São Paulo, 27 January 2023. The 27th Assembly of the Union of Latin American Franciscan Conferences (UCLAF), hosted from 23 to 27 January by the Province of the Immaculate Conception in Sao Paulo, Brazil, has concluded.
With the theme "Building the Synodal Way as Friars Minor", the general objective of the meeting was to "take up again the Synodal Way to renew our vision and open up to the future, starting from today's Franciscan identity, around the reality of Latin America, as communion and participation of all the friars in this context".
The meeting was attended by the Minister General, the General Definitory, the Secretary General for Formation and Studies, the Secretary General for Missionary Evangelisation, the Animator of the General Office of Justice and Peace and Integrity of Creation, together with all the Ministers Provincial and Custodes of UCLAF.
"It was a powerful experience," said Br John Wong, General Definitor for the Conferences of Asia and Oceania. "It was a pleasure to be here, to listen to the friars, their challenges, the dreams and hopes of the local Church. As an Asian, I felt completely welcomed".
Br Joaquin Echeverry, General Definitor for the Conference of Our Lady of Guadalupe (which includes Central America, the Caribbean and Mexico), emphasised the importance of "continuing to animate the friars on a synodal path, of encounter, of new challenges, with great hope. The charism in Latin America will help us to build new forms of evangelisation, new forms of encounter with Jesus through our brothers and sisters, and especially through the poor".
"It is a synodal journey to renew our vision and embrace our future," explained Br Fredy Gálvez, Minister Provincial of the Province of St Juniper Serra in Mexico and President of the Conference of Our Lady of Guadalupe. "We want to carry out our mission as Friars Minor and build the Church as the Lord asks us to, in this world that so badly needs the values of our charism".
"It was a pleasant meeting because it is always nice to meet the brothers to discern and get to know each other better, to deepen our life as brothers and as Minors", said Br. Daniel Fleitas Zeni, President of the Brazil and Southern Cone Conference. challenge to recognize and discover our presence in Latin America as a great gift from God to the Church of this land. We must continue to animate our life here as a gift from God to this land, to this people".
Watch the full interview in Spanish on youtube
The assembly ended with the celebration of Mass presided over by Br Massimo Fusarelli, Minister General, who thanked the Lord for the sharing and living with the friars in his homily. "The memory of our charism as Friars Minor, which the Franciscan Centenary helps us to retrace, is a blueprint for the future. We are called to a more intense effort to listen to the Lord so that the charism may be expressed here and now in Latin America, in its many diversities. [...] Our witness and evangelisation make present the fulfilment of the Gospel of the Lord in our time, its life-giving power. Mission is primarily the transparency of the Lord's presence and power, rather than an idea," said Br Massimo, also recalling how St Francis himself sent the friars out two by two to announce "peace to all, and penance for the forgiveness of sins" (cf. LM III).
Read the full text of Br Massimo's homily: Italiano – Español – Português
Read the account of the last day on Immaculate Conception website
Read the account of the first day
Read the account of the second day
Read the account of the third day
Read the account of the fourth day
Special thanks to the Communication Staff of the Province of the Immaculate Conception and to Br. Jorge Torregroza OFM for the photos and interviews
Melania Bruno
OFM Communications Office
