On April 7-10, 2026, the friars of the Centralis Europae Foederatio (CEF) gathered at the St. Maximilian Kolbe Friary in Gdańsk, Poland, for their annual assembly.
Others present included the Assistant General for the CEF Federation, Friar Vincenzo COSATTI, some seminarians from Croatia and three seminarians from the Seraphicum College in Rome who were attending formation meetings of their own at that time.
The assembly opened with the renewal of the Federation Council. Friar Miljenko HONTIĆ, the Minister Provincial of the Province of St. Jerome in Croatia, was elected President; Friar Milan KOS, the Minister Provincial of the Province of St. Joseph in Slovenia, was elected Vice President; and Friar Bernhard LANG, the Custos of the Provincial Custody of St. Leopold and St. Nicolas of Flüe in Austria-Switzerland, was elected Secretary.
Next, there were reports from the various Jurisdictions of the Federation. Afterwards the friars held an extensive discussion, focused particularly on strengthening mutual exchange and collaboration.
On Thursday, the friars toured the city of Gdańsk. They visited the large Church of the Holy Trinity and saw its impressive organ. Next, they stopped at the Provincial Curia of the Province of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe in Poland (Gdańsk). From there, they went on to visit some of the city’s many churches and later, the Gdańsk shipyard, a highly symbolic site where, in the 1980s, a process of transformation began that contributed to the reorganization of Europe. In the context of today’s ongoing conflicts, this site is a powerful reminder of the value of prayer and solidarity among people. The so-called “Tri-City” (Trójmiasto), also preserves significant references to St. Maximilian Kolbe, in particular at the friary in Gdynia.
The friars of the Federation sincerely thank their confreres in Gdańsk for their fraternal welcome and attentive hospitality. The Federation’s next annual meeting will be held in Zagreb, Croatia.
Friar Bernhard LANG, CEF Secretary
