At the session of the General Definitory held November 1, 2019, the Minister General, Friar Carlos A. TROVARELLI, and his Definitory, confirmed Friar Maurizio DI PAOLO from the Province of St. Bernardine and St. Angelo in Italy (Abruzzo) to the office of Procurator General for a second six-year term.  The confirmation was made by decree on November 4, 2019.

On December 9, 2019, the Minister General met with the members of the General Procuration Office to learn more about their methods and the work on which they collaborate.
On December 17, 2019, Friar Carlos, with the consent of his Definitory, renewed the appointment of Friars Robert LEŻOHUPSKI and Francesco PANIZZOLO as members of the General Procuration Office. They will remain in office until the General Chapter of 2025. The appointments were made by decree December 31, 2019. Friar Robert LEŻOHUPSKI is from the Province of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe in Poland (Gdańsk) and is employed full time at the Apostolic Penitentiary. Friar Francesco PANIZZOLO is from the Italian Province of St. Anthony of Padua (Northern Italy) and is employed full time at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The members of the General Procuration Office meet every two weeks to consult each other on complex issues and to carry out assignments involving various legal procedures. The assignments are accepted in accordance with each member’s availability and particular language skills.
An important task in the coming months will be the revision of the “Promptuary of Procedural Guidelines”. This will need to be updated and integrated in keeping with the new legislation of the Church and the Order and the practices of the Roman Curia, which are constantly evolving.
Another project of the General Procuration Office is to widen the scope of juridical formation for those who carry out the service of authority, and for all the friars in general. This will be performed at the upcoming formation week for new Ministers Provincial, Custodes and Secretaries, and at the second “Conference on the Proper Law of the Order” which is in the planning phase.

Friar Maurizio DI PAOLO, Procurator General