Message of Solidarity for the Friars and the People of Lebanon following the explosions that rocked the City of Beirut
On behalf of the General Definitory and the entire Order, I wish to extend our prayers for, and solidarity with, the Friars and the people of Lebanon following the recent explosions that rocked the city of Beirut.
25 August, 2020
Feast of St. Clare 2020: Letter of the Minister General
My dear Poor Ladies of St. Clare, may the Lord give you His peace! “Lord God, look, I have been left here alone with you.” You probably recognise that this heartfelt cry of desolation was uttered by our Mother St. Clare on Christmas Eve 1252 when, incapacitated by her serious illness, she could not join her sisters in celebrating the Nativity of the Lord.
28 July, 2020
Do not be afraid; darkness has not conquered the light! | Easter Letter of the Minister General 2020
Dearest brothers and sisters, May the Living Christ give you peace! This year, the celebration of Easter will have as a backdrop a world traumatised by the spread of the new Coronavirus.
05 April, 2020Coronavirus: Letter of the General Minister
Over the course of these past more than three months since the discovery of the new Coronavirus, we have witnessed its progressive proliferation from one specific region in China to more than 115 countries.
12 March, 2020
Christmas Letter of the Minister General 2019
Today we join with the entire created universe in singing a hymn of praise and thanksgiving for the wonderful love and mercy of God poured out in Christ Jesus!
18 December, 2019
Message of the Minister General for World HIV/AIDS Day 2019
My dear Brothers of the Order, May the Lord give you peace! Each year since...
25 November, 2019
Letter for the Feast of Saint Francis 2019: Listen to the Cry of the Amazon
Dear brothers and sisters, may the Lord give you peace! After converting to the Gospel, St. Francis’s only desire was to live and witness to the Gospel in the world. In the chapters XIV to XVII of the Earlier Rule we can see quotations he makes from the Gospel, in which Jesus sends out his disciples
29 September, 2019
Letter from the Minister General about his Bicycle Accident
My dear Brothers, May the Lord give you peace! I am writing from the University...
19 August, 2019
Feast of St. Clare 2019: Letter of the Minister General
Dear Sisters, As the years follow on from each other, the Solemnity of St. Clare of Assisi, our sister and mother, brings with it an opportunity to continue a dialogue that can become ever deeper and more wide-ranging.
06 August, 2019
Message of Solidarity for the Friars Living in Sri Lanka
I am writing to you in order that you might convey to Bro. Edward Jeyapalan, OFM and all our Friars in the Foundation in Sri Lanka our prayers and solidarity at this moment in the history of the country, the Church, and the Order.
06 May, 2019
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord | Easter Letter of the Minister General 2019
This year I would like to share with all of you a message inthe context of the celebrations of 800 years of the encounter between Francis of Assisi and the Sultan of Egypt al-Malik al-Kamil. This commemoration has offered the Church and the Order an extraordinary opportunity to reflect on and study the topic of open and respectful dialogue with Islam and, of course, with other religious faiths.
15 April, 2019
Letter of the General Minister on the 800th Anniversary of the Encounter between St. Francis and Sultan al-Malik al-Kāmil
Eight hundred years ago, our Seraphic Father St. Francis set sail for Egypt, finally fulfilling a long-held dream of reaching out to Muslims. He arrived at the camp of the crusading army, among Latin Christians who through years of preaching and the rhetoric of holy war had been taught to scorn Muslims.
18 January, 2019
Letter to the Custody in Morocco on the Feast of the Holy Martyrs of Marrakech
Today we commemorate the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the Holy Martyrs of Marrakech, the first martyrs of the Order of Friars Minor. Burning zeal for the Gospel, and the hope of transmitting the Good News of Jesus Christ, of God's love and mercy for the world and for each and every human person, was at the heart of the mission undertaken by these five Brothers of the Order. We know that their death inspired many young men to join the Order. Chief among these was Anthony of Lisbon, later to be known as the Saint of Padua, who entered the Order with the same burning desire to live the Gospel and to go among Muslims and unbelievers to share the message of Jesus Christ. It is this burning desire for love of God and all human beings that has inspired and sustained our missionary presenc
16 January, 2019
Message of the Minister General for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2019
“Justice and only justice you shall pursue (Dt 16:20)” is the theme that the Christian Communities of Indonesia have chosen for this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. It is a theme that is both honest and urgent.
02 January, 2019
Christmas Letter of the Minister General 2018
Out of infinite love God desired to assume our human nature with all that this implies. He was born in the greatest humility of a poor woman and in a poor place, far from home, because his parents were on their way to fulfil their civic duties imposed by the authorities of the time.
18 December, 2018
Message of the Minister General for World AIDS Day 2018
My dear brother of the Order, members of the Franciscan family, and friends, May the...
03 December, 2018
Letter for the Feast of St. Francis 2018: Walking the Road with Young People
The Solemnity of our Seraphic Father, Saint Francis of Assisi, happily coincides with the beginning of the Synod of Bishops, convened by Pope Francis, whose theme is: Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment. It is a time when young people are at the center of the Pope’s heart, as well as of the whole Church.
29 September, 2018
Feast of St. Clare 2018: Letter of the Minister General
Dearest sisters, Last year I offered you some reflections based on the words that guided our preparation as Friars Minor for the Plenary Council that we celebrated last June in Nairobi: listening, discerning, acting.
03 August, 2018
Moving from the celebration of the PCO to the production of the Final Document
Letter from the Minister General and the Definitory to all the friars: Moving from the...
02 August, 2018
Their eyes were opened, and they recognized him | Easter Letter of the Minister General 2018
Dear brothers, May the presence of the Risen Lord bring you joy! This year the Order holds its Plenary Council in Nairobi, and at the heart of this meeting will be the theme of listening.
29 March, 2018
Message of the Minister General for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2018
My dear brothers of the Order of Friars Minor, and all brothers, sisters and friends...
22 December, 2017
General Curia Audit Process – Communique to the Order
We all know and often repeat that the Franciscan charism consists in being brothers and minors. If on one hand we must note that the incarnation of this charism is as varied as the number of individuals who profess the Rule and Franciscan Life, on the other one, we must agree that in order to be friars and minors it is essential to profess and even more important to live the vow of poverty.
17 December, 2017
Christmas Letter of the Minister General 2017
This year the Holy Land Custody celebrated 800 years of its foundation. The Order of the Friars Minor could not ignore this event that moved it to mission. I wanted to be present, I and the Vicar general, amid the friars, because the message of the Holy Land challenges every Friar Minor today.
29 November, 2017
Letter of the Minister General for the First World Day for the Poor
In anticipation of the celebration of Christ the King, Pope Francis has established next Sunday, November 19th, as the first World Day for the Poor. This day is a fruit of the Year of Mercy that we lived throughout 2016, in recognition of the oft lived contrast between empty words present in our lives and the concrete facts that we must face.
15 November, 2017
20th Anniversary of the Franciscan Foundation in Russia and Kazakhstan
Dear Brothers, May the Lord give you peace! On the occurrence of World Mission Day 2017, I want to direct a special greeting to you to remember in particular the establishment of this Foundation by my predecessor fr. Herman Shaluck, with the decree of April 22nd 1997,
25 October, 2017
Feast of St. Francis 2017 – Letter
We are about to celebrate the feast of Saint Francis, our father. When a parent is being celebrated, the entire family meets to share their joys, emotions, and experiences; an event of that kind is also an opportunity to take stock of problems and plan together for the future.
02 October, 2017
Message of Solidarity for the Friars Living in Mexico
On behalf of all the Friars of the Order I want to write simply to express our solidarity in this moment of dramatic suffering caused by the earthquake which struck the Mexican capital and other cities in the various states of Mexico.
21 September, 2017
Feast of St. Clare 2017: Letter of the Minister General
“But with swift pace and light step…..” (cf. 2LAg, 12) Dear Sisters, May the Lord give you peace! The...
02 August, 2017
From the General Ministers of the First Order and of the TOR: In Company with Saint Bonaventure of Bagnoregio
The eighth centenary of the birth of St. Bonaventure is celebrated this year. Bonaventure, a central figure in the Franciscan Family, was born around 1217 in Bagnoregio, close to Orvieto (Italy). He joined the Order in 1245, having already graduated with an Arts degree.
14 July, 2017
Message of Solidarity in Prayer for the Friars living in the UK
I write to you in solidarity as you face the consequences of yet another senseless, violent attack against innocent civilians, which claimed the lives of seven and left scores injured. I cannot imagine the impact of the recent wave of violence that you and the people of the U.K. have experienced.
05 June, 2017
Letter of Support for Franciscans International
FI is a non-profit NGO with consultative status at the United Nations. It represents all branches of the Franciscan Family.
26 May, 2017
“In the resurrection, the power of love overcomes all evil”: Easter Letter of the Minister General 2017
My dear Brothers and friends, Alleluia! In our Easter commemoration, we celebrate the events of the life, suffering, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Like the faithful women who stood by Jesus in death and who were the first witnesses to the resurrection, we too recognize in these paschal events the dawning of a new hope for the life of the world, a world torn apart by divisions and conflicts, a world God has chosen to love unconditionally (Jn 3:16). In the resurrection, the power of love overcomes all evil.
15 April, 2017
Invitation of the Minister General for the 2018 Synod of Bishops
Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment My dear Brothers of the Order of Friars...
30 January, 2017
Message of the Minister General for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2017
My dear brothers of the Order of Friars Minor, and all brothers, sisters and friends...
27 December, 2016
Christmas Letter of the Minister General 2016
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Upon those who lived...
22 December, 2016
Minister General’s World AIDS Day message 2016
My dear brothers of the Order, members of the Franciscan movement, and friends of Franciscans,...
28 November, 2016
Children praying for peace: Letter from the Minister General and from the Custos of the Holy Land
To all the friars of the Order of Friars Minor to the Poor Clares, to...
26 November, 2016
Message Concerning Syria from the Minister General and Custos of the Holy Land
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Dear men and women of good will, May the...
04 October, 2016
Feast of St. Francis 2016 Letter
Saint Francis: an attentive, welcoming, and accepting brother. Dear brothers, May the Lord give you...
29 September, 2016
Feast of Saint Beatriz de Silva 2016
Letter of the Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor for the feast of...
13 August, 2016
Letter of the General Ministers for the VIII Centenary of the Pardon of Assisi
The Portiuncula Indulgence and the Jubilee Year of Mercy Two important events are marked during...
23 July, 2016
Feast of St. Clare 2016: Letter of the Minister General
Dearest Sisters, May the Lord give you peace! Every year as August approaches, I begin...
15 July, 2016
Letter to the Youth for World Youth Day 2016
Dear young Franciscans all over the world, may the Lord give you peace! Our Seraphic...
13 July, 2016
Message of Solidarity for the Friars Living in Ecuador
My dear Brothers in Ecuador, May the Lord give you his peace! On behalf of...
19 April, 2016
Message of Solidarity in Prayer for the Friars Living in Belgium
Dublin, 23 March 2016 Dear brothers who are in Belgium, The Lord give you His...
23 March, 2016
Easter Letter of the Minister General 2016
“Peace I leave you; my peace I give you!” (John 14:27) Dear Brothers, May the...
19 March, 2016
Message of the Minister General for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2016
My dear brothers of the Order of Friars Minor, and all brothers, sisters and friends...
08 January, 2016
Christmas Letter of the Minister General 2015
My dearest Brothers, While I am writing this letter, the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy is...
16 December, 2015
Message of the Minister General for the Opening of the Holy Year of Mercy
It is with great joy that, in union with the whole Church, we friars minor...
07 December, 2015
Minister General’s World AIDS Day message 2015
FRANCISCAN COMMEMORATION OF WORLD AIDS DAY 2015 Rome – December 1, 2015 My dear brothers...
30 November, 2015
Feast of St. Francis ’15 Letter
Dear brothers, May the Lord give you peace! With this greeting, taught us by Francis,...
25 September, 2015
Feast of St. Clare ’15: Letter of the Minister General
Dearest sisters, this year Pope Francis’s encyclical letter, Laudato si’ gives us the opportunity to...
05 August, 2015
Easter Letter of the Minister General OFM
In one of the most touching narratives of the Resurrection, we are witnesses with Mary...
31 March, 2015
May I never boast except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ | Homily for the Feast of the Stigmata
We once again ascend this holy mountain to enter into the mystery of the love relationship between God and Francis of Assisi. Our ascent comes at a particularly difficult time in the life of the human community and the natural environment, where all appear to be descending.
18 September, 2020
As Members of a ‘Cosmic Fraternity’, All Creatures share the same Dignity and Vocation given by God | Homily of the Minister General for the Feast of the Pardon of Assisi
“Praised be You, my Lord, who with all Your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun…, through...
04 August, 2020
Homily of the Minister General at the Conclusion of the 2020 Meeting with Provincial Ministers and Custodes
The meeting with Provincial Ministers and Custodes concluded on 30 January 2020. During the meeting,...
30 January, 2020
Homily for the Conclusion of the 2019 Meeting with the Visitators General
The 2019 Meeting between the Minister General and General Definitory and the Visitators General was...
24 November, 2019
Francis and Dominic – an unconditional love for the Redeemer | Homily for the Feast of Our Holy Father St. Francis, 2019
As is traditional for the liturgical celebrations of the Feast of Our Seraphic Father St....
07 October, 2019
It is on the path of humility that we rejoice in minority, holiness, and poverty | Homily on the Solemnity of Saint Francis of Assisi
Vicar General’s homily for the Solemnity of St. Francis of Assisi This is a day...
04 October, 2019
La Verna: a place of solitude, the cross and the joy of the blessed | Homily for the Feast of the Stigmata
Homily of the Vicar General for the Feast of the Stigmata of St. Francis of...
19 September, 2019
Jesus’ call to cultivate friendship with God | Homily of the Minister General at the Meeting with Presidents of Conferences
Homily of the Minister General at the Conclusion of the Meeting Br. Michael A. Perry,...
24 May, 2019
Peace, Minority, Theocentric itinerancy | Homily of the Minister General at the 2019 FCAO Gathering
What happens to the Church, to the Order of Friars Minor, to each of us when the values of the Kingdom of God are placed at the center of our lives, our fraternities, our Order, Provinces, Custodies, and Foundations?
15 February, 2019
The ones who are most remembered and whose virtues will never be forgotten | Homily for the Feast of All Saints of the Seraphic Order
The Custody of the Holy Land is hosting the 4thInternational Conference for the Commissioners of the Holy Land from November 26 to December 2, 2018 at St. Savior’s Monastery in Jerusalem. For the feast of All Saints of the Seraphic Order, the Minister General, Br. Michael A. Perry, shared the following words at Mass.
29 November, 2018
Be instruments of Hope | Conclusion of the 2018 Meeting with the Visitators General
The 2018 Meeting between the Minister General and General Definitory and the Visitators General was...
16 November, 2018
We make the climb to La Verna because we want to touch Christ’s wounds | Feast of the Stigmata,2018
Minister General, Br. Michael A. Perry delivered this homily at La Verna during the celebration of...
18 September, 2018
Through grace of believing, life is once again renewed | The General Minister’s Homily for the International Congress of Formation and Studies
On March 12, 2018, the General Minister, Br. Michael Anthony Perry, shared the following words...
12 March, 2018
Open our hearts to the novelty that God offers | The General Minister’s Homily for the visit in Brazil and the Southern Cone
On February 12, 2018, the General Minister, Br. Michael Anthony Perry, shared the following words during the opening Mass of the meeting between the two conferences (Brazil and the Southern Cone) in Sao Paolo, Brazil.
15 February, 2018
“Alegria, the Joy offered by God” | The Minister General’s Concluding Homily for the Visit in Mexico
On February 7, 2018, at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Minister General, Br. Michael Anthony Perry, shared the following words during the final celebration of the gathering in Mexico.
10 February, 2018
Saint Francis’ fresh look on a new world | Homily of the Minister General
“The whole point of (St. Francis’) point of view was that it looked out freshly...
04 October, 2017
“Be inflamed by the fire of God’s love”: The Feast of the Stigmata 2017
Centuries of tradition continue in the holy place of La Verna as the friars celebrated...
19 September, 2017
A deep relationship with God is our opportunity for life | Minister General’s Homily, Amatrice
Abraham is our father in faith. He is a model, an example of trust in...
03 July, 2017
Immobility is not a Gospel value – General Minister’s Homily
General Minister’s Homily at the meeting of the North-Slavic Conference June 22, 2017, Poland “For...
28 June, 2017
Willing to embrace the life of penance – Homily of the Minister General at the Capitolo Generalissimo
“Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exult...
01 June, 2017
In the midst of change, the community anchored its life in Jesus – Homily of the Minister General at the Meeting with Presidents of Conferences
The regular meeting of the Presidents of the conferences of Provincial Ministers with the general...
18 May, 2017
Mary’s Intercession Brings us the Gifts of Eternal Salvation – Homily of the Minister General on the Feast of St. Mary Mediatrix
One of the most fascinating images of Biblical mediation by a woman is found in...
16 May, 2017
Transforming our Historical Memories into Trails of Holy Newness: General Minister’s Homily to the New Province of San Bonaventura
John’s Gospel proclaimed today flows from the preceding narrative of the good Shepherd, where he highlighted the closeness of the Shepherd to his flock, that is, the Lord Jesus to his disciples. It is a narrative that speaks of relationship, taking up the metaphor, used from the beginning of the Gospel, through which St. John conveys the meaning of life in the light of Jesus Christ as disciples and children of God: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God" (Jn 1:1). Everything happens within the deep and unbroken relationship that Jesus enjoys with the Father and the Spirit in the Trinity.
12 May, 2017
The limits of the cloister should not be an obstacle to be missionaries: Homily of the Minister General to the Poor Clares
Dear Sisters, all Brothers in Jesus Christ. It is a great joy for me to...
04 May, 2017
All is Changing…God is calling us to return to the roots of our identity
Homily of the Minister General at the Opening Mass of the Chapter of the Foundation...
21 March, 2017
Conclusion of the Meeting with Provincial Ministers and Custodes 2017
The two-week long meeting with Provincial Ministers and Custodes concluded today on Jan. 27 2017;...
26 January, 2017
Closing of the 2016 Meeting with the Visitators General
The 2016 meeting between the Visitators General and the Minister General and his Definitory has...
18 November, 2016
A Historic Event on the Feast of St. Francis
Our General Minister, Br. Michael A. Perry, presided at the Eucharist in the Basilica of...
13 October, 2016
Feast of the Stigmata 2016
“… we find love and pain, which form the heart of Christian life: Francis has...
19 September, 2016
Christmas in the Curia Generale and in Greccio
Br. Michael A. Perry, OFM, Minister General OFM celebrated the Christmas Midnight Mass with the...
26 December, 2015
Closing of the 2015 Meeting with the Visitators General
The 2015 meeting between the Visitators General and the Minister General and his Definitory has...
23 November, 2015
Follow the General Assembly of UFME
UFME General Assembly is set from 19-24 October 2015. Follow the events here: www.ufme.be Here’s...
19 October, 2015
Minister General’s Homily: Feast of St. Francis, Basilica S. Maria degli Angeli, Assisi, 2015
“The cross of Jesus Christ continues to speak to each of us today as powerfully...
04 October, 2015
Celebrating the Minister General’s Feast Day 2015
On September 29th, the Feast of the Archangels, the friars celebrated the Feast Day of...
30 September, 2015