From the 24th to 31st October, Br. Massimo Fusarelli, Minister General of the OFM, visited the Province of the Holy Cross in Bosnia and Argentina.
On the first day, he visited the convent in Visoko, where he also met the friars of the convent in Kraljeva Sutjeska. After the greetings of the Guardian, Mass was celebrated, in which Br. Massimo gave the homily. During the fraternal meeting, important issues for Franciscan life were discussed. Subsequently, a visit to the friary followed and, in the afternoon, individual interviews with the friars. On the way to Sarajevo, the Minister General visited the parish of Banbrdo.
On the 26th October he met with the friars of Sarajevo at the Faculty of Franciscan Theology. After the meeting and greetings from the Guardian, he presided over the celebration of Mass. Subsequently, during the meeting with the friars in formation, the Minister General explained to them the situation of the Order and his visions for the future, followed by individual discussions. In the evening, an interreligious meeting, The Spirit of Assisi, was held in Sarajevo in the church of St. Anthony, during which the Minister General gave a speech to the participants.
On Sunday, the 27th October, Br. Massimo visited the friary of Kraljeva Sutjeska, where the 600th anniversary of the birth of Bosnian Queen Katarina Kotromanić was celebrated. Mass was presided over by the Provincial of Bosnia and Argentina, with the concelebration of the Minister General and the Provincial of the South Slavic Conference (SLAS). In his homily, the Minister General expressed his joy at being able to preach, as the friars of Rome guard the tomb of the queen. In the afternoon, the Minister General met first with the Provincial Ministers and then with the Provincial Council.
On the 28th October, a visit to the friary of Tolisa followed, where the friars of the friaries of Tuzla, Dubrave, Plehan, Belgrade and Zagreb also met. After the greetings of the Guardian, the Minister General learned about the history of the friary and the church, deepening the traditions with a visit to the museum. During the meeting, he shared with the friars his experiences with confreres from all over the world, illustrating similarities and differences with the Province of Argentine Bosnia. He encouraged the friars to rediscover the values of common life and to promote life in simplicity. This was followed by the celebration of Mass, during which Br. Massimo gave the homily. In the afternoon, there was the possibility of individual interviews.
On the 29th October, it was the turn of the friary of the Holy Spirit in Fojnica, where the friars of the friaries of Fojnica, Kreševo and Sutjeska gathered. After the greetings of the Guardian, the Minister General thanked the friars for their testimony of the Franciscan charism through the centuries and for their closeness to the people; after Mass, he made himself available for personal meetings. On the same day he visited the convent of the Poor Sisters in Brestovsko, where during the Mass the vesting of two postulants took place. The Eucharistic celebration was presided over by the Minister Provincial, Fr. Zdravko Dadić, while the homily was given by the Minister General.
On the 30th October, Br. Massimo met with the friars of the friaries of Guča Gora and Jajce in Guča Gora. After the greetings of the Guardian and the presentation of the friars, the Minister General's intervention followed, enriched by fraternal dialogue. During the Holy Mass, Br. Massimo also delivered the homily. On the same day, accompanied by the Minister Provincial, he visited the Franciscan monastery in Rama-Šćit, where he briefly met with the Guardian and the friars.
On the last day of the fraternal visit, the 31st October, the Minister General visited the friars of the Franciscan friary of Gorica – Livno. The meeting was also attended by friars from the friaries of Rama, Petrićevac and nearby Dalmatia. After the greetings of the Guardian, Br. Massimo Fusarelli spoke about the situation in the Order, offering the friars the opportunity to ask questions. Mass was presided over by Msgr. Marko Semren OFM, Bishop emeritus, while the homily was delivered by the Minister General. The whole afternoon was dedicated to individual talks with the friars, while in the evening Br. Massimo also met with the novices of the Province.
With the meeting at the convent of Gorica, the Minister General concluded his fraternal visit to the Province of the Holy Cross – Argentine Bosnia.
By the Provincial Secretariat
