On February 26-28, 2018, Friar Miljenko HONTIĆ, the Assistant General for the Centralis Europae Foederatio (CEF), visited the Provincial Custody of St. Leopold and St. Nicolas of Flüe in Austria-Switzerland.
He spent the first day attending the regional meeting of the Austrian part of the Custody. The meeting took place at the friary in Vienna, Austria. That morning, Dr. Franz ZDRAHAL made a presentation on the theme: “Advance Directives for Illness and Old Age”. In the afternoon, Friar Christian FICHTINGER gave a guided tour of the friary library after which, Professor Helga PENZ spoke on the theme: “The Meaning of Libraries”.
On February 27-28, the Assistant General and the members of the Custodial Definitory met for a Definitory meeting in Neunkirchen, Austria. All the Definitors were present: Friar Daniele BROCCA, Custos; Friar Bernhard LANG, Vicar-Custos and Custodial Secretary; and Friars Valentin SOLOMON and Thomas MANALIL, Definitors. Former Definitor Friar Vincenzo COSATTI is now a Penitentiary in the Vatican. The Definitors reflected on a possible new Definitor to replace Friar Vincenzo. In addition to that issue, the Definitors reviewed the Custodial Four-Year Plan and the current status of the Custody.
Despite snow outside and freezing temperatures that fell as low as 1 ˚F (-17 C˚), the atmosphere inside the Neunkirchen friary was welcoming and fraternal, especially thanks to the confreres of the community.
Friar Miljenko HONTIĆ, Assistant General for the CEF