The foggy morning of Monday, January 16, 2023, brought much joy to the friars of the Province of St. Jerome in Croatia. The Minister Provincial, Friar Miljenko HONTIĆ; the Vicar Provincial, Friar Martin JAKOVIĆ; the Provincial Secretary, Friar Zlatko VLAHEK; and the Definitors Friar Josip PETONJIĆ and Friar Vladimir VIDOVIĆ, all went to Denmark for the official opening (January 18) of the St. Francis of Assisi Friary in Copenhagen, Demark
One should mention that since 2017, Friar Tomislav CVETKO from Croatia, Friar Tomaž MAJCEN from Slovenia, and Friar Stephen BEJO from the Philippines, have been working and living together as community in the house entrusted to them by the Most Reverend Czeslaw KOZON, Bishop of Copenhagen (and all of Denmark). The two central parishes of Copenhagen were entrusted to the friars. After the process for canonically erecting a friary was completed, and the Minister General, Friar Carlos A. TROVARELLI, had approved the erection and issued the decree, the Friary of St. Francis of Assisi was officially opened.
On January 17, the first day of his stay in Copenhagen, the Minister Provincial, Friar Miljenko, and his Definitors held an ordinary session of the Definitory. The friars had some free time in the afternoon, so even though it was rainy and windy, they nevertheless took the opportunity to get to know some of the historical and cultural wonders of the capital.
On January 18, the Minister Provincial, together with his Definitors, and the friars of the community, officially opened the Friary of St. Francis of Assisi. The program for the opening of the friary began with Mass in Danish, presided over by Bishop KOZON. After the Mass, the friary was blessed. Before the conclusion of the blessing, Friar Tomislav CVETKO professed his faith into the hands of the Minister Provincial and swore his oath of office as the new Guardian.
After the blessing of the newly erected convent, a festive dinner followed, prepared by a cook from Croatia. He enhanced the joyful and fraternal atmosphere by singing some Croatian and Danish songs, which gave a special tone to the whole celebration of the opening of the new friary.
We thank the Guardian and his community for their cordial and fraternal hospitality. May God abundantly bless the work of the friars of the new friary and their witness of the Franciscan charism!
Friar Zlatko VLAHEK, Provincial Secretary
