FRATERNITAS
01.11.2006
Eng Vol. XXXVII. Nr. 125 - OFM Rome - tel. +39.06.68.491.365 - fax. +39.06.68.491.364
We believed in love
Next year, 2007, we will celebrate the VIII Centenary of
the birth of St. Elizabeth, princess of Hungary, a noble
woman of Thuringen and a franciscan penitent. The
jubilee year will begin on the 17th November 2006, the
feast-day of St. Elizabeth, and will conclude on the same
day in 2007.
The Third Order Franciscan honours her as its Patron and
the entire Franciscan Family counts her among its glories.
Elizabeth sought the radical discipleship of Christ, who
being rich became poor, in accordance with the authentic
life style of Francis. She rejected the appearances and
ambitions of the world, the pomp of the court, comforts,
wealth and luxurious clothes. She left her castle and
pitched her tent among the marginalised and the wounded
of life in order to serve them. She was the first Franciscan
Saint canonised, shaped in the gospel breeding ground of
Francis.
The occasion we celebrate is certainly lost in the shadows
of the distant past and enhanced by legends, but we are
convinced that if, in this jubilee year, we come face to
face with the saint and her works, beyond the legends, we
will be enriched in our being and in our activities.
The Third Order of St. Francis, both Regular and Secular,
propose to revive the memory of their Holy Patron during
the eighth centenary of her birth and wish to present her
as a light and model of gospel commitment. The
Franciscan Family wishes to honour the first woman who
achieved sanctity in the discipleship of Christ according to
the “forma vitae” of Francis.
(Letter of the Conference of the Franciscan Family on the occasion of
the Eighth Centenary of the birth of St. Elizabeth, princess of Hungary,
noble-woman of Thuringen, Franciscan penitent).
BRAZIL – Visit and National Chapter of the SFO
Maria Consuela Nuňez, SFO, Councillor of the raised some questions about the concrete situations of the
Presidency of CIOFS, and Fr. Ivan Matić, OFM, General SFO and You.Fra Fraternities. Fr. Ireneu Gassen, OFM
Spiritual Assistant, made a Fraternal and Pastoral visit to Minister Provincial of Porto Alegre and President of the
the SFO National Council of Brazil: on the 19th of July Conference of OFM Provincials in Brazil, was also
2006 in the city of Rio de Janeiro, and on the 20th in the present at the meeting; Bishop Angélico Sândalo
city of Blumenau. The Visitators met with the National Bernardino of Blumenau gave a brief greeting.
Minister José Carlos de Andrade and some members of The National Chapter began on the afternoon of the same
the National Council at the National Secretariat. The SFO day. About 70 people were present representing the 16
Vice General Minister, Rosalvo Mota, SFO, was also Regional Fraternities, along with their respective Spiritual
present for the visit.
Assistants. The Chapter ended on Sunday the 23rd with a
st
On the 21 of July, in morning session, the Visitators also concelebrated Eucharist; Fr. Ireneu Gassen, OFM,
met with about 20 Regional and National Spiritual presided, and the newly elected members of the National
Assistants who were present at the Chapter; they shared Council were confirmed during the Mass. José Carlos de
their experience of service as Spiritual Assistants and Andrade was re-elected SFO National Minister.
BRAZIL - 1st International Meeting of the
The First International Meeting of You.Fra in South
America was held in the city of Mogi Miri, São Paulo,
from July 27 to 30, 2006. The meeting was organized by
the Presidency of CIOFS, with the collaboration of
You.Fra of Brazil, which celebrated its 35th anniversary.
Ana Claudia Oliveira Santos, a Brazilian and an
International Councilor for You.Fra, coordinated the
meeting. The theme of the meeting was: Franciscan
South American You.Fra
ITALY – 4th European Congress of Young
The IV European Congress of Franciscan Youth was held
from August 25 to 29, 2006, at Capodacqua d’Assisi at
TAU House, the SFO/You.Fra National Centre in Italy.
There were about 100 participants present from 10
European countries: Portugal, Spain, France, Italy,
Franciscans
Youth and its Mission. About 200 young people
participated. They were from Brazil, and also from
Bolivia, Peru and Paraguay. Rosalvo Mota, SFO, Vice
General Minister, Maria Aparecida Crepaldi, SFO,
Portuguese-speaking Councilor, and Fr. Ivan Matić,
OFM, General Spiritual Assistant, were present in the
name of the presidency of CIOFS.
Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia/Herzegovina, Albania, Poland
and Lithuania. Xavi Ramos, SFO, Councillor of the
Presidency for You.Fra, Benedetto Lino, SFO, Counsellor
of the Presidency and Delegate of the General Minister
participated at the Congress in the name of CIOFS
Ufficio Comunicazioni, Curia Generale dei Frati Minori, Via S. Maria Mediatrice 25, 00165 Roma
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FRATERNITAS
Presidency. Fr. Ivan Matić, OFM, General Spiritual
Assistant, was present in the name of the Conference of
General Spiritual Assistants. The theme of the Congress
was: “Francis, from dream to sign.”
For the Franciscan youth of Europe, the IV Congress was
an important and fascinating experience. This was
especially true since it was held in Assisi where the young
Francis, while searching for his true identity, had a dream
which signalled the end of his ephemeral undertaking the
beginning of an extraordinary human and spiritual
adventure. Among other things, the Congress sought to
highlight the important phases of the conversion and life
of Francis of Assisi. Following his personal path, he was
born to new life, moving from dream to sign, from
interior conversion to becoming a witness to the love of
Christ in the world.
The Congress was developed on the model of a
pilgrimage. It combined spiritual/formative growth with
visits to the typically Franciscan sites. On the 26th of
August, there were visits for San Damiano and to Saint
Mary of the Angels, and reflection on the “the Youth of
Francis and the Dream at Spoleto”; on the 27th, there was
a visit to the city of Assisi, and reflection on “go and
repair my house”; on the 28th there was a visit to the
sanctuary of La Verna and reflection on “the Stigmata”.
SRI LANKA – The missionary foundation
The franciscan presence in Sri Lanka is now in a phase of
re-foundation after the Philippine Province took
responsibility for it in 1995. There are two fraternities on
the island: one in the Capital Colombo, with the novitiate,
and the other in Kandy, with the professed students of
philosophy and theology.
At the moment there are 11 local candidates, two of them
aspirants, 1 postulant, 3 novices and 5 solemnly professed
students in Sri Lanka. There are also 5 Philippino
Missionary Friars who accompany the Sri Lankan young
men on their formative journey, support the Franciscan
Family and are beginning their first pastoral involvement.
The main challenge in Sri Lanka is that of the inter-ethnic
problem. The Tamil minority (18%) is in an armed
struggle with the Singhalese majority (74%) for power.
The prolonged struggle has so embittered hearts that the
two ethnic groups can no longer live together, even in
religious communities. The Friars Minor, together with
the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, are the only ones
who have professed members from both ethnic groups.
This is a powerful sign of communion and unity in
diversity and represents the first duty of the Franciscans in
favour of reconciliation.
EAST TIMOR – The Mission
The population is extremely poor, public infra-structures
have been destroyed, internal security is threatened by
string tensions between the ethnic groups of the East and
West. The Capital Dili is full of different ethnic refugees.
This was the situation found by Br. Ambrose Van Si,
Definitor General, and Br. Vincenzo Brocanelli,
Moderator for the Missions, during their fraternal visit.
The Democratic Republic of East Timor got
independence from Indonesia in 2002 following a long
and bloody conflict which left many deep wounds. 14
Friars Minor from different countries and cultures, from
Indonesia, Brazil and East Timor, distributed over 5
fraternities, live in this impoverished and war-torn
country. There are, besides, 4 postulant students of
philosophy in Dili and 11 novices, 7 in Indonesia and 4 in
Singapore.
The franciscan mission to East Timor is carried out in the
Capital, where the Friars receive the postulants, help
refugees, carry out pastoral duties in prisons and support
the Secular Franciscans. The Friars have two extensive
parishes in the south of the country, in Wekiar and Alas,
and a secondary school, considered to be the best in the
region and is the only hope for the future of the young,
but in need of support in order to continue and to develop.
The mission in East Timor belongs to the Province of
Indonesia. However, it is the process of being changed
from a mission into a Missionary Foundation, which
would also include the Friar Minor presence in West
Timor and would encourage the growth of a local
Franciscanism.
JPIC News
Vicente Felipe of Spain arrived at the General Curia in the
beginning of September and joined Joseph Rozansky in
the JPIC Office. South American Definitor Luis Cabrera,
who had been serving as pro-tem director, will continue
his association with JPIC as liaison of the office to the
General Government of the Order.
Vicente and Joe have been working together to organize
the office, to continue the implementation of the different
projects that are currently underway, and to animate the
JPIC efforts of the Order through contact with the friars.
The office recently sent two resource booklets to all the
entities: the Proceedings of the II OFM International JPIC
Congress, which was held in Brazil, and a compilation of
citations about JPIC taken from the principal documents
of the Order (more copies are available at the Office).
These booklets were accompanied by letters to
Provincials and Custodes outlining JPIC work for the
next three years which is centred on an evaluation of the
implementation of the Chapter 2003 JPIC decisions. An
evaluation form was then sent to all JPIC animators, with
the request that it be filled out at the level of both the
entity and the conference.
JPIC staff will meet with the members of the JPIC
Animation Committee in Milan in the beginning of
Ufficio Comunicazioni, Curia Generale dei Frati Minori, Via S. Maria Mediatrice 25, 00165 Roma
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FRATERNITAS
October to review projects and discuss priorities. Then,
over the next two months, Vicente will be present at the
JPIC gatherings of two conferences: COTAF and
CONFRES. Joe will travel to Istanbul to participate in a
course on Inter-religious dialogue sponsored by the
dialogue committee of the Order, and will then head to
Chile to participate in a meeting of the Presidents of the
five conferences of the Americas (Central
America/Mexico, Cono Sur, Bolivarian, Brazil and the
ESC).
The JPIC Office has also been working closely with
Missionszentrale in Bonn, Germany, to coordinate the
presence of the Franciscan Family at the World Social
Forum to be held in Nairobi, Kenya, in January 2007.
Updated JPIC news can be found on the Web page of the
Order, as well as on the web page for JPIC: www.ofmjpic.org
.
Testimony of Br. Fernando Antônio Figueiredo, Bishop of Santo Amaro ( San Paolo –Brazil)
The Diocese of Santo Amaro lies in the south of the great the Mato Grosso (Brazilian Amazon region) and to some
city of Sao Paolo and was created in 1989. I am the first European countries: France (Toulon and Avignone) and
bishop. There were 34 parishes and 4 major seminarians Portugal (Coimbra). Many religious also, about 300 who
when I arrived. Today we give thanks to God that we now belong, in their majority, to Diocesan Institutes, work in
have 94 parishes and 120 seminarians with a population Italy (Rome and Assisi), in France and in Spain.
of almost 3 million inhabitants.
As a franciscan bishop, always faithful to my vocation as
All social classes, especially the most needy and poorest, a Friar Minor and son of St. Francis, I see the future of
are found in this area of the city. Many workers have to Brazil and of Latin America as a great missionary
face the travel difficulties (on public transport) and the challenge, a challenge which stirs us from within: There is
chaotic traffic of a city-megalopolis like that of Sao Paolo a need for Communities and Fraternities in mission, close
each day. Almost 200 million people live within the urban to the poor and capable of offering a real gospel witness.
area. My diocese is characterised by its social Various kinds of sects are spreading more and more. We
involvement, with the cooperation of numerous entities must then build a Church which will have a concrete and
for assistance and promotion, and by the profoundly current presence, a Church which would be a home to all,
missionary dimension of our pastoral activities.
capable of sympathetically welcoming all, especially the
For example: we have encouraged pastoral activity for poor and suffering.
children and young people. There are about 40,000 Here in Rome, I, as a member elected by the Holy Father,
children who evangelise, having as their motto: “Children have taken part with various Bishops and Cardinals in a
evangelise children”. We have now launched the second special Congress of the Synod for America, which
stage: “The young evangelise the young”.
includes the whole American Continent: North, Central
Taking into account the number of priests, it was possible and South.
to give a missionary impulse by sending various priests to
NEWS – Formation and Studies
* The Master’s course for Formators began at the
Franciscan Institute of Spirituality of the Pontifical
University Antonianum on the 9th October 2006. It is a
one-year course which tries to provide an integrated
formation on the franciscan-spiritual and the psychopedagogical levels. The Master’s is a response to the
request from the 2003 General Chapter in Assisi in this
respect (see: www.antonianum.ofm.org)
* A course for formators, organised by the OFM
Conference of Africa and the General Secretariat for
Formation and Studies, will be held in South Africa, at the
“La Verna” Retreat House, from the 20th November to
2nd December 2006. The objective is to study deeply, and
assimilate, an incultured formation in the context of the
African continent.
* The XI International Council for Formation and
Studies, with the topic of “ON-GOING FORMATION
TODAY: the person at the centre of the process of a
Fraternity-in-mission”, will be held in Nairobi (Kenya)
from the 5th to 15th February 2007. The Council gathers
the Conference Secretaries for Formation and Studies and
the General Secretariat of the Order together every two
years in order to study the situation of Formation and
Studies in the Order and those topics approved by the
General Definitory. This Council is asked to prepare an
Instrumentum Laboris for the II International Congress of
the OFM Moderators of On-going Formation.
* A course for Formators, (in Italian and Spanish),
organised by the General Secretariat for Formation and
Studies, will be held in Frascati (Rome) from the 10th to
31st May 2007. The topic is “Personalised formative
accompaniment” and the objective will be to provide
specific competence for the formative colloquium. The
maximum number of participants is 30 Friars. Inscriptions
are open at the GSFS: formgen@ofm.org.
* The II International Congress of OFM On-going
Formation will be held at St. Mary of the Angels (PG), in
accordance with the request of the 2003 General Chapter
in Assisi, from 13th to 28th October 2007. The central
theme will be the methodology and pedagogy of our Ongoing Formation, together with the updating of the
Document: “On-going Formation in the Order of Friars
Minor”.
Ufficio Comunicazioni, Curia Generale dei Frati Minori, Via S. Maria Mediatrice 25, 00165 Roma
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Small/Big news
* Br. Enrique González Arango (St. Paul the Apostle,
Colombia), who worked in the “Pro Monialibus” Office;
Br. Aloysius Florio (Custody of the Holy Land), the local
Bursar; Br. Gianfranco Pinto Ostuni (St. Michael the
Archangel, Italy), Redactor of Fraternitas and Member of
the Communications Office; Br. James Perluzzi (Sacred
Heart, United States), who was Secretary General for
Missions and Director of the Development Office, have
returned to their respective Provinces.
* The following new appointments were made: Br.
Dragan Nimac (Holy Redeemer, Croatia), as ViceRector and Bursar of the International Fraternity “Ven. G.
Allegra” in Rome; Br. Pedro Ramos Guzmán (Sts.
Francis and James, Mexico), as Assistant to the General
Secretariat for Evangelisation; Br. Vicente Emilio Felipe
Tapia (St. Gregory the Great, Spain), as Assistant to the
JPIC Office; Br. Francisco Javier Arellano Suárez
(Betica, Spain), as Personal Secretary to the Minister
General; Br. Louis Djama (Incarnate Word, Africa), as
gardener at the General Curia; Br. Robert Bahčič (Holy
Cross, Slovenia), Guardian of the General Curia, as
Redactor of Fraternitas; Br. José Angel Flores Guerrero
(Sts. Peter and Paul, Mexico), as local Bursar of the Curia
Fraternity; Br. Joseph Rozansky (Most Holy Name,
United States), as Director of the JPIC Office; Br. Rafael
Blanco Pérez (Holy Faith, Colombia), as Delegate
General “Pro Monialibus”; Br. Joy Prakash Joseph
Kuzhiparambil (St. Thomas, India), as Vice-Delegate
General “Pro Monialibus”.
* On the 14th October 2006 the Pope appointed Msgr.
Fernando Antônio Figueiredo, OFM, Bishop of Santo
Amaro (Brazil), a Member of the Special Council for
America.
* During the second part of the “Tempo forte”, from the
13th to 17th November 2006, the Meeting of recently
appointed Visitators with the Minister and Definitory
General will be held at the General Curia in Rome.
* Saturday 11th November, Foligno – The Monastery of
Santa Lucia: Day of study on Feminine Franciscan
Observance I. The Monastery of Santa Lucia in Foligno
in collaboration with the Higher School of Mediaeval and
Franciscan Studies.
New Visitators General
Br. Giancarlo Rosati (Seraphic Province of St. Francis, Italy), Visitator General to the Province of St. Francis Solanus
in Argentina.
Br. Antonio Schauerte (Province of the Assumption of the BVM, Brazil), Visitator General to the Province of St.
Francis in Brazil.
Br. Valmir Ramos (Custody of the Sacred Heart, Brazil), assistant-Visitator General to the foundation of St. Mary of
Graces in Brazil.
Br. Peter Williams (Province of the Immaculate Conception, England), Visitator General to the Province of Bl.
Pacificus, in France.
Br. Giuseppe Ferrari (Province of Christ the King, Italy), Visitator General to the Custody of The Most Sacred Heart
of Jesus, Brazil.
Br. Vitório Mazzuco Filho (Province of the Immaculate Conception of the BVM, Brazil), Visitator General to the
Custody of St. Benedict in Amazonia, Brazil.
Br. Benoît Dubigeon (Province of Bl. Pacificus, France), Visitator General to the Province of the Three Companions in
France/Belgium.
New Ministers Provincial
Br. Gasmend Tinaj, Province of the Annunciation of the B.M.V. in Albania, was elected Minister Provincial.
Br. Alex Ilunga Mikombe, Province of St. Benedict the African, Democratic Republic of Congo, was elected Minister
Provincial.
Agenda of the Minister General
* from 1st to 3rd November, participation in Provincial Chapter of the Province of St. Thomas (India).
* from 6th to 17th November, Tempo forte of the General Definitory.
* from 18th to 21st November, participation in the Congress of the Commissars of the Holy Land (Jerusalem).
* 25th November, the sending of new missionaries (Brussels).
* from 28th to 30th November, the beginning of a fraternal visit to the Province of Santa Cruz (Brazil).
FRATERNITAS - OFM – Rome
Director responsible: Gino Concetti - Redactor: Robert Bahčič
Internet: http://www.ofm.org/fraternitas. Email: rbahcic@ofm.org