Prot. N. 30/2024
To All the Friars of Europe
Friars Minor
Friars Minor Conventual
Friars Minor Capuchin
Third Order Regular
MEETING – Online Forum on the New Evangelization
Dear Brothers,
May the Lord give you peace.
With this letter we invite and encourage you to participate in the second online forum on The Challenges for Franciscans in the Field of the New Evangelization in the context of Europe.
The meeting is organized and coordinated by the secretariats for missionary animation of the three First Order branches whose invitation is extended to all Franciscan First Order and TOR friars present throughout Europe. The Old Continent is experiencing a very sharp decline in Christian presence, particularly in the younger generations, sons and daughters of an already de-Christianized social fabric. Through the online meetings we would like to reach out to all friars and raise awareness of our common challenges and opportunities when it comes to proclaiming the Gospel to young people; in fact, this year’s focus will be: “Evangelization of Young People in Europe”. The objective is to reflect, update, animate and revive in Franciscans the commitment to go out and meet today’s new generations, and to relive, through this evangelization, that same enthusiasm of Francis of Assisi, when at the Portiuncula he exclaimed upon hearing the Gospel on sending forth disciples, “this is what I want, this is what I seek, this is what I desire with all my heart.”
We invite you to participate in this meeting, as a community, if possible, in order to hear real life experiences, deepen the discussion and uncover possible paths for evangelizing the young people of Europe.
The online gathering will be from November 26 to 28, 2024, according to the attached schedule.
Have a wonderful Feast of St. Francis. Pace e bene!
Assisi, October 3, 2024.
Friar Massimo Fusarelli, Minister General, OFM
Friar Carlos A. Trovarelli, Minister General, OFMConv
Friar Roberto Genuin, Minister General, OFMCap
Friar Amando Trujillo Cano, Minister General, TOR
