On August 21-25, 2023, a formational and fraternal meeting of the pastors in the Jurisdictions of the Union of Conventual Franciscans of Brazil (UCOB) took place at the São Bento Monastery in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The event was arranged by the Custos of the Provincial Custody of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M. in Brazil, Friar Carlos Roberto de Oliveira CHARLES and coordinated by his Custodial Vicar, Friar Fábio SOARES DA SILVA.
The participating pastors came from the Provincial Custody of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M.; the Provincial Custody of St. Bonaventure; the Province of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe and the Province of St. Francis–all in Brazil. The speaker was Friar Gilberto DA SILVA, OFM, a professor of Franciscan Spirituality at the Antonianum University in Rome. Friar Gilberto spoke on the topic of Franciscan pastoral ministry. He highlighted the important characteristics that identify a friar minor, as expressed in the Later Rule. This was to form the basis of a friar’s Franciscan pastoral ministry, supported by fraternal life and minority. By living the evangelical vows, the life of prayer, fraternal life and minority, the quality of a friar’s pastoral ministry in the parish would grow and improve through the witness of the life of the friars, by obeying the pastoral plan of the dioceses and sharing life with the diocesan clergy.
The mutual exchange of experiences between the friars was the highlight of this meeting!
On August 24, there was a day of prayer and fraternal fellowship. The participants visited two important shrines in the “Marvelous City”: the Marian Shrine of Our Lady of Penha, on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, and the Shrine of Corcovado, site of the Christ the Redeemer statue, an international tourist attraction.
On the last day, the Minister Provincial of the Province of St. Francis in Brazil, Friar José Hugo da Silva SANTOS, who is also a graduate in business administration, presented a lecture on Franciscan management. He pointed out the tools of Franciscan parish management: poverty, work and conventuality.
We thank the Lord for the opportunity for growth provided by this event.
Friar Fábio SOARES DA SILVA, Custodial Vicar
