On June 24-27, 2024, Minister Provincial Friar Michael Heine, OFM Conv., attended the annual meeting between the General Definitory and the Presidents of the Federations at the Friary of the Twelve Holy Apostles in Rome. The meeting was convened by the Minister General, Friar Carlos A. Trovarelli.
The attending presidents were: Friar Hillary Omondi Raduk for the African Federation of Conventual Franciscans; Friar Milan Kos for the Centralis Europae Foederatio; Friar Michael Earaly for the Federation of Asian Minor Conventuals; Friar Sidifredo de la Cruz Chaparro Gualdrón for the Federación América Latina Conventuales; Friar Wojciech Kulig for the Foederatio Europae Mediae et Orientalis; and Friar Gaspare La Barbera for the Federazione Inter-mediterranea Ministri Provinciali.
The program was modified and shortened to allow the Minister General and other friars to attend the funeral of our confrere Friar Gianfranco Agostino GARDIN, the 117th Minister General and Archbishop Emeritus of Treviso, Italy. The funeral took place on June 28, at the cathedral in Treviso.
The star of the meeting agenda was the next General Chapter, which will be held June 1-21, 2025, at the Seraphicum College in Rome. The General Definitory and the presidents engaged in extensive discussions following the pre-established agenda, namely, to evaluate how the Motions of the 2019 General Chapter have been implemented during the current six-year mandate; to examine the proposed topics for discussion that were sent in by individual friars and some Jurisdictions; to listen to the report on the financial status of the Order presented by the General Econom, Friar Nicholas ROSA and the General Exactor, Friar Leszek ŁUCZKANIN; to arrange the logistics and timetable of the Chapter giving precise details on the important services that will be needed: secretaries, translators, etc. All of this was in order to arrive at a list of topics that will be included in the Instrumentum laboris of the Chapter itself. The big job of summarizing the reports received from each individual Province, Custody and Delegation has been underway for some time now. The Assistants General have been asked to produce a text based on these summaries, which can help the Minister General and the Capitulars to frame the reality, the hopes and the challenges that our Order faces.
The countdown to the General Chapter has officially started thanks to this meeting, which was conducted in a fraternal atmosphere. The meeting was tasked with preparing for the General Chapter as thoroughly as possible so that it will be an event of grace for our Conventual Franciscan fraternity and an opportunity to creatively revitalize our dedication to our charism.
