On November 13-15, 2019, the Provincial Custody of Our Lady of Coromoto in Venezuela conducted its first formation seminar for Guardians. The seminar took place at the Friary of San José de Cupertino in Palmira (State of Táchira, Venezuela).
The seminar was attended by the Provincial Custos, Friar Franklin Antonio DURÁN ZAMBRANO and the Guardians of the different friaries in Venezuela: Friar Carlos Ramón ORTÍZ ROJAS from the Palmira friary; Friar Ramón Elvidio RAMÍREZ GARCÍA from the San Francisco Javier Friary in Caracas; Friar Pedro Fidel BRICEÑO CUEVAS from the Santíssima Trinidad Friary in Pueblo Llano, Mérida; Friar Ángel Daniel MEDINA MORALES of the Beata Virgen María Auxiliadora Friary in Barinas; and Friar Deiby Antonio VERGARA PALENCIA from the San José Obrero Friary in Guanare.
The main theme of the seminar was “The Guardian and the House Chapter”. Important points were discussed such as: the service of authority, the Letter to a Minister by St. Francis of Assisi, fraternal life in community, juridical aspects in the service of the local Superior; all considered from the anthropological, theological, Franciscan and pedagogical perspectives.
The seminar was a very significant, productive and intensely formative event. Room was made for reflection and fraternal time spent together, which helped to deepen the significance and importance of the service of Guardian as the four-year term gets underway.
This first and historic meeting and seminar for the Guardians of the Custody concluded with a fraternal dinner.
Friar Juan Gregorio MARTÍNEZ CANELÓN, Custodial Secretary