General Procuration Office Conducts Third Annual Meeting with Friar Canonists

On April 20, 2024, the General Procuration Office conducted its third annual meeting with the Order’s student friars of Canon Law. The meeting took place at the Order’s General Curia in Rome.

Those attending the meeting in-person were Friars Cristinel GAL (Romania); Javier A. RAMÍREZ RICO (Venezuela); and Francis KATUTA (Zambia). Those attending online were Friars Francis Muthoka NZYOKA (Kenya) and Jijo THOMAS (India). They had recently completed their studies at the Lateran University in Rome.
During the first part of the meeting, the students talked about their academic courses, studies, thesis topics, and their prospects for serving in their Provinces. Friar Maurizio DI PAOLO, the Procurator General, together with Friar Francesco PANIZZOLO, a member of the General Procuration Office, presented some proposed additions to the proper law of the Order, points which are still being studied, namely, methods of online voting, voting for friars deprived of the use of reason due to serious illness, the establishment of houses for the recovery of religious men under canonical punishment, the conservation of archives, and more.
A discussion on the juridical matters that are most often faced by our Provinces and Custodies was oriented towards collaboration between the General Procuration Office and the canon lawyers working in each Jurisdiction and Federation. The students were urged to place themselves at the service of their Major Superiors, to facilitate the processing of ordinary paperwork and to foster a legal culture that is ever more faithful to our charism.

Friar Maurizio DI PAOLO, Procurator General

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