Meeting of the International Commission for the Revision of the General Constitutions

From the 22nd February till the 2nd March, 2025, the International Commission working on the revision of the General Constitutions of the Order of the Poor Sisters of St. Clare met in the General Curia of the Friars Minor, holding its eleventh working meeting in this second face-to-face meeting. 

The Minister General, Br. Massimo Fusarelli, launched this process in September 2021. Since then, the Sisters and friars of the Commission have worked with generosity and commitment in this service to the Order, taking into account what the Church asks today of the Female Contemplative Life and the diversity with which the Form of Life of the Poor Sisters of St. Clare is embodied in the different social and cultural contexts of the world. 

The friars of the Order, especially Br. Ignacio Ceja, Vicar General, and the Delegate pro Monialibus, Br. Fábio Cesar Gomes, gave us a great fraternal welcome as if we were "Sister Clare herself", who has fostered a magnificent working climate and an effective use of time. 

The Commission is organised into four language groups. Despite the different languages, the efficiency of Br. Pasquale Berardinetti (Director of the Automation Office), the help of the interpreters and the pleasant fraternal atmosphere that has been created amongst us, have made possible a good communication that has helped us to advance in our purpose of working in depth on our Constitutions, already immersed in the third phase of the project. After more than three years of laborious work, carried out in a synodal spirit through two moments of consultation with all the Communities of the world, the Commission met on this occasion to evaluate the first complete draft of the text of the Constitutions. 

A beautiful event during our stay in Rome was the pilgrimage to St Peter's Basilica in the Jubilee of Hope, on the morning of Friday 28 February. Carrying the Jubilee Cross, we walk along the Way of Conciliation, praying with songs of joy and praise, until we reach the tomb of the Apostle Peter, passing through the Holy Door of Hope.  

When we returned to the Curia, the Lord gave us the presence of the Minister General, with whom the Commission had a meeting the following day, in which the progress of the work was shared. Br. Massimo positively valued the text prepared by the Commission, underlining its charismatic and normative soundness, and reflecting on some concrete aspects. He concluded the meeting by urging, once again, that this important text of the Order encourage, favour and sustain, above all, the holy unity of the Poor Sisters of St. Clare. We concluded the morning with celebration of the Eucharist with the Minister General. 

The Sisters and friars of the Commission were pleased to have met during these days to work on this important stage of the project, and to have shared with the Fraternity of the Curia the Eucharist and the morning prayer each day, the meals and the moments of meeting in the refectory. We thank God for all that we have experienced, and we thank the friars for their prayers and the fraternal warmth of their welcome. 

 Sr. Maria Antonia Crespo, CSO 
Secretary of the Commission