On December 26-28, 2019, the Province of Our Lady of Montserrat in Spain held a Provincial Assembly at the Cristo de El Pardo Retreat Center run by the Capuchin Franciscans in Madrid, Spain.

Forty friars from the ten fraternities of the Province participated. Some came from the General Houses in Rome. The Assembly was led by Friar François BUSTILLO from the Provincial Custody of St. Bonaventure in France-Belgium. Before the Assembly, each fraternity studied Pope Francis’ address at the 2019 Ordinary General Chapter. On that occasion, the Pope offered important indications of the Franciscan charism. Reflecting on this was a wonderful opportunity to deepen, internalize and verify the foundations of our spirituality, and to work harder to embody this spirituality in our lives, in preparation for the next Provincial Chapter.
Building on the work done prior to this event, the Assembly focused on four topics: prayer, fraternal life, ordinary mission and new evangelization. Friar François gave a reflection on each topic, thus integrating the work carried out in the fraternities. Next, there was a period of silence and personal reflection, which ended with a discussion in the Assembly auditorium.
For the friars, the meeting was a journey of preparation and discernment towards the 21st Ordinary Provincial Chapter, which will take place in May – June of 2020.

Friar Miguel Ángel MARCOS MARCOS, Provincial Secretarye