Prot. N. 0510/2024
Rome, June 28, 2024
To the friars of the Order
AT THEIR SEES
Dear Brothers,
On June 24th of this year, I was saddened to hear the news of the death of our confrere Archbishop Gianfranco Agostino GARDIN, former Minister General and member of the Italian Province of St. Anthony of Padua (Northern Italy). He led our Order with fraternal wisdom and foresight from 1995 to 2001, before being consecrated a bishop (August 26, 2006) and taking on the role of Secretary of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. Finally, he passionately served the Church in Treviso, Italy, as a diocesan bishop from 2009 to 2019.
I would like to highlight some characteristics of his personality and his ministry in service to our Fraternity.
Friar Gianfranco was gifted with an outspoken character and a brilliant intelligence. He never hid his love for our consecrated life. He loved being with the friars, meeting them and being attentive to their needs. He never lost his fine sense of humor: indeed, he was a master at telling jokes and this helped him create fraternity, defuse situations, and allow all parties to smile together.
These qualities proved useful, in particular during his terms as Minister Provincial (1988-1995) and later, Minister General (1995-2001).
Regarding his generalate, let me highlight some important issues that were close to his heart and which may still be relevant to us today.
- Prioritizing Formation
The document “Formation of the Order: Guidelines for a Renewed Commitment” was created largely due his particular sensitivity to that issue. The document was generated by the 1998 Extraordinary General Chapter in Ariccia (Italy) through the involvement of the Federations of the Order and in close contact with formators and experts in the field. According to Friar Gianfranco’s vision, we will make a meaningful impact as friars to the extent that we stay focused on the quality of our initial and continuing formation.
- Being at the Service of the Consecrated Life
Friar Gianfranco was an esteemed professor of moral theology. He became passionate about the topic of the consecrated life in the Church and its problems. His experience, competence and passion were recognized by many religious institutes and eventually they elected him President of the Union of Superiors General.
He was a skilled communicator and refined writer. He was able to determine the most important challenges facing the Order and intervene in a timely and effective manner through his letters to the friars.
I remember, for example, his letter to the friars written for Lent of 1997, which was eloquently titled: “Testifying to the Primacy of God”; and his subsequent letter in 1999, Harmonizing Fraternity and Mission, which focused on that very necessity. In both texts, he wanted to give continuity to the theme of making a meaningful impact, connecting it to the priority of initial and continuing formation.
- Firmness and Clarity
His innate ability to know how to say things, even uncomfortable things, showed that Friar Gianfranco Agostino was a noble and direct man. He was never indecisive when it came to explicitly taking a position for the good of individuals or communities. He was never afraid to intervene when necessary, in order to encourage a change in the attitudes of individuals and Jurisdictions.
Friar Gianfranco was determined not to be mediocre. He consistently lived his vocation as a Conventual Franciscan friar and did it with serenity, even when circumstances called for him to step aside at the end of his mandate as Minister General.
- Being on the Summit in Order to Contemplate the Infinite
Dear friars, I planned to share just a few memories of Friar Gianfranco, aware that I have only outlined his human and spiritual profile as a friar, a Minister Provincial and General and as a pastor.
However, there is still one more image that I would like to share, which expresses his serene tenacity: his passion for mountain climbing. Despite his many commitments, he knew how to set aside days for climbing, with friends, to reach the summit of some of the most beautiful peaks. Today, having reached the summit of the last peak, the highest one, he can contemplate the One who is the author of every perfect gift, the Most High, almighty and good Lord.
As you joyfully contemplate the face of the Father, obtain for us, dear Friar Gianfranco, the grace to follow in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus, according to the example of our Seraphic Father St. Francis.
Friar Carlos A. Trovarelli
Minister general
