Our Presence in the Ex-Soviet Union<

Our Presence
in the Ex-Soviet Union

Background

During the Communist period, the Friars Minor clandestinely offered their services to the existing Catholic Rite Community. With the fall of Communism and the return of religious freedom in the Ex-Soviet Union countries, the Order of Friars Minor has been presented with a new occasion for missionary evangelization. The Minister General, Friar Hermann Schalück, on January 10, 1992 wrote an initial letter indicating principle and directives for the presence of the Friars in Russia. This letter was followed by other indications aimed at ecumenical attention and at establishing good relations with the Russian Orthodox sister Church. The Friars Minor have been warmly welcomed amongst the Christians and non- Christians of the Ex-Soviet Union, thanks to the figure of St. Francis of Assisi which is so dear to that people. The CSI project is directed to Estonia, Kazakhstan, Russia and the Ukraine. Map od Russia

Objectives

To consolidate the Franciscan presence already existing in some places in 1990.
To create in the Ukraine a Byzantine branch of the Order.
To plant the Order in these countries creating the needed structures for Franciscan communal life and for the acceptance of candidates.

Means

In 1991 the General Definitory created a Study Group whose job it was to formulate the project and present their indications for the realization of the plan.
The Minister General made a general and specific appeal.
From the very beginning other Institutes of the Franciscan Family have been involved: the result has been that since them some of their members have been present with us in various locations. Lay volunteers also assist the Project.
From 1991 to 1996 seminars have been held for Friars and other Franciscans who are seriously interested in the Project, with the scope of offering information about the CSI with special attention given to the actual situation and permitting the Friars to discern their participation in the project. In these few years, 17 out of 40 Friars who have participated in these seminars have adhered to the Project.
Some individual and group programs have been developed for the linguistic, cultural, theological, spiritual and psychological preparation of the volunteers.
Requests for entry into the Order have been made. In order to receive candidates we have tried to render a stable Franciscan presence, to form a coetus formatorum, and to furnish them with the necessary logistics for initial and on-going formation.
The Chapter of mats, held annually for these last three years, in Russia and Kazakhstan, has been a useful instrument for maintaining the unity and the uniqueness of the Order.
The Franciscan sources and Writings have been translated into Russian and Ukrainian.
The formation of an ecumenical spirit is vital for this presence and this apostolate. The Project is well assisted by the Institute for Ecumenical Studies in Venice and by the Service for Dialogue of the General Curia.
The Center for Northern Europe and Asia has been established with a see in Warsaw for the study and maintenance of the Project.

Present-day situation

Estonia

Ukraine Latin Rite
Three groups of Friars are present in this area: in the Western Ukraine, the Friars of the Custody of St. Michael, which depends on the Polish Province of the Immaculate Conception; in Zakar- patia are the Friars from the Hungarian Province of St. John Capistrano; in Eastern Ukraine, the Friars in Kovel, Rava-Ruska and Suodova Vsynja all depend directly on the Minister General. A common Formation program is being prepared for all the candidates of the Custody and the area close to the Greek Catholic and Latin Fraternities belonging to the Minister General.

Ukraine Greek Catholic
There is a Fraternity of two or three Friars, in Ternopil, which follows the Byzantine Rite and which care for a Byzantine Rite parish. This community depends directly on the Minister General. Besides the parish, the Friars offer spiritual and pastoral aide to the Clergy and Religious of the Diocese of Ternopil. This community is also a Formation Center for Greek- Catholic candidates desirous of entering the Order.

Almaty (Kazakhstan)
There is a canonically erected community in this city. It is made up of five friars. These work in the parishes of the city, which is presently the capital of the nation, and in the surrounding villages. This area is blessed with the spiritual assistance of Religious. There is a dispensary, an ambulatory, and an acupuncture center, which offer health service to the residents of the area, no matter what their credo or ethnic origin. The Friars, at the request of the Bishop have taken on the responsibility to care for the Diocesan Monthly Newspaper. Friars are needed to teach in the local University and in the Schools due to language difficulties. The relationship with the Orthodox church is cordial and there is openness to the Friars on the part of the Muslim Community. The Apostolic Administrator of Karaganda, the Diocese of Kazakhstan, the Apostolic Nunzio and the Friars all work together.

Novosibirsk
Five Friars have been assigned to the house, which was canonically erected and dedicated to the Exhaltation of the Cross. It is being prepared to become a House of Formation for young men desirous of becoming Friars. Their missionary work is done in the parish of the Immaculate Conception and the city's youth.

St. Petersburg
The friary is still under construction. When it is finished it will be a Religious Community for the formation of Friars in temporary Profession. Two Friars are presently living there and will soon be joined by two others. Together they will form the coetus formatorum. A Friar from the Custody of St. Michael in the Ukraine is the pastor of the Parish of Our Lady of Lourdes. The Friars collaborate with the Apostolic Administrator of Moscow teaching in the Diocesan seminary and School of theology. A Friary will we opened as a center of welcome and prayer as well as a retreat for Catholics, Orthodox and Christians of other religious denominations and for all people of good will.

Your time actually is:
Your browser-machine:

Created / Updated Wednesday, December 31, 1997 at 18:43:41
by John Abela ofm for Communications Office - Rome
HTML 3.0 compatible Java enabled browser - Best viewed with Netscape
Screen resolution 640x480x67Hz