Early in the morning of November 3, 2021, accompanied by “Sister Rain,” the members of the General Definitory traveled to Assisi to join the Minister General, Friar Carlos TROVARELLI, in order to participate in a meeting with the General Custos of Assisi, Friar Marco MORONI and his Custodial Definitory. Friar Carlos had arrived some time earlier in Assisi to attend the Youth Towards Assisi conference.
The meeting had been scheduled for some time. It was an opportunity to better understand the status of the Custody, its new configuration in the light of its recent Chapter, and the Custody’s expectations, problems and hopes. Once again, during the fruitful dialogue, one fact emerged that illuminated everything else (choices, projects, strategies): Assisi is the heart of our Order and as such, it should be a fraternity that lives the particular vocation of Assisi and its spirit to the fullest. There are many challenges in this sense. However, the good fraternal atmosphere that has been experienced for years on the “hill of paradise” indicates that the friars have taken the right path, that is, a “synodal” path, where each person is important for who he is and for what he can offer. In this context, Friar Ion CIURARU, a member of the Province of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Romania, and a member of the community at the Sacred Convent, was commemorated. Friar Ion died prematurely on October 12, 2021, after giving himself generously and completely to the friars and the pilgrims in Assisi.
The General Definitory later had lunch at the Franciscanum community and met with its Guardian, Friar Jerzy NOREL and the newly formed fraternity, which has almost assumed its final configuration for the 2021-2025 four-year term. One may recall that in September of 2019, the post-novitiate community moved to Rivotorto, inserting itself in that community. Therefore, with the Custos present, the friars discussed the identity of this new Franciscanum community. They talked about this project which, in synergy with the Custody and the Order, is establishing itself in the light of our charism in Assisi. The friars also discussed the patience this project will entail, starting with the specific friars who have recently arrived, their getting to know each other, and the necessary experimentation that will take place on a day to day basis. This is truly a work in progress, one which the whole Order looks to with confidence, expecting the good that this community, in connection with other realities of the Order, will be able to give to all.
Delighted after such a full and fruitful day, the General Definitory returned to Rome, again followed by heavy rain.
Friar Giovanni VOLTAN, Assistant General
for the Federazione Intermediterranea Ministri Provinciali (FIMP)
