On March 5, 2018, the Romanian friars living in Germany, Austria and Switzerland (16 friars) met at the parish friary in Chieming, Germany, for a fraternal day of human and spiritual formation. The friars were led by Friar Ştefan ACATRINEI, one of the Definitors of the Province of Romania and Friar Lucian HORLESCU, a professor in Roman, Romania.
The day began with a fraternal greeting from Friar Gabriel BUDĂU, the President of the Association of Romanian Friars Minor Conventual in Germany. The meeting was particularly meaningful and joyous for the participants simply because it was the first of its kind.
Friar Ştefan ACATRINEI presented the program schedule and got the formation day started. Friar Lucian HORLESCU presented the first lecture on the theme of human and fraternal relations from the psychological point of view. He divided the theme into three parts: a) physical dependence and affectivity, b) rigidity of character, and c) lack of relational freedom.
Friar Ştefan presented the second lecture. It followed the same theme as before but, this time, from the perspective of Franciscan spirituality. Afterwards, there were two fraternal discussions; one before lunch and one after. Their aim was to provide a deeper understanding of the personal and community issues that friars face in the places where they live.
At midday, Friar Bernhardin SEITHER, the Minister Provincial of Germany, presided over Mass. A solemn, fraternal agape meal followed in the Chieming parish friary.
In the afternoon, the friars met together to share their experiences, based on Friar Lucian’s conference. Friar Lucian had emphasized the importance of affective maturity in a friar’s life, in order to carry out his mission in the Lord’s vineyard and to be successful in obediently serving the brothers and sisters to whom he is sent.
At the end, Friar Ştefan thanked Friar Lucian for his personal commitment to the well-being of the friars. The friars listened keenly to Friar Lucian and found the idea of a united fraternity to be very important.
The meeting concluded with a walk near Lake Chiemsee followed by a fraternal dinner.
Friar Florin-Cristian FARCAŞ and Friar Sebastian ANTON
