From 27 February to 3 March, the 15th Assembly of UFME (Union of Friars Minor of Europe) was held in Medjugorje (Bosnia-Herzegovina), entitled "The future of UFME: where we started from, where we have arrived and what we want to be", which was attended by about 40 Ministers Provincial and Custodes from the continent, the General Definitory of the Order and Br Massimo Fusarelli, Minister General.
On the final day, the new UFME Councillors were elected. Together with the new President (Br Alard Krzysztof Maliszewski) and the new Vice-President (Br Mario Chiarello), they will make up the new permanent Council, which will remain in office until 2025, the date of the next Assembly.
The final approved document gathers some proposals from the group work, such as making a European "mapping" of significant situations already operating in the context of the poor and excluded where projects of insertion experiences should be developed. Furthermore, it is suggested that new forms of "twinning" between Provinces should be encouraged, involving an exchange of experiences or significant occasions (Franciscan marches, missions to the people, integral ecology initiatives, etc.). It also recommended promoting Italian, English and Spanish language courses in collaboration with the Secretaries of Formation and Studies. Furthermore, we would like to encourage awareness of existing vocations pastoral experiences within Europe to develop shared proposals for the proclamation of vocation and charism.
"This meeting was first and foremost an opportunity to be together, to experience fraternity together with all the Ministers Provincial and Custodes of the continent, to get to know each other in person and to exchange views and ideas on how the Order should continue its journey on the European continent," said Br Konrad Cholewa, Definitor General, at the end of the meeting. "It was important to experience fraternity in a place like this, which is very important for our Order and the whole of Europe. In Medjugorje, many faithful come to pray for peace: we also prayed for peace, which the world needs so much today".
The Assembly ended with a Eucharistic celebration presided over by Brother Alard and the Minister General's blessing on all the Provinces and Custodies of Europe
Read the Assembly chronicle:
15th UFME General Assembly
Minister General's message to the UFME Assembly
UFME: Br Alard Krzysztof Maliszewski new President
Special thanks for the photos to Mateo Ivanković of the Mir Medjugorje Information Centre and to Velimir Begić of radio-medjugorje for the texts.
Melania Bruno
OFM Communications Office