Wherever and whenever brothers and sisters gather, the words of the Psalmist: “How good and how pleasant it is” (Ps 133) become a lived and deeply felt reality, because fraternity takes on the form of a living Gospel.
On Saturday, May 9, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., the National Council of the Secular Franciscan Order (OFS) of Lithuania held a formation day on the theme of the Testament of St. Francis of Assisi. The event took place at the St. George Martyr Friary, belonging to the Friars Minor in Kaunas, Lithuania. The Council chose that location because it was the most accessible site for all the brothers and sisters who belong to the twenty local OFS fraternities spread across the country.
The General Spiritual Assistant to the OFS, Friar Ștefan ACATRINEI, OFM Conv., guided the participants in an in-depth exploration of this mature work by our Seraphic Father. He explored the theme in three lectures, two in the morning and one in the afternoon. To facilitate better understanding, Friar Ștefan gave a brief historical overview of the Testament and the events, and facts that Francis recalls and leaves as a gift to the fraternity. He then lectured on sin, conversion, and penance. In the third lecture, he highlighted the transmission of the charism and its practical application in daily life.
Sixty participants attended the event, along with two National Assistants, Friar Antanas GRABNICKAS, OFM, and Friar Piotr STROCEŃ, OFM Conv. This intensive day of fraternity, formation, and profound spirituality, concluded with Mass at 5:30 p.m. Despite prevailing low temperatures in the Baltic, all of the participants experienced a truly spring-like atmosphere and fully enjoyed the day.
Friar Ștefan ACATRINEI
