On October 23, 2025, the community of the Seraphicum College (faculty and students), in Rome, attended a mission animation conference as part of the initiatives that the Church has dedicated to “mission” during the month of October.
This year, in particular, the community chose to focus on the theme of mission in relation to the 100th anniversary of the founding of our mission in China (1925–2025). Friar Paolo FIASCONARO, the former Director of the Mission Center of the Federazione Inter-mediterranea Ministri Provinciali (FIMP), gave the lecture. Those present included the Guardian and Rector of the Seraphicum College, Friar Adam MĄCZKA; the Dean of the Faculty of St. Bonaventure, Friar Raffaele DI MURO; some members of the permanent community, and sixty students of the College along with their formators.
At the beginning, Friar Paolo focused on message of Pope Leo XIV for World Mission Day 2025, which calls us to be “missionaries of hope among the peoples.” Friar Paolo invited the friars to rediscover the value of mission, to be bridges of hope among the many peoples who are helped by our missionary friars in the forty countries where they serve. Their missionary passion reflects the same zeal of our friars a century ago, who served the people of China for twenty-seven years. Their efforts marked the beginning of the missionary journey of our Order.
Next, Friar Paolo presented the book: “China – The Missionary Dawn of the Friars Minor Conventual.” It was published by the Mission Center and was co-authored by Friar Paolo and Friar Matteo LUO. The first part of the book recounts the historical events that preceded the foundation of the mission, namely, the difficult period of suppression of religious Orders and confiscation of Church property. The second part, written by Friar Matteo, describes the pastoral activities of the friars in China beginning in 1925, and the intensive missionary work carried out by the four Conventual Franciscan Apostolic Prefects.
After the book presentation, Friar Paolo screened a documentary entitled: “The Franciscan and Evangelical Silk Road.” It, too, was produced by the Missionary Center and was filmed in the places where our missionaries lived between 1925 to 1952.
To inspire young friars to take up missionary work, Friar Paolo also screened a short video depicting the activities carried out by the Mission Center during its ten years of summertime evangelization on the banks of the Tiber River.
At the end of the conference, the Guardian of the Seraphicum, Friar Adam, thanked Friar Paolo for his testimony and for organizing the mission animation conference. Everyone was clearly happy to approach a piece of Franciscan history from a missionary perspective and, above all, to renew their commitment to live their daily lives with a missionary spirit and with the same enthusiasm as the many confreres who served in China a century ago.
This mission conference at the Seraphicum, held to “preserve historical memory,” marked the fourteenth and final mission animation session organized by the Mission Center. The sessions were conducted at Provincial Chapters, in formation houses, with the Poor Clares, and during the 2025 General Chapter.
Friar Paolo FIASCONARO
