The General Statutes of the Militia of the Immaculata (M.I.), an international, public association of the faithful, establish in art. 30, that the Minister General of the Friars Minor Conventual is the International Assistant. They describe his function and add that, “the International Assistant may delegate the performance of his functions to a solemnly professed friar of the Friars Minor Conventual.”
Since 2010, this function has been performed by Friar Raffaele DI MURO. He began his service during the mandate of Friar Marco TASCA and was later confirmed in this position by Friar Carlos A. TROVARELLI. Recently, the Congregation for Catholic Education appointed Friar Raphael as the Dean of the Pontifical Theological Faculty of St. Bonaventure in Rome. Thus, the Minister General has decided to terminate his service as an Assistant for the M.I.
After consultation with the General Definitory, and in keeping with the norms of the General Statutes, no. 60, § 2, Friar Carlos appointed a new Delegate to be the International Assistant for the Militia of the Immaculata, namely, Friar Gilson Miguel NUNES, from the Province of St. Francis in Brazil. Friar Gilson’s new service begins on March 1, 2021. Friar Gilson was born on April 28, 1975 in Santa Mariana, Paraná State, Brazil. He made his simple profession on February 5, 1996, his solemn profession on October 28, 2000, and was ordained to the priesthood on February 14, 2004.
Many thanks go to Friar Raffaele for his eleven years of service to the Militia of the Immaculata, and we wish Friar Gilson all the best in his new assignment!
Friar Tomasz SZYMCZAK, Secretary General
