MAY 29-JUNE 1 1998 IN LIÈGE, BELGIUM

Invitation sent by Br. Yves Soudan ofm
FRATERNITE FRANCISCAINE, RUE DE MOMALLE 1339
4347 FEXHE-LE-HAUT-CLOCHER, BELGIUM
ph 0032-42-501160

Frankfurt
Dear Brother
at the fraternal meeting in September of 1995 in Santiago de Compostela Brother Hermann Schalück, former General Minister, emphazised the necessity of looking beyond our own provincial borders and keeping an eye open for new developments. Some of the younger brothers expressed their wish to create a network with brothers in other provinces living in fraternities with the option of living with the poor. Brother Hermann pointed out that it should be mainly a grassroots movement.

Our understanding of "small fraternities" are those communities that attempt in a special way to live in solidarity with the poor, sharing the working and living situation of those who often live on the margins of society and the church.

The first meeting of 7 brothers from 4 European countries was held at Pentecost in 1996 in Großkrotzenburg close to Frankfurt/M. in Germany, 18 brothers from 6 European countries met at Pentecost in 1997 and again received the hospitality of the community in Großkrotzenburg.

Although we come from different European countries and therefore speak different languages, in coming together we often find ways of understanding each other. It is our interest to exchange our experiences. Much of this cannot happen without the support of our provinces. However some brothers still feel isolated and misunderstood in their provinces. We therefore sense that it is good and important to continue to support and encourage each other in the future.

We invite you to the Third European Meeting of Small Fraterneties in order to expand and continue this support. This invitation also extends to brothers who do not yet live in such a community, but are interested in doing so. Therefore we ask you to make this invitation known in your province.

Date: May 29 - June 1 1998
Place: Liège, Belgium
Registration deadline: May 1 1998

In the words of some of our neighbours: "it is good that you are here!" we want to critically examine our daily life in the community highlighting the following questions: "What is good for our neighbours? What is good for us?" In this way we can redetermine our motivation and guidelines as well as talk about our Franciscan spirituality and our own life experience.

We send you the words of our brother Giacomo Bini along with this invitation:
"We are well aware of who the poor are, where they live and what their needs are. We are quite able to feel sympathy for their situation and show a gesture of solidarity. But as long as we do not walk among them, as long as we do not "shoulder" some of their suffering - as Christ did for us - our experience remains a false one; and our lives will not change. Francis continued to demand at the end of his life to return to the lepers. Memory and prophecy were seen by the Poverello as two aspects of the same reality. To remember means to recall to the present. We must be prepared to take risks, brothers!" - (from the closing address of the General Chapter)

with brotherly greetings
Pax et Bonum!
the above information was received at our office
today Thursday, April 02, 1998