Meeting of the Franciscan Conferences of Asia, Australia and Oceania (FCAO)

On 1-5 May 2023, the year of the 8th Centenary celebrations of the Later Rule and Christmas in Greccio, forty-nine participants comprising Ministers, Bursars, and lay collaborators of the different entities of the Franciscan Conferences of Asia, Australia, and Oceania (FCAO), together with Br. John Puodziunas, OFM (General Bursar), Br. John Wong, OFM (Definitor General for Asia and Oceania) and the EAC (East Asia Conference) and SAAOC (South Asia, Australia and Oceania Conference) Secretaries, Animators, and Bursars were gathered in Jayakarta Hotel, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia, to celebrate fraternity, enhance collaboration, and discern the signs of the times in Asia. In this gathering, we shared and reflected on the important concerns in our life and ministries in FCAO on matters related to Formation, Mission, JPIC and Finances. 

After five days of prayerful collective discernment, the conference came up with the following orientations:

On a Regional Formators’ Course:

• That a committee comprising Br. Joel Sulse, OFM (EAC Secretary for Formation and Studies), Br. Charles Bernard, OFM (SAAOC Secretary for Formation and Studies), and two appointed members, namely Br. Azeem Lawrence, OFM (Custos, Pakistan) and Br. Derrick Yap, OFM (Custos, Malaysia-Singapore-Brunei) draft a program for a formators' course to be submitted to FCAO Ministers as a proposal before the end of August 2023.

On the Initial Formation Collaboration

• That the EAC and SAAOC Secretaries for Formation and Studies develop conference-level programs for virtual gatherings of friars in initial formation.
• That the EAC and SAAOC Secretaries for Formation and Studies and Secretaries for Missions and Evangelisation study the feasibility of developing a shared post-novitiate formation program as a long-term response to the Order’s need for missionaries ad gentes.

On Lay Brothers’ Gatherings:

• That the EAC and SAAOC Secretaries for Formation and Studies, each plan and organize lay brothers’ gatherings at their own conference level as an integral part of the international lay brothers’ gathering in 2025.
• That each entity shall initiate its own lay brothers’ gathering prior to the gatherings at the conference and international levels.

On the Need for Missionaries in Papua New Guinea (PNG):

• That the Minister and Secretary for Missions and Evangelisation of each entity strengthen their roles to animate friars with administrative, leadership, and formation skills to volunteer for mission work in Papua New Guinea.
• That the volunteer missionaries undergo mission preparation, orientation, team-building and progressive integration into PNG fraternities.

On FCAO 2024 Meeting:

• That the FCAO 2024 meeting with the Minister General, General Definitory, and representatives from various General Secretariats and Offices be held in Manila, Philippines, from 7–13 April 2024:
  1. EAC and SAAOC Presidents and their respective Conference Secretaries, Secretaries for Formation and Studies, Secretaries for Missions and Evangelisation and JPIC Animators;
  2. EAC and SAAOC Ministers (Provincials, Custos and Presidents) and their respective Secretaries for Formation and Studies, Secretaries for Missions and Evangelisation, and JPIC Animators.
• The Presidents of the two Conferences shall draft the related program for the FCAO meeting and disseminate it to all ministers by the end of August 2023.

On Voluntary Solidarity Contribution:

• That the EAC and SAAOC Presidents will bring to the May 2023 meeting of Conference Presidents the feedback and preferred model for the Voluntary Solidarity Contribution.

On Financial Collaboration and Formation

• That the EAC and SAAOC Presidents liaise with the General Development Office and the Bursars of the Conferences for conference level meetings on process and procedure for project funding applications and follow up.
• That the Bursars of conferences plan regular meetings between themselves and the ministers for the purpose of ongoing communication, collaboration and formation, in particular regarding stewardship.
• That the Bursars of EAC and SAAOC support stewardship as the basis for supporting the General Curia and its works, possibly through the development of a standard form of reporting of the financial reality of each entity to the General Curia. The Conference Presidents to present this reflection at the May 2023 Conference Presidents’ meeting for further consideration.

Prepared by:
Br. Derrick Yap, OFM
Br. Neil Badillo, OFM
Br. Mark Angelo Vito, OFM (Secretary for EAC)
Br. Titus Angga Restuaji, OFM (Secretary for SAAOC)