Project No. 03/2026 –
Course for Franciscan Missionaries in Asia
(Cebu, the Philippines)
The Order of Friars Minor Conventual, together with the other branches of the Franciscan First Order (Friars Minor and Friars Minor Capuchin), have proposed Educational-Pastoral Project No. 03/2026, entitled “Course for Franciscan Missionaries in Asia,” aimed at training friars destined for missionary service in various settings across Asia.
The project is designed for missionaries already serving in Asia; for candidates from other continents preparing for mission; and for friars in Asia who are called to minister in cultural and pastoral settings different than their own. The course will take place at a retreat house on the island of Cebu, in the Philippines, offering an environment suited to formation, fraternal life, and missionary discernment. This initiative is part of a training program consolidated over twenty years ago, originally held in Brussels. Following the COVID-19 pandemic and after a thorough evaluation of the program, the Ministers General and Secretaries for Mission Animation decided to relocate the course to actual locations where future missionary service will take place, thus fostering a more realistic, “hands-on” training experience. In recent years, the course has been held in Uganda, the Philippines, and Brazil. It will be held again in the Philippines in 2026. The project’s primary objective is to offer participants comprehensive training that combines spiritual, intercultural, and pastoral dimensions, through direct experience in a setting in Asia. However, due to rising overall costs, the Franciscan branches involved are encountering increasing difficulty in meeting organizational expenses. The requested contribution is therefore intended to cover the essential costs of the course, particularly the participants’ lodging and meals at the retreat house.
Project Information
- Jurisdictions: Friars Minor, Friars Minor Conventual, Friars Minor Capuchin
- Country: The Philippines
- Diocese: Cebu
- Location: Cebu
- Type of Project: Educational-Pastoral Project
- Date of Proposal: January 1, 2026
- Expected Duration: May 31 – July 26, 2026
- Direct Project Coordinator:
- Friar Dennis TAYO OFM
- Email: dtayo@ofm.org
- Total Project Cost: USD 80,904
- Local Contributions:
- USD 48,000
- Contributions:
- Aid to the Church in Need (Königstein, Germany): €27,000 (equal to approximately USD 29,700)[1]
- Contribution Requested:
- USD 3,204
Project Update
Project No. 03/2026, “Course for Franciscan Missionaries in Asia,” has been completed. The requested contribution of $3,204 USD, as indicated in the project proposal, was covered by the General Curias of the Franciscan families involved.
[1] Amount converted using an approximate exchange rate: €1 = USD 1.1
