On October 8-12, 2024, the Russian General Custody of St. Francis of Assisi conducted its annual spiritual retreat. The event took place at the friary in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
The Most Reverend Jerzy MACULEWICZ, OFM Conv., Apostolic Administrator in Uzbekistan, led the reflections which were based on the Admonitions of St. Francis of Assisi.
After the retreat, the friars went to ancient Bukhara for two days. On October 15, 2024, an inter-Provincial meeting was held in Tashkent, bringing together friars from the Russian General Custody, the Delegation in Uzbekistan and the Province of Immaculate Mary in Indonesia, which was represented by its Minister Provincial, Friar Maximilianus Kalef SEMBIRING and its Provincial Secretary Friar Rufinus Ero Jenska PERANGIN-ANGIN. Also present was Friar Mariusz KOZIOŁ, the Minister Provincial of the Province of St. Anthony and Blessed James of Strepar in Poland (Cracow), which is the Mother Province of the Delegation. The meeting was also attended by the General Delegate for Mission Animation, Friar Dariusz MAZUREK, and the Provincial Secretary for Mission Animation of the Province of Cracow, Friar Dariusz GACZYŃSKI. The friars gathered in the cathedral in Tashkent, together with the parishioners. They first listened to short reports on the history of the Catholic Church in Kazakhstan, Russia and Uzbekistan, then participated in Vespers. This was followed by Mass with Bishop MACULEWICZ presiding. The Custos of the Russian General Custody, Friar Dariusz HARASIMOWICZ, gave the homily. The faithful of Tashkent remarked that they had never seen so many friars of St. Francis in the cathedral!
The inter-Provincial meeting closed with some joyful recreation in the friary.
Friar Dariusz HARASIMOWICZ
