From January 30 to February 2, 2018, the new Custody of Mary, Mother of Mercy in Central America celebrated the second part of its first Ordinary Chapter.

The Chapter took place at the Nuestra Señora de la Asunción friary in Alajuela, Costa Rica. The Provincial Custos, Friar Jorge Arturo DOBLES ULLOA, presided over the Chapter sessions. Minister Provincial Friar James KENT of the USA Mother Province of Our Lady of Consolation was present along with the Assistant General for the Federación Conventuales America Latina (FALC), Friar Carlos TROVARELLI. Friar Mark WEAVER was an invited guest at the Chapter and served as translator.

The Chapter took place in a peaceful, friendly atmosphere which pervaded both the work and various fraternal activities in which the temporarily professed friars also took part.

The communities were given enough time to go over the Instrumentum Laboris which had been prepared as a guide for working on the Four-Year Plan of the Custody. For this reason, deciding on and approving the Plan as well as processing and approving particular motions, was handled easily.

This was how the new Central American Jurisdiction gave itself the structural and fraternal instruments it needed to thrive, give Franciscan witness and do missionary work.

In addition, the guardians of the communities in the Custody were elected. In Costa Rica, Friar Marco UMAÑA JUÁREZ was elected guardian of the Nuestra Señora de la Asunción friary in Alajuela; Friar Jonhatan Leonel VARGAS RAMÍREZ was elected guardian of the San Francisco friary in Moravia (San José); and Friar Grevin Oliver SIERRA RIVERA was elected guardian of the Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe friary in Belén (Heredia). In Honduras, Friar Isidoro de Jesús MEJÍA HERNÁNDEZ was elected guardian of the Santa Ana de la Virtud friary in Campamento (Olancho); and Friar Jorge Eduardo BARILLAS RODRÍGUEZ was elected guardian of the San José de Cupertino friary in Tegucigalpa. In El Salvador, Friar Javier Ernesto GUERRA was elected guardian of the San Antonio friary in San Salvador; and in Guatemala, Friar Julio Enoc ZELEDÓN HERRERA was elected Superior of the community of the San Francisco de Asís Rectory.

To everyone’s great joy, during the Chapter on Thursday, February 1, Friars José SARMIENTO and Andrés QUESADA made their temporary profession of vows, having completed their year of canonical novitiate in Itagüí (Medellín), Colombia.

On February 2, the World Day for Consecrated Life, after completing its sixth and final Chapter session, the Custodial Chapter concluded with the celebration of Mass.

Friar Carlos TROVARELLI, Assistant General for the FALC