From February 20 to 23, 2026, a delegation of the Order of Friars Minor visited the Franciscan convent of Contamana, in the Amazonian region of Loreto, in Perù, after a six-hour trip along the Ucayali River.
The delegation consisted of Br. César Külkamp, General Definitor; Br. Francisco Gómez, General Secretary for the Missions and Evangelization, and Br. Daniel Rodriguez Blanco, Director of the General Office for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation. They were accompanied by Br. José Surita, provincial treasurer of the Province of the Twelve Apostles.
They were welcomed by the brothers of the convent: Br. Miguel Vilca, Br. Maico Hervas and Br. Francisco Miranda.
The fraternity, founded a year ago and belonging to the Province of the Twelve Apostles in Perù, responds to the desire of the Order to strengthen its presence in the Amazon. Br. Massimo Fusarelli, Minister General, expressed the dream and desire for a Franciscan work in the Amazon, stating: “Our Order wants to give particular importance to the challenges involved in living our charism in this context”.
This mission revives the historic Franciscan presence in the parish of San Francesco d’Assisi, in the Vicariate Apostolic of Requena, where Spanish missionaries have served for many years, leaving a deep mark on the ecclesial and social life in the region. For Br. Ernesto Chambi, Provincial Minister, the decision taken a year ago aims to return to the origins of the Province, which has always had friars in all the regions of Perù. Now, the new fraternity becomes a significant place because it serves as a reference point for the brothers in formation and for all levels of the organization, such as schools, parishes, and sanctuaries.
During the visit, the brothers visited coastal communities as Canaan Cashiaco and the village of Lourdes, celebrated the Eucharist with the parochial communities and held a fraternal meeting to discern the challenges and opportunities of the mission.
The fraternity aims to live and announce the Gospel in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon, embodying the Franciscan charism through closeness to communities, the promotion of education, the care of children, the strengthening of parish life and the commitment to the care of creation in the face of environmental threats such as illegal mining.
Their presence in Contamana represents a concrete sign of the missionary dream of the Order, in tune with the exhortation Querida Amazonía (Beloved Amazon), which invites us to welcome the social, cultural, ecological and ecclesial challenges of this region.
