This September, the “Acta Ordinis Fratrum Minorum” published the statistical surveys of our Order worldwide up to December 2021, period 2020/2021. More than eight centuries ago, with the approval of Pope Innocent III, St Francis of Assisi founded one of the greatest religious Orders in Christianity, which remains large but has been divided into three branches: Order of Friars Minor (OFM), Order of Friars Minor Conventual (OFM Conv) and Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (OFM Cap).
Currently, the Order of Friars Minor has 12,127 friars in 119 countries. Of these: 445 postulants (not counted); 325 novices; 1,409 temporarily professed (931 with clerical option, 137 without clerical option, 341 without option); 10,395 solemnly professed (8,190 priests, 70 permanent deacons, 393 with clerical option, 1,633 lay friars); 3 Cardinals, 106 Archbishops and Bishops. During this period, the Order recorded 341 deaths.
We, friars, are distributed as follows: 1,303 in Africa and the Middle East; 2,958 in Latin America; 983 in North America; 1,548 in Asia and Oceania; 3,136 in Western Europe; 2,209 in Eastern Europe.
Our Order is structured into 91 Provinces and 10 Autonomous Custodies, seven entities dependent on the Minister General; 17 Custodies dependent on the Provinces; 14 Conferences of Ministers Provincial and 3 Unions of Conferences (Asia/Oceania: FCAO; Latin America: UCLAF; Europe: UFME).
At last year’s General Chapter, Br Massimo Fusarelli, of the Italian Province of St Bonaventure, was elected Minister General of the Friars Minor, the 121st successor of St Francis of Assisi.
