On November 15, 2025, the friars of the Delegation in Chile celebrated their 30th anniversary of Conventual Franciscan presence in Chile. Those attending the celebration included many faithful from Santiago and Curicó, and representatives of the ancient parish of Copiapó (Chile). The event took place in an atmosphere of familiarity and simplicity.
At 10:30 a.m., upon the arrival of the friars and faithful from Curicó, everyone—along with the friars and faithful from Santiago—shared breakfast in the parish hall of the Inmaculada Concepción Shrine Church in Santiago. Next there were some community-building activities typical of parish life, held in the inner courtyard of the church. After that, the assembly moved inside for a thanksgiving celebration led by members of the youth ministry team in Santiago.
During the celebration, several videos on the history of the Conventual Franciscan presence in Chile were shown. They had been put together by Friar Benjamín CASTRO HERRERA. The Delegation’s journey so far was made possible by the witness and sacrifice of friars who are no longer present. Messages were read from Friars Tullio PASTORELLI (Padua, Italy), Ionel-Emilian DUMEA and Clement TĂLIN (Romania), and Irinel DOBOȘ (Japan). Candles were lit to gratefully commemorate those who preceded them, namely, Friars Giorgio MOROSINOTTO, Pedro BELTRAME, Eduardo RIQUELME (Postulant), and Berardo (Elio) DE GRANDIS, along with some Secular Franciscan brothers and sisters and a number of deceased benefactors.
The Minister General, Friar Carlos TROVARELLI, sent greetings, as did His Eminence Cardinal Fernando CHOMALÍ GARIB, Archbishop of Santiago, Chile, and the Most Reverend Galo FERNÁNDEZ VILLASECA, Bishop of the Diocese of Talca, Chile. On behalf of the faithful, Mr. Nolberto HUINCA and Mrs. María Isabel DÍAZ, Coordinator of the parish church in Curicó, gave thanks for the presence and service of the friars in both parishes.
During the Mass, Friar Roberto BRANDINELLI, the Minister Provincial of the Italian Province of St. Anthony of Padua (Northern Italy), highlighted three key points: gratitude, conversion, and hope.
- Gratitude: for the gift of the friars — present, absent, and deceased — who embraced the missionary call, and for the faithful who welcomed them generously in Chile. Pausing to give thanks means recognizing the Lord’s work in history.
- Conversion: The Jubilee Year invites us to return to the Lord. Therefore this anniversary is a privileged opportunity to fix our gaze on Him and entrust all our cares to Him. Even when the Lord draws near, the human heart can easily become distracted by its own interests and needs.
- Hope: as pilgrims of hope, whose source is Jesus — who died and rose again to give us life — we are all called to look at reality with a fresh perspective and to plan for the future with confidence.
As a sign of communion and a shared journey, the Minister Provincial of the “Rioplatense” Province of St. Anthony of Padua in Argentina-Uruguay, Friar Javier A. FONTANA, and his Vicar Provincial (and a formator), Friar Mario Darío CORREA, were also present.
As the event concluded, the future path of this Delegation was entrusted with faith to the Lord, so that it may continue to grow in openness, service, and fidelity to the Gospel.
Friar Jack GINTING
