Following a well-established pattern, during the last year of the six-year mandate, the General Curia hosts a formation week for new Ministers Provincial and Provincial Secretaries. On January 13-17, 2025, the Minister General, with his Definitory, met with the new Ministers Provincial and Provincial Secretaries coming from three areas of the Order: the Foederatio Europae Mediae et Orientali (FEMO), the African Federation of Conventual Franciscans (AFCOF) and the Federation of Asian Minor Conventuals (FAMC). This gathering represented both the old world, Europe, and the emerging areas of the Order, Africa and Asia. The event took place at the Friary of the Twelve Holy Apostles in Rome.
Those participating included the Minister Provincial of the Province of the Franciscan Protomartyrs in Zambia, Friar Mathews KASONGO, and his Provincial Secretary, Friar Eliam Kondwani PHIRI; the Minister Provincial of the Province of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe in South Korea, Friar Benedict Seung-jae BAEK, and his Provincial Secretary, Friar Stefan Dahan LEE; the Minister Provincial of the Province of Mary Immaculate in Indonesia, Friar Maximilianus Kalef SEMBIRING, and his Provincial Secretary, Friar Rufinus Ero Jenska PERANGIN-ANGIN; the Provincial Secretary of the Province of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe in Poland (Gdańsk), Friar Piotr MATUSZAK; the Provincial Secretary of the Province of St. Anthony and Bl. James of Strepar in Poland (Cracow), Friar Mariusz KOZIOŁ; and finally, the Minister Provincial of the Province of the Immaculate Mother of God in Poland (Warsaw), Friar Piotr ŻURKIEWICZ and his Provincial Secretary, Friar Jan OLSZEWSKI. One should also mention the valuable contribution made by the confreres who served as interpreters: Friar Tomáš LESŇÁK (Polish) and Friar Timothy Nuzagl KUUPINE (English).
The meeting had a family atmosphere, thanks to the community’s hospitality and the joy expressed by many participants returning to Rome. Since this is a jubilee year, the devout are invited to pass through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica and other basilicas in Rome. Thus, it was a good time for the friars to take part as “Pilgrims of Hope” (Peregrinantes in spem―the motto for the 2025 Jubilee).
The meeting began with an appreciated lecture from Friar Emanuele RIMOLI who focused on key elements for transmitting the Franciscan charism. Next, the heads of various important offices in the General Curia gave useful insights for all those beginning their service as Ministers Provincial and Secretaries. The speakers included Friar Maurizio DI PAOLO (General Procurator), Friar Silvestro BEJAN (Statistics and Database), Friar Alejandro PALACIOS VÁZQUEZ (Communications), Friar Tomasz SZYMCZAK (General Secretariat), Friar Domenico CASTIGLIONE (General Archives), Friar Darius MAZUREK (Secretariat for Mission Animation), and Friar Valerio FOLLI (Projects Office). Finally, there were presentations from the members of the General Financial Office, namely, the General Econom, Friar Nicola ROSA and the General Exactor Friar Leszek ŁUCZKANIN. They explained the financial framework of the Order.
The participants also made a fraternal outing to the Seraphicum College, where they learned about the settings, projects, and new facilities planned for hosting the upcoming 203rd General Chapter in June of 2025. The final words were delivered by the Minister General, Friar Carlos A. TROVARELLI. He referred to a Van Gogh painting featuring sunflowers against a blue sky to convey a message of hope to the participants. Spes non confundit! (Rom 5:5): “Hope does not disappoint.” That is the title Pope Francis gave to his bull of indiction for the 2025 Jubilee. We observe that the same hope thrives within the genuine fraternity of the Order present worldwide, a fraternity that aims to embody the Gospel in the same way that Francis did, with creative fidelity.
Friar Giovanni VOLTAN
