The fraternity is the place where faith is lived and passed on.
The following day, Br. César Külkamp invited us to rediscover the freedom that springs from the encounter with the Risen One: not based on one’s own courage, but on the witness of a life touched by the Gospel. “Whoever has seen the Risen One cannot live as if they had not seen him.”
In the garden of the House, surrounded by nature, the commemoration of the 800th anniversary of the passing of St Francis was celebrated. In this jubilee year, the anniversary reaffirmed a shared conviction: the Franciscan charism does not belong to the past; it takes root in every fraternity and in every act of service.
The conclusions of the meeting confirmed this: the fraternity is the place where the mission is discerned and where we learn to walk together in hope. This is expressed in the testimony of Br. Pablo González Pacheco: “I have come to meet you, to listen to your stories, and I leave with a heart full of hope. The Province possesses great riches”. The visit concluded with a meeting between the Minister General and the Provincial Definitors, and with a clear message: Where there is life, there is hope.
With the contribution of the Provincial Communications Office – Franciscan Province of the Assumption, Argentina-Paraguay. Coordinator: Br. Arnol Aquino, OFM. Communications Officer: Rosana Triunfetti.
