From July 29 to August 8, 2019, the Provincial Custody of Our Lady of Coromoto in Venezuela celebrated its fifth Custodial Chapter.
The Chapter was attended by thirty-one friars, and was celebrated at the San José de Cupertino postulancy house in Palmira, Táchira State. The Minister General, Friar Carlos A. TROVARELLI, presided over the first part of the Chapter. At that time, Friar Franklin Antonio DURÁN ZAMBRANO was elected the new Custos (first term).
Friar Franklin is 42 and was born in Boconó, Trujillo State, Venezuela. Until the celebration of this Chapter, he served the Order as Guardian of the General House of St. Anthony of the Baths (Vigna) in Rome. He also served as the Order’s Vice-Secretary for Formation. He has served as a formation director for the postulancy program, the novitiate and the post-novitiate.
The first part of the Chapter concluded with the election of the Definitors. They are Friars Carlos Ramón ORTÍZ ROJAS, Vicar Custos (second term); Juan Gregorio MARTÍNEZ CANELÓN, Custodial Secretary (first term); Pedro Fidel BRICEÑO CUEVAS, Custodial Definitor (first term); and Friar Deiby Antonio VERGARA PALENCIA, Custodial Econom (first term). The second part of the Chapter was presided over by Friar Vincenzo GIANNELLI, Minister Provincial of the Province of St. Nicholas and St. Angelo in Italy (Puglia) to whom the Custody is entrusted. The Capitulars worked on the Instrumentum Laboris that was presented to the assembly. From this work they formulated the Custodial Four-Year Plan and addressed various issues, namely, the primacy of God and the Franciscan style, initial and ongoing formation, the revision and updating of the Custodial Statutes, the opening of new presences and the celebration of the Extraordinary Custodial Chapter to take place in two years. All of these issues were examined in light of the current crisis in Venezuela in order to rethink our lives as disciples and missionaries.
Custodial Secretaria
