On November 6-7, 2019, the Province of St. Joseph in Slovenia celebrated an extraordinary Provincial Chapter. The Chapter was held at the Friary of Saints Peter and Paul the Apostles in Ptuj, Slovenia.
Twenty-five Capitulars participated in the Chapter, together with the Minister General, Friar Carlos TROVARELLI, and the Assistant General for the Centralis Europae Foederatio (CEF), Friar Dominique MATHIEU. The Chapter was focused on reducing some of the Province’s pastoral commitments and presences. The discussion on those goals was enlivened by challenges posed by the Minister General and the Assistant General, who encouraged the friars to witness to the eternal newness of the Gospel, especially through youth and vocation ministry.
During the Chapter, the friars commemorated the 75th anniversary of the death of the Servant of God, Friar Placido CORTESE (1907-1944). Friar Placido died in Trieste after being tortured by the Gestapo (Nazi secret police). The journalist Ivo JEVNIKAR, former editor-in-chief of the Slovenian RAI [Italian Public Broadcasting Service] editorial office in Italy’s Friuli Venezia Giulia region, was invited to speak about Friar Placido’s life, martyrdom and beatification process. The Servant of God sacrificed his life during World War II, trying to save many Slovenian prisoners being held in various concentration camps.
The Chapter concluded with lunch which was also attended by the Most Reverend Alojzij CVIKL, SJ, Archbishop of Maribor, Slovenia. Testimony was given by two Capitulars. Friar Janez ŠAMPERL gave a presentation on the new interobediential community of Chiesa Nuova in Assisi. Friar Tomaž MAJCEN reported on the mission in Denmark and Greenland.
Friar Igor SALMIČ, Minister Provincial
Friar Danilo HOLC, Provincial Secretary
