On July 28, 2023, the first Inter-Obediential Missionary Course in Asia 2023 (IMCA2023) concluded. The two-month missionary course took place from June 4 to July 28, 2023, at the House of Silence in Busay City, the Philippines. It was focused on the theme “Sent Forth to Asia to Deepen Our Missions and to Proclaim the Gospel in the Spirit of the Franciscan Jubilee, as Friars Minor in Synodality.”
The seventeen missionary friars who participated in the course were members of the Friars Minor, the Conventual Franciscans, the Capuchin Franciscans and the Third Order Regular. They came from Indonesia, India, Vietnam, the United States, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and the Philippines. The Conventual Franciscans among them were Friars Prince ILLINILKUMTHADATHIL JOSEPH; Justin Tomas PUTHENVEETTIL (both from India); and Maximilian BUMACOD Jr. (from the Philippines).
The closing Mass was presided over by the Friars Minor President of the East Asian Conference, Friar Lino Gregorio REDOBLADO, OFM. The Minister Provincial of the Friars Minor Province of St. Anthony of Padua in Cebu, the Philippines, Friar Renee DEAN, OFM, concelebrated. During the closing ceremony, the friars who attended the missionary course were awarded certificates of completion and a copy of the publication IMCA2023. It was indeed a journey of celebrating inter-obediential and inter-cultural diversity, aimed at nurturing holistic growth and fostering collaboration. This path has led the participants to evolve into an enhanced version of themselves as dedicated men of mission, marked by profound discernment and unwavering commitment to their missionary calling. The friars of the IMCA2023 Course, aptly named “Mirror of Grace,” are ready to move forward to the next chapter in their missionary endeavors across Asia and Oceania.
Friar Maximilian BUMACOD Jr.
