From 8th-12th July, the meeting of the General Definitory with the Visitors General was held in Rome: 22 friars who in the coming months will be engaged in Canonical Visitations and later in the Provincial and Custodial Chapters in many Entities scattered throughout the world.
In the inaugural Eucharistic celebration, the Vicar General Br. Ignacio Ceja Jiménez emphasized the main purpose of the meeting: "To reflect and dialogue together on the priorities, lines of action, processes and difficulties to be taken into account in the animation of the friars of the Entities to be visited," he said during his homily.
In the Duns Scotus Hall of the General Curia, Br. Massimo Fusarelli, Minister General, opened the meeting with his speech entitled: "And let the friars visit: Expectations and fears for the encounter, listening, sharing and fraternal correction in the Visitation". Starting from Regula Non Bullata (Rnb) and Regula Bullata (Rb), Br. Massimo examined the meaning of terms such as visit, exhort, comfort, correct: it is the Minister who moves and goes out to meet the friars, it is he who must overcome the expectations and fears that often hinder meeting and sharing. All this must happen in the style of friars and minors: a simple "how are you” on a human level, of a journey of faith, of vocation, to put oneself next to the brother, and not in a position of judgment. In this regard, the Minister General also spoke of correction: "Fear can be that fraternal correction humiliates the other or others; We do not convey a judgment and we do not give the impression of arriving with a ready-made version of reality and not listening with empathy and truth to those we meet".
In the afternoon, the General Definitor, Br. John Wong, starting from the Final Document of the 2021 General Chapter, presented the report entitled: "Starting from the Guidelines for the Six-Year Period, What Indications for the Visitor?". Afterwards, Br. John Wong and Br. César Külkamp moderated the dialogue in the hall on the theme of synodality and how to activate the process.
On the second day, legal and practical issues were addressed: the Procurator General, Br. Claudio Durighetto, explained the contents, practices and modalities of the Canonical Visitation and the Presidency of the Chapter; Br. John Puodziunas, General Treasurer, spoke about the economic aspects, while Br. Antonio Iacona, Secretary General, illustrated the Acts and the Timeline of the Visit, Chapter and Congress.
On the 10th July, the Visitors General were able to get to know the Offices of the General Curia and have a personal conversation with the Minister and the Definitor General of their area.
The following morning was dedicated to the Protection of minors and vulnerable adults: Br. Albert Schmucki, Definitor General and Director of the Guardianship Office, starting from Mandate 9 of the 2021 General Chapter, illustrated the theme by focusing on how to verify the situation regarding Guardianship during the Canonical Visitation.
On the final day of the meetings, space was given to the theme of Listening: helped by Fr. Marco Vitale, a priest of the Diocese of Rome who deals with the ongoing formation of the clergy, the friars were introduced to "Meaningful Communication" and "Conflict Management in the Service of the Visit and the Chapter".
In the concluding Mass at which he presided, the Minister General invited the Brother Visitors General to live their ministry as a "word of light and hope: not a cheap hope, but one that opens to us the greatest horizon of our vocation. Rediscovering this, choosing it together again, is the way to rediscover vitality and meaning in our lives as Friars Minor," he said in his homily.
Download the Vicar General's homily: Italiano – English – Español
Download the homily of the Minister General: Italiano – English – Español
The meeting was attended by:
Br. Alfio Lanfranco, OFM
Br. Caoimhín Ó Laoide, OFM
Br. César Efraín Santrich Bermúdez, OFM
Br. Fabio Piasentin, OFM
Br. Giulio Michelini, OFM
Br. Guillermo Lancaster Jones, OFM
Br. Gustavo Wayand Medella, OFM
Br. Guto Ferreira Lessa, OFM
Br. Harry Chan, OFM
Br. Jaime Andrés Campos Fonseca, OFM
Br. Juan Carlos Moya Ovejero, OFM
Br. Konstantinus Bahang, OFM
Br. Laurentino Okica Gomes, OFM
Br. Luca Pozzi, OFM
Br. Manuel Corullon Fernandez, OFM
Br. Nicodème Kolani, OFM
Br. Kálmán Peregrin, OFM
Br. Raimondo Girgis, OFM
Br. Robert Mokry, OFM
Br. Robson Scudela, OFM
Br. Stipo Klajajić, OFM
Br. Teofil Czarniak, OFM
