IMG_0162Visit of the Minister General in the Ukraine
From Feb. 28 – March 5, the Minister General OFM Br. José Rodriguez Carballo, accompanied by the Definitor General Br. Ernest Siekierka visited the OFM Friars of the Province of St. Michael the Archangel and the Byzantine Foundation, “All Saints of the Seraphic Order” both in the Ukraine. The Province of St. Michael the Archangel was established as such in 2004. Prior to that, it was a Custody dependent on the Province of the Immaculate in Poland. The Friars came out of hiding in 1991, their number then being only 25 in total. Currently, there are 16 presences in the Ukraine and 1 in Belarus, boasting of 61 solemnly professed Friars. The Byzantine Foundation, on the other hand, depends on the Province of the Assumption of the BVM in Poland with a total of 23 Friars and is the only Entity of the Order of Greek Catholic Rite. Our presence there began in 1994 when it used to depend on the General Curia. Currently, they have 3 presences and 1 is in the process of being opened.