On Easter Monday, still mourning the death of Pope Francis, the Superiors of the Centralis Europae Foederatio (CEF), a number of youth from Croatia, and four student friars from the Seraphicum College, gathered for the annual CEF Federation assembly.
The assembly was held April 21-25, 2025, at the Nativity of the B.V.M. Friary in Maria Eck [Siegsdorf, Germany], a presence of the Province of St. Elizabeth in Germany.
Friars in formation, under the guidance of Friar Michael LASKY, reflected on the Canticle of the Creatures, an appropriate theme for the 2025 Jubilee Year.
The CEF Federation President, Friar Milan KOS, presided over this gathering of Ministers Provincial, Custodes and Delegates. Unfortunately, the friars from Holland and Sweden were unable to attend. The assembly talked about some changes to the Federation Statutes and discussed the Instrumentum laboris for the upcoming 2025 General Chapter. In addition, the friars devoted a lot of time to giving reports on their Jurisdictions and discussing current issues.
Unfortunately, one highlight, Evening Prayer with His Eminence Cardinal Reinhard MARX, Archbishop of Munich and Freising, had to be cancelled. The prelate had to cancel his participation at the last minute in order to travel to Rome for the upcoming conclave.
The friars made a joint visit to some islands on Lake Chiemsee, the “Bavarian Sea.” On “Fraueninsel” (Women’s Island) they visited the Benedictine Monastery and celebrated Mass together. Afterwards they took the ferry to “Herreninsel” (Men’s Island), and visited the castle there. Returning to the mainland, the friars recited Evening Prayer in Höslwang, where there is a friary belonging to the friars of the Provincial Delegation in Germany of the Province of Warsaw. The friars will be leaving this site in the summer. The friary will be entrusted to the friars from Romania, who already live nearby in Chieming and Grabenstätt. During the evening, the friars from Romania in Grabenstätt hosted a relaxing barbecue for the participants in the CEF Assembly.
Friar Andreas MURK, CEF Secretary
