On Saturday, October 5, 2024, the Formation Commission of the Provincial Custody of Mary, Mother of Mercy in Central America, convened all the friars of the Custody, both the solemnly professed and those in formation, for an online fraternal meeting.
The meeting, entitled “Let Us Rejoice in Our Feast, Brothers” was conducted in the context of the 800th anniversary of St. Francis receiving the stigmata. The friars met online via the Zoom Internet platform. It was an unprecedented fraternal and formational event, presented in two sessions.
The meeting began by raising the fraternal spirit of the friars with “The Praises of God Most High,” sung by the postulants of the Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Friary in Costa Rica. They were led by their formation team members, Friars Grevin O. SIERRA RIVERA, Andrés QUESADA SOTO and Obed PIC ASUNCIÓN.
Next, the President of the Custodial Formation Commission, Friar Marcio MATUTE BERDE, spoke from the San José de Cupertino Friary in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. He made some introductory remarks and discussed the meeting agenda, mentioning the Franciscan jubilee that is being celebrated this year and the importance of sharing. The first session of the meeting concluded with some pleasant and spontaneous sharing by each of the friars, starting with those in initial formation, namely the friars of the post-novitiate in San Salvador, led by their formators, Friars Antonio SANDOVAL POVEDA, Pablo CARBAJAL ESPINOZA and Miguel BUSTILLOS PADILLA; the postulants in Costa Rica; and finally, some aspirants and their vocation promoters led by Friar Javier GUERRA in Honduras and the Custodial Vocation Promoter, Friar Jorge BARILLAS RODRÍGUEZ.
Next came the friars in continuing formation, namely, those from the Santa Ana Friary in Campamento, Honduras; the San José de Cupertino Friary in Tegucigalpa, Honduras; the San Francisco Friary in Guatemala City, Guatemala; and the San Francisco Friary in Moravia, Costa Rica. It was very gratifying for everyone to greet and congratulate each other, and discuss their experiences regarding the Solemnity of St. Francis and the 800th anniversary of St. Francis receiving the stigmata.
The second part of the meeting was a formation session led by Friar Marcos QUESADA NAVARRO. He joined the group from Rome to share some fraternal joy and impart some wisdom. He gave an insightful lecture on the historical and mystical event of St. Francis receiving the stigmata.
The friars were happy and grateful to have attended the meeting, which ended with some words of encouragement and a blessing from the Custodial Vicar, Friar Enoc ZELEDÓN HERRERA, Guardian and Rector of the Order’s presence in Guatemala. Finally, the Formation Commission thanked everyone for attending, wished them well, and invited them to attend more meetings of this kind in order to keep fraternal love alive in the Custody.
Friar Marcio MATUTE BERDE, President of the Custodial Formation Commission
