On July 10-18, 2023, the Provincial Custody of Our Lady of Coromoto in Venezuela celebrated its sixth Ordinary Chapter, in obedience to the Letter of Indiction sent by the Minister Provincial of the Mother Province of St. Nicholas and St. Angelo in Italy (Puglia), Friar Daniele MAIORANO.
The Chapter was conducted at the San Javier del Valle Retreat Center in Mérida, Venezuela, with the Vicar Provincial, Friar Matteo ORNELLI, presiding. The Assistant General for the Federación América Latina Conventuales (FALC), Friar Rogério PEREIRA XAVIER, also attended on behalf of the Minister General. Twenty-eight solemnly professed friars took part. Four friars were granted special permission to be absent because they were abroad in Italy, Ireland and Spain.
The Chapter took place in a fraternal and spiritual atmosphere, in accordance with the directives of the Directory for the Celebration of Chapters. As a framework for evaluating the life of the Custody, the friars used the Instrumentum Laboris proposed by the Provincial Custos with his Definitory. That document, in turn, was based on the concluding document of the Pre-Chapter Assembly held November 14-18, 2022, at the San José de Cupertino Friary in Palmira. The Capitulars evaluated the Custody according to six topics: the primacy of God, fraternal life, mission, initial and continuing formation, the government of the Custody and the fraternal administration of goods. Each of these points was preceded by a spiritual introduction, followed by proposals for motions that would guide the life of the Custody over the next four years (2023-27) The Capitulars went on to discuss the motions and largely approved them.
The Praeses of the Chapter confirmed the election of Friar Franklin DURÁN ZAMBRANO to his second term as the Provincial Custos. Next, the Custodial Definitors elected. They are: Friar Deiby A. VERGARA PALENCIA, Custodial Vicar (second term); Friar Juan G. MARTÍNEZ CANELÓN, Custodial Secretary (second term); Friar Luis Alirio MOLINA MÁRQUEZ, Definitor (second term); and Friar Oscar RODRÍGUEZ MOLINA, Definitor (first term). Friar Manuel Edgardo NÚÑEZ GALLARDO was elected the Custodial Econom and Exactor.
Finally, the Guardians were elected. They are: Friars Luis Alirio MOLINA MÁRQUEZ; Yoan PÉREZ SOTO; Manuel Edgardo NÚÑEZ GALLARDO; Ángel NIÑO PACHECO; José SUÁREZ ALEMÁN; and Juan MARTÍNEZ CANELÓN.
One should mention that during the celebration of the Chapter, certain ministries were conferred upon the post-novices. Friars Williams SUÁREZ PAREDES and Gabriel GARCÍA GONZÁLEZ received the Ministry of Acolyte. At the same time, Friars Cristian TERÁN GAMBOA, José GIL RIVAS and Henry JIMÉNEZ GRATEROL received the Ministry of Lector.
Friar Juan MARTÍNEZ CANELÓN, Custodial Secretary
