Meeting of Student Friars of All Obediences in Croatia

On the occasion of the Franciscan Centenaries, for the first time a meeting of the student friars of all obediences (OFM, OFM conv, OFM cap, TOR) belonging to the Croatian-speaking Franciscan Provinces in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina was organized.

The meeting, organized by the Province of Saints Cyril and Methodius, took place from 19th -21st April in Samobor (Croatia), in the Tabor Shelter. A total of about 70 friars participated, including friars from various OFM Provinces, in addition to the host one: "The Most Holy Redeemer" based in Split, "St. Jerome" (Dalmatia and Istria) based in Zadar, "The Exaltation of the Holy Cross" /Bosnia Argentina (Bosnia and Herzegovina, based in Sarajevo), "The Assumption of the BVM" (Bosnia and Herzegovina, based in Mostar). The friars of the Croatian Province of the Conventual Franciscans "St. Jerome", the Croatian Province of the Capuchin Friars Minor "St. Leopold Bogdan Mandić", as well as the Province of the Franciscans of the Third Order Regular also participated.

The meeting was organized so that the Franciscan communities of the Croatian-speaking area could get to know each other better and develop even more fraternal relations, one of the fundamental elements of our charism. At the centre of the programme was common prayer, that is, the Liturgy of the Hours, which was celebrated together over the three days, and Holy Mass, celebrated on Saturday and Sunday together with the faithful.

On the first day, a friar from each Province briefly presented his own Entity, the friary and the life of the student friars. On the 20th April, the programme began with a reflection by the formator of the student friars of the Province of Bosnia Argentina, Br Danijel Nikolić, on the Stigmata of St. Francis. After the presentation, the student friars were divided into 7 groups for shared work. In the meantime, the Provincial Ministers also arrived, who had the opportunity to meet the students: the young friars asked them some questions and during the dialogue there was a real openness and sincerity on both sides.

On Sunday morning, the group work in the plenary session was presented: the friars presented the reflections of their groups starting from the questions posed by the General Curia of the OFM regarding the great Centenary that is being celebrated this year. The presentations were the result of a reciprocal dialogue, fraternal openness, sincerity, and cordiality: a sincere sharing and fraternal communion was truly visible that helped to confirm each friar in his own Franciscan identity.

This was followed by Sunday Mass with the people in the church of the friary of the Assumption of the BVM of Samobor. The meeting ended with a joint lunch with the Superior of the Tabor Reception House, Br Ivan Matić, OFM, and the volunteers of the house, who showed the friars, with their service, warm hospitality.

Grateful to God for such a meeting, the young friars expressed the desire and hope that meetings of this kind could also take place in the future.

With the contribution of Br Franjo Vuk, OFM
Coordinator of the South Slavic Conference for Education and Studies