On April 21-23, 2023, the Province of St. Francis in Brazil (São Paulo) conducted its 2023 Missionary Meeting. The event took place at the Casa São Francisco Postulancy House in Curitiba, State of Paraná, Brazil.
This meeting brought together all of the candidates of the Jurisdiction. There were two aspirants, nine postulants, and twelve novices. Among the novices, there was one from the Province of St. Francis in Brazil (São Paulo); two from the Provincial Custody of Our Lady of Coromoto in Venezuela; one from the Provincial Delegation of San Antonio in Peru; three from the Provincial Custody of St. Bonaventure in Brazil (Maranhão); and five from the Province of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe in Brazil (Brasilia). Four post-novices attended the event along with the Minister Provincial of the Province of St. Francis in Brazil, Friar José Hugo da Silva SANTOS; the Custos of Venezuela, Friar Franklin A. DURÁN ZAMBRANO; the formators of the postulancy program, Friars Alexandre PATUCCI DE LIMA and Antônio Felipe de Oliveira ZAGO; the formator of the aspirancy house in Caçapava, State of São Paulo; Friar Flávio M. VENÂNCIO; the Novice Master, Friar André Luiz Ferreira MACHADO, and the Assistant Novice Master, Friar Ramón Alfredo RUI UREÑA, in Cascavel, State of Paraná; and the Vice Rector of the post-novitiate in Santo André, State of São Paulo, Friar Avedis BARBOSA.
Friar José Hugo began the meeting by welcoming everyone and talking about how important it is for those in formation to be open to the formation process. He also stressed that they should feel they belong to the Order; that they are all brothers in one single family.
Next, Friar Franklin, the Custos of Venezuela, gave a lecture on “The Conventual Franciscan Charism in Initial and Continuing Formation.” Before lunch, everyone took part in a video call with Friars Josimar Oliveira de BARROS and Júlio Gonçalves COSTA, who talked about their experience working at the Provincial mission in Curaçá, State of Bahia, Brazil.
On the second day, in honor of the 800th anniversary of the Christmas at Greccio, the friars and those in formation visited the “Museu da Vita” [Museum of Life], a children’s health outreach, where they learned about the work being done by this important institution. It has saved, and continues to save, the lives of thousands of malnourished children in Brazil and around the world. It is a vital service which serves the Child Jesus by ministering to children in difficulty.
The meeting also offered plenty of opportunity to take part in sports, recreation and spend fraternal time together. May God be praised for this Missionary Meeting and the opportunities it provided. May St. Francis intercede for those in formation to help them persevere in their vocations.
Friar Alexandre PATUCCI DE LIMA, Provincial Secretary
