The second phase of the Course for Formators of the Brazil–Southern Cone Conference has concluded

With a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida, the friars of the Brazil–Southern Cone Conference of the Order of Friars Minor, who were taking part in the Course for Formators, brought the second week of in-person formation to a close on the 30th August 2026. Organised by the Conference, the Course for Formators, Vocational Animation Coordinators and Guardians brought together the nine Entities in Brazil (six Provinces and three Custodies) and the three Provinces of the Southern Cone: two in Argentina and one in Chile. 

The formation programme took place in two in-person phases, with two weeks in April and two in August, in the city of Petrópolis (RJ), in addition to weekly online sessions between May and July. Eighteen Franciscan religious took part in the course, including two Franciscan Sisters of Amparo. In addition to Brazilians from various states, two friars from Paraguay and one from Argentina also participated. 

The course addressed various aspects of the formation process: the role of the formator, with particular emphasis on spirituality and religious life; the ministry of the formator, considering skills, documents and formation structures; young people and contemporary challenges; and, finally, the relationship between formation and mission. The teaching staff comprised speakers from Brazil, Argentina and Chile, offering an intercultural perspective on the challenges of Franciscan formation that characterise the reality of the Conference. 

Participants also had the opportunity to learn about and reflect upon, through direct experience, aspects that form part of the Order’s evangelising identity: a visit to communities living in poverty (Rocinha favela), social projects supporting people experiencing homelessness (Casa Franciscana – SEFRAS Rio), the Fazenda da Esperança and the Shrine of Frei Galvão (Guaratinguetá). The aim of these experiences was to help participants understand that Franciscan formation is not confined to the academic sphere, but that concrete experiences, in direct contact with extreme situations that challenge our lives, are legitimate paths of formation in the Franciscan charism. 

On the 30th August, the participants made a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida, where they had the grace of giving thanks to God, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary; for all that they had experienced during the formation programme and for the graces received on each person’s personal and vocational journey. 

The formation programme, however, did not end with this in-person phase. As part of the conclusion of the course, participants will be required to write an article on a topic that most deeply aroused their interest during the formation programme. Following assessment by a panel of lecturers, some of these articles may be included in an anthology to be published as an e-book.

The formation of formators is a service that goes beyond mere preparation for a specific role: it is an investment in the future of Franciscan life. It is formators who accompany friars most closely through the various stages of formation, helping them to discern their vocation, fostering their human, spiritual and fraternal growth, and ensuring that the Franciscan charism is embraced, lived and handed on to new generations. “Forming formators” is an essential task in the formation of Franciscan discipleship. It is not merely a matter of transmitting content or teaching rules. Above all, it means accompanying people on the journey of following Jesus Christ according to the form of life inspired by St Francis of Assisi. The quality of the training of formators is directly reflected in the quality of the formation process and, consequently, in the vitality of the Franciscan charism itself. On behalf of the Secretariat for Formation and Studies of the Brazil–Southern Cone Conference, we thank all those who, in one way or another, made it possible to complete these stages of the course: Franciscan Missions, which made this course possible; the lecturers; the consultants; the fraternities and communities that welcomed the participants; and the organising teams. 

May all that has been shared, experienced and learnt bear fruit in the service of accompaniment and formation, so that Franciscan discipleship may be lived with fidelity, creativity and hope.

Fr. Sandro Roberto da Costa, OFM
Secretary for Formation and Studies of the Brazil–Southern Cone Conference

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