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Rome, 1 st November, 2002
The Solemnity of All Saints
Prot. n. 092611
To all the
Members
of the General Chapter 2003
Their Address
Dear Brothers,
May the Lord give you Peace!
We are already preparing for the General Chapter, which is an important moment in the life of our Fraternity. Celano says: ´(Francis’) constant wish and watchful concern was to foster among his sons the bond of unity so that those drawn by the same Spirit and begotten by the same father should be held peacefully on the lap of the same mother. He wanted to unite the greater to the lesser, to join the wise to the simple in brotherly affection, and to hold together those far from each other with the glue of loveª (2Cel 191).
Imbued with the same desire and sentiments and in accordance with Art. 124 §1 of the General Statutes,
I convoke the Ordinary General Chapter,
confirming the place and time of its celebration and establishing the prayers that all Friars are invited to offer up for its successful outcome.
The Chapter will have "Fraternity in Mission" as its theme; it will be elective, of evaluation, of planning and should bring to a conclusion the review of some juridical structures and those of government. The report of the Minister General will function as the Instrumentum Laboris and will be complemented by the reports of the Presidents of the Conferences. Some simple guidelines will facilitate the coordinated study of both.
The Convocation of the Chapter
Observing, therefore, all that has been established by the authority of the Rule (Chap. VIII) and confirmed by the General Constitutions (190 §1), I, by means of this letter, officially convoke the General Chapter that will be celebrated in the DOMUS PACIS, close by the CONVENT OF THE PORZIUNCOLA in ST. MARY OF THE ANGELS (ASSISI), from the 25 th May to the 21 st June 2003.
The Members, as established by the GGCC, 192 and by the GGSS, 126, must be present at the Chapter. Each one is, therefore, personally convoked and obliged to participate for the whole duration of the Chapter; all are obliged to be present in the seat of the Chapter in the afternoon of the 25 th May.
Further decisions, information and materials for the preparation will be sent to you at an opportune time by the Secretary of the Chapter.
Prayers for the Chapter
Since ´everything that is perfect, which is given us from above, comes down from the Father of all lightª (Jm 1, 17), and trusting in the power and enlightenment of the Spirit, the Holy Paraclete, I establish that, from the beginning of Lent 2003, prayers will be said throughout the Order for the success of the General Chapter and for the election of the Minister and Definitors General.
The invocations to be inserted into the breviary will be sent to the Ministers Provincial; these will then see to it that they arrive to each Friar. Three outlines of thematic celebrations, in harmony with the fundamental points of the coming Chapter will also be sent out. The Ministers should see to it that they arrive at the local Fraternities. The various texts will also be put up on the web-site of the Order (http://www.ofm.org/capgen). Naturally, it would be good to adapt them creatively to the situation of each Entity and Fraternity.
The election of the Minister General is scheduled for the 5 th June 2003: on that date, in all Houses of the Order, the Fraternity Eucharist should be celebrated for this precise intention, using the formula of the Mass of the Holy Spirit.
I invite all to pray and reflect from now on in order to prepare ourselves for this demanding and fundamental event in the life of our Order in its dynamic fidelity to the gift received.
May the intercession of all the Saints, in a special way that of our Father and Brother St. Francis, and the protection of the Virgin Mary, Queen of the Order, to whom I humbly entrust the success of the Chapter, be a help to us in "setting out" with hope, in harmony with the journey of the whole Church, at the dawn of the Third Millennium.
Fraternally,
Br. Giacomo Bini, ofm
Minister General
Br. Antonio Franjic, ofm
Secretary General.
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