15th UFME General Assembly
The Union of Friars Minor of Europe in Medjugorje until March 3rd
28 February 2023On Monday 27 February, the 15th General Assembly of UFME (Union of Friars Minor of Europe) was inaugurated in Medjugorje, in Bosnia-Herzegovina, entitled "The future of UFME: where we started from, where we have arrived and what we want to be”, which until 3 March will involve about 40 Ministers Provincial and Custodes of the continent. Also taking part are the Minister General, Br. Massimo Fusarelli, and his Definitory.
The assembly opened with the Eucharistic celebration presided over by Br. Miljenko Šteko, OFM, current president of UFME. In his homily he spoke of Lent, a time in which the Church, through the liturgy, invites the faithful to live their faith more strongly and to perform penance and acts of mercy more intensely.
“The world is full of people who don't know what joy is,” said Fr. Miljenko. “There are many who go around with a gloomy face, whose smile hasn't been seen for years [...] Yet the Holy Scripture often tells us "Rejoice!". Already at the beginning of mankind, God asked Cain: Why are you angry? Why is your face frowning? Because if you do the right thing, you shine with joy” (Genesis 4, 6-7). Here [in Medjugorje], with the sacrament of confession, millions of human sins have been cleansed and disappeared forever. Here, millions of souls wept in front of something that transcends them as human beings”, said Friar Miljenko Šteko, who concluded his reflection speaking of the UFME Assembly: “We Franciscans begin our convocation this evening at the refuge of Our Lady: we need her heavenly intercession for life amidst the challenges of our world. Among the concerns and anxieties of Europe and the world today. We have come to our Mother Mary, who is the mediatrix of all graces!”.
The UFME (Union of Friars Minor of Europe) encompasses various Conferences of the European continent: the Conference of Provincial Ministers of Italy and Albania (COMPI), the Conference of the Provinces of Spain and Portugal (CONFRES), the Transalpine Franciscan Conference (COTAF), the North Slavic Conference (SLAN) and the South Slavic Conference (SLAS).
Photo by Mateo Ivanković, Information Center Mir Medjugorje
www. radio-medjugorje.com
