On November 4-8, 2023, a meeting took place in Rome for formators of the Foederatio Europae Mediae et Orientalis (FEMO).
Six friars attended – five from the three Provinces in Poland and one from the Russian General Custody of St. Francis of Assisi. Friar Robert ZBIERAŃSKI, the FEMO Secretary for Formation, presided over the proceedings. The meeting agenda included time for prayer, formation and pilgrimages.
Friar Adam MĄCZKA gave a presentation entitled: “Formation and Service of the Formator in the Franciscan Tradition and in the Documents of the Order in the Last Twenty-Five Years.” Friar Piotr STANISŁAWCZYK gave a presentation on the Order’s current documents on formation, namely, Franciscan Discipleship and Ratio Studiorum. After the presentation, there was time for questions and discussion.
Friar Michael LASKY, the General Delegate for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) was also invited to the meeting. He gave a presentation on some projects of the General Secretariat for JPIC, and offered proposals for collaboration.
The meeting also touched on the issue of friars departing the Order. This issue will be taken up again at the next meeting of the International Formation Commission.
In the afternoons, the formators used their time to make pilgrimages to holy sites or to visit other friars working in Rome. On Wednesday, November 8, the participants made a pilgrimage to Greccio and Fonte Colombo, Italy.
Special thanks to those friar formators who accepted the invitation and came to the Seraphicum Friary in Rome, where the office of the General Secretariat for Formation is now located.
Friar Piotr STANISŁAWCZYK, Secretary General of the SGF
