On September 2-6, 2019, formators of the postulants and novices of Latin America gathered for a meeting. The meeting took place at the Maria Inmaculada Friary and Theology Seminary in Cuautitlán Izcalli, Mexico City. The friary is part of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico.

A total of twenty formators attended. They came from Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Central America and Mexico.
Friar Franklin Antonio DURÁN ZAMBRANO, the recently-elected Custos of the Provincial Custody of Our Lady of Coromoto in Venezuela, planned and organized the meeting during his previous tenure as the Vice Secretary of the General Secretariat for Formation (SGF).
The Minister Provincial of Mexico, Friar Mario CASTRO MARTÍNEZ, welcomed everyone during his opening comments. Friar Carlos Antonio CATALÁN MELGAR, the Custos the Provincial Custody of St. Francis in Bolivia, also attended the meeting
The topics covered were used to create a document that will later be used to prepare a Formation Directory for the Federación América Latina Conventuales. The Directory will provide general guidelines for the formation process, especially for novitiates.
It was very worthwhile hearing the experiences of the various Jurisdictions. The friars listened to a number of invited speakers who gave in-depth presentations on such topics as the formator and the formator’s role in formation.
Friar Rogerio PEREIRA XAVIER, the Assistant General for FALC, spoke about the international reality of the Order and about the process that led to the approval of the new Constitutions. The very current problem dealing with the abuse of vulnerable men in formation was also covered.
Special thanks go to the Province of Mexico for showing the participants such extraordinarily fraternal hospitality. Thanks as well go to the friars of the post-novitiate formation community who provided such good-natured service.
Finally, the closing Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Patroness of Latin America, was particularly memorable. During the Mass, the entire Order was entrusted to the protection of the Immaculate, in particular the confreres of the FALC Federation and their formation programs in Latin America.

Friar Massimiliano GANGI DINO
and Friar Jorge CAMPELO DE ALBUQUERQUE E MELO.