The 4th Inter-Franciscan Online Course, “Evangelizing Together: Friars and Laypeople Inspired by the Same Charism,” organized by the Secretaries for Mission Animation of the First Order and TOR, will take place on November 17–19, 2026. Below, we publish the letter from the Ministers General inviting the entire Franciscan Family to take part.
Prot. N. 035/2026
Rome, October 28, 2026
To the Entire Franciscan Family
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
May the Lord give you peace!
We still cherish in our hearts the celebrations marking the 800th anniversary of Francis’ death, which we experienced in Assisi and everywhere else we are present. Now, we wish to carry on his legacy: “I have done my part; may Christ teach you yours.”
Christ sent everyone out to evangelize: the apostles, the seventy-two disciples, and, we might say, all the baptized. All Christians are sent by the Lord to evangelize. The mission must not be limited to priests alone. Laypeople cannot be viewed merely as the recipients of evangelization, for whoever welcomes the Gospel and makes it a way of life is called to evangelize. Let us consider how important it is to evangelize together: friars, consecrated sisters, and laypeople.
In this spirit, we would like to invite you to the 4th Inter-Franciscan Online Course, organized by the Secretaries for Mission Animation of the First Order and TOR, which this year invites us to reflect on the theme: “Evangelizing Together: Friars and Laypeople Inspired by the Same Charism,” to be held on November 17, 18 and 19, 2026, in the morning (from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – Rome time). You will be able to follow the course by selecting translations in Italian, English, French, Spanish, or Polish.
There will be three mornings dedicated to reflecting on how to evangelize together. Men and women religious, laypeople, young people, and volunteers are called to share our diverse experiences, perspectives, and gifts. We will reflect on the foundations of this journey, on the specific contribution each of us can offer, and on the difficulties we must overcome to move forward. Indeed, it is not a matter of distinguishing between leaders and collaborators, but of recognizing that we are all jointly responsible, each according to his or her own vocation and gifts.
Since the Gospel fosters brotherhood, as Francis testified, proclaiming the Gospel means learning to listen to one another, to share one’s gifts, and to allow oneself to be enriched by the experiences of others. This gathering aims to provide a space for listening, witness, and reflection, in order to seek concrete ways to breathe new life into the Franciscan charism today and make it vibrant within the Church and the world.
We invite all of you, brothers and sisters of our Franciscan Family, to take part in these events.
May the Lord grant us the creativity and courage to proclaim the Gospel—not merely side by side, but together. And may the Gospel increasingly shape our lives.
Fraternal regards,
Friar Massimo FUSARELLI, OFM
Minister General
Friar Roberto GENUIN, OFM Cap.
Minister General
Friar Carlos Alberto TROVARELLI, OFM Conv.
Minister General
Friar Amando TRUJILLO CANO, TOR
Minister General
N.B.: To take part, please click on the following link:
https://form.jotform.com/ofmcap/corso-missionario-online-2026
Program for the 4th Inter-Franciscan Online Missionary Formation Course for Europe
November 17–19, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (Rome time)
Tuesday, November 17
The Foundations of Collaboration Between Friars and Laypeople in Evangelization
Carmelo VITELLO, OFS
Wednesday, November 18
The Franciscan Contribution to Evangelizing Together: Friars and Laypeople
Friar Johannes FREYER, OFM
Thursday, November 19
Roundtable discussion on the opportunities and challenges of collaboration between friars and laypeople, with Friar Giovanni B. DE ROSSI, OFM Cap., Emilie REY, and Carmelo VITELLO, OFS.
Each day will begin with a greeting from the Ministers General of the First Order and the Third Order Regular (TOR). Each presentation will be followed by an opportunity for dialogue with the participants.
I trust this program will spark your interest and I encourage you to take part in this opportunity for formation, reflection, and fraternal sharing, in response to the invitation of our Ministers General.
I look forward to seeing many of you online!
Friar Dariusz Robert MAZUREK
General Delegate for Mission Animation
