Typically, countries where religious Orders are present have a common conference whose task is to network communities, represent the interests of “consecrated life” both within and outside the Church, and offer assistance to individual communities seeking support. In Switzerland, there are currently several associations of this type, depending on the region, language, and orientation of the communities. On September 15, 2025, during a historic day at the friary of Friars Minor Conventual in Fribourg, Switzerland, the foundations were laid for speaking with one voice in the future.
Together towards the Future
Friar Daniele BROCCA is the Guardian of the friary in Fribourg and a former president of KOVOS, the Conference of Religious Orders and Societies of Apostolic Life in Switzerland (Konferenz der Orden und Vereinigungen des geweihten Lebens und der Gesellschaften apostolischen Lebens in der Schweiz). KOVOS is the association that brings together the various religious congregations in Switzerland. On that day, Friar Daniele welcomed approximately forty representatives from various Swiss communities. This new KOVOS was founded after the dissolution of the previous association. It no longer includes only religious associations, but essentially all interested institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life in Switzerland, through the direct membership of the institute or congregation.
Joining Forces
Friar Andreas MURK was invited as president of one of the neighboring conferences, the German Conference of Religious Superiors or DOK (Deutsche Ordensobernkonferenz). He reported on the path taken by religious in Germany with the aim of creating a common association. He was proud to point out that Germany was home to the world’s first Conference of Religious Orders. Its origins date back to August of 1898. In the early 2000s, it was decided to join forces, [unite Germany’s different associations for religious] partly in view of the sharp decline in the number of religious in that country. On June 8, 2006, a common conference of men and women religious was finally founded. For Friar Andreas, it was “the most normal thing in the world,” even though the merger had naturally aroused doubts and fears. However, taking a look at the present shows that, “together we can always achieve more than if everyone fought alone.”
Council with Franciscan Participation
On the day of the foundation in Switzerland, two Franciscan religious were also elected to the five-member Presidential Council, namely, Friar Christoph-Maria HÖRTNER, of the friary of the Friars Minor in Näfels; and Sister Scholastica OPPLIGER of the Franciscan Sisters of Muotathal. It will now be up to them to bring the new association to life.
Friar Andreas MURK
