| Gerard Moore ofm
From Wednesday the 29th April to Saturday 9th May the Minister General, accompanied by the Definitor General for Latina America, Fr. Gerard Moore, and the Custos for the Caribbean Fr. Eusebio Unzarrunzaga visited the friars in Puerto Rica, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba.
1. Puerto Rico
During his short stay the Minister visited the three fraternities at Villa Fontana, Sabana Seca and Las Lomas, and also the inserted community which forms part of the Guardianate of Sabana Seca. He held a meeting with the all the friars - 12 solemn and 3 simply professed friars. Br. Giacomo also celebrated the Eucharist on the 30th April in the Church of the Resurrection, known as the ‘ecological church’ for the open structure and abundance of plants. The Mass was attended by the Franciscan Family and included ten Poor Clare Sisters, some of whom had just arrived from Peru.
2. Dominican Republic
 On Friday, May 1st Br. Giacomo travelled by air from Puerto Rico to Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic. On arrival he was welcomed by the friars and taken to the Franciscan Fraternity of Villa Duarte (Parish of Our Lady of the Rosary). A meeting with the six postulants and two novices was followed by the celebration of the Eucharist during which the historian and journalist Br. Mariano Errasti presented a brief history of the Franciscan presence in the Dominican Republic.
The following day the Minister and all the friars travelled to Bonao, a distance of almost two hours from the capital. The first item on the agenda was the blessing of the new novitiate house which has just been completed. This was followed by a meeting with all the friars - 10 solemnly professed brothers plus the novices and postulants. During the evening Br. Giacomo visited a local community and learned of the health work being promoted by the friars. At 7pm the Church of St. Anthony was crowded with members of the Franciscan Family who paised the Lord in lively Caribbean style with hands and hearts and voices.
3. Haiti
 The third stop on the Caribbean ‘pilgrimage’ was Haiti - an eight-hour drive from Santo Domingo to meet the friars from the Central American Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe who have a small mission in a distant town called Pestel . They travelled to Port-au-Prince to facilitate the meeting. There are three solemnly professed and four simply professed brothers who spend a period of two years service in Haiti as part of their initial formation programme. Br. Giacomo learned from the friars of the work and the difficulties in this mission. He was particularly interested in the formation programme which the friars are preparing to promote the ‘implantatio Ordinis’ in Haiti. During the evening of the 4th May he celebrated Eucharist in the college of the Franciscan Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi in the presence of the sisters, students and members of the Secular Franciscan Order.
4. Cuba
 The last stage of the journey brought Fr. Giacomo to Cuba where he held fraternal meetings with the Friars - 16 solemnly and two simply professed brothers. He also met with the six postulants who will begin their novitiate later in the year. The friars presented the Minister with information on their houses, pastoral activites, formation programmes and the difficulties they encounter in carrying out their mission.
In his address the Minister thanked the friars for their presence and testimony over the years in Cuba and spoke - as he had done previously in the other countries - of the Priorities of the Order during the present six-year period 1997-2003, namely: the Contemplative dimension as fundamental in Franciscan life; Fraternity; Minority, Poverty and Solidarity; Evangelization and Mission and finally Formation. He stressed the importance of dedicating their best energies towards the solid formation of the future friars.To achieve this they need fraternal support from their brothers in other Provinces. This is in accordance with the policy of the Order to encourage Provinces, Custodies and Conferencias to collaborate actively in a spirit of solidarity.
During his time in Cuba he stayed in the friary in Guanabacoa (Havana) and visited the Sanctuary of St. Anthony of Padua in Miramar and the parish of the Holy Cross of Jerusalen, where constuction is taking place to condition the house for formation of the younger brothers.
In Cuba Fr. Giacomo also celebrated the Eucharist and held a fraternal meeting with members of the Franciscan Family: the Poor Clare sisters, Capuchin friars and members of the Secular Franciscan Order.
Before leaving the country he met with government-representatives for religous affairs to discuss points of mutual interest and concern. Among other things he requested permission for new friars to come to live and work in Cuba - even for short periods. This is especially urgent in view of the fact that 8 of the brothers are now over 60 years of age.
After this meeting he proceeded to the Nunciature for an encounter with the Cardinal and the Apostolic Nuncio.
The visit enabled Fr. Giacomo to experience the enthusiasm generated by the visit of His Holiness Pope John-Paul II last January, as also to express his appreciation for the presence of the Church in Cuba and his hope and prayer that the Franciscan Order will continue to grow and play a positive role in the future of this noble people.
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