On March 11-12, 2020, the members of the Initial Formation Commission of the Provincial Custody of Mary, Mother of Mercy in Central America took part in a joyful and fraternal meeting at the Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Friary and Postulancy House in Heredia, Costa Rica.

One of the main duties of the Commission is to look out for ways to improve the formation process at each of its stages. At this meeting, the Commission checked on the work being done in the Custody’s postulancy program. All nine of the young postulants were present. The postulants joyfully and humbly talked about their experience in taking their first steps in the Conventual Franciscan way of life. In the same way, the postulancy formation team, consisting of Friars Grevin Oliver SIERRA RIVERA, Antonio Enrique SANDOVAL POVEDA and José Antonio LÓPEZ CAMACHO, talked about their experience, which can be summarized as gratitude for the good so far done and received. Indeed, the members of the Commission look with hope and deep satisfaction at the progress of formation in the Custody.
In addition, the Commission took some time to study and reflect on the renewed Constitutions of the Order. It found that the friars in this small but dynamic Jurisdiction of the Order have been following the direction indicated by the new Constitutions and have been witnessing the charismatic heritage which those Constitutions have recreated and offered for today.
May Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Clare and all the Franciscan saints, help each of our confreres stay faithful to their vocation.

Friar Marcio Rolando MATUTE BERDE, President of the Initial Formation Commission