SFO International Council - Weekly edition
Volume: 5 - N. 18 - 1999 - April - V
From: Koinonia, 1998, N. 4
Poland: The third national Chapter of Poland took place in Warsaw, from October 23-25, 1998. It was presided over by Margret Mertens, International Councilor from Germany. Joanna Berlowska of Warsaw was elected national Minister and Jadwiga Wojas Vice-minister. Another five councilors were elected, including one for the contact and the promotion of Franciscan Youth and another one for the contacts and the help to polish speaking SFO members outside the country. General Assistant, Fr. Zvonimir Brusac' TOR participated in the Chapter. At the start of the Chapter he gave a talk on "Secular Franciscan Spirituality according to the Rule of Paul VI (1978)". The day before he met 13 national, regional and provincial Assistants, presenting to them the document of the Conference of General Assistants: "Guidelines for the formation of the Friars to know and assist the SFO". Some important motions approved by the Chapter were: promoting information on the SFO, study of the CIOFS' document on Franciscan Youth (1995) and how to apply it in the regions for the formation of the leaders and the assistants. The regional Councils need to intensify their efforts to promote the renewal of the SFO and its presence in the Church and in Society. After the Chapter, Margret Mertens and Fr. Zovinimir met the Regional Council and the Assistants of Slesia at Katowice. Slesia with its 4,000 members is the most numerous region of Poland. The following days, Fr. Zvonimir gave some talks on the actuality of the SFO and its Assistance in the major Seminaries of the Friars Minor (OFM) at Katowice and Kalwaria Zebrzedowska and of the Conventual Franciscans at Krakow. More than 200 students participated.
Croatia: The National Chapter of Croatia took place from October 9-11, 1998. It was presided over by Emerenziana Rossato SFO in the presence of Fr. Ben Brevoort OFMCap, General Assistant. Renato Matic' was elected Minister. At the same time and place the Councils of the Franciscan Youth held a national meeting. They took the opportunity to introduce their work to the Chapter, to express their desire to be close to the SFO and to ask the SFO to give adequate attention to Franciscan Youth. The Chapter further decided to give priority to the process of regionalization in the SFO of Croatia. This process will hopefully give new inspiration and enthusiasm to the SFO of the whole country.
Lebanon: From November 19-25, 1998, the second stage of the fraternal and pastoral visit in Lebanon took place. The visit was held by Emanuela De Nunzio SFO and Fr. Ben Brevoort OFMCap. The first stage took place in May 1997 and the visit had remained open. The situation, still difficult and delicate, turned out to be less tense than during the first stage. After extensive local consultation it was decided to appoint, for a period of three years, a provisional National Council of five members. With the appointment of this Council, the fraternal and pastoral visit was closed. The Council has already started its work with its Minister Abdu Corbani SFO.
Africa-Nairobi: Fr. Ben Brevoort OFMCap and Tom Purcell SFO from Ireland, participated in the first Continental SFO Congress for English speaking countries in Africa, which took place in Nairobi, from August 11-18, 1998. The Congress was organized and fully financed by the participating countries and has been an important step in the effort to live the Secular Franciscan charism in Africa. It has shown that it is possible to live together as Franciscans and to be a force for renewal in African society. The CIOFS had only to refund travel expenses to its own delegate to the Congress. Delegates of six countries were present: Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It was decided to organize a second congress in Zambia, in 2001.
Ukraine: From September 2-11, 1998, a Seminar was held for the leaders of the SFO in Ukraine, with the active participation of the General Minister of the SFO, the Presidency Councilor for the area and the four General Assistants. About thirty SFO leaders from local Fraternities and some spiritual Assistants (OFM, OFMCap and OFMConv) participated. The Seminar was a source of inspiration for the SFO in Ukraine and a great help for the new Fraternities which are being born all over the country, also in places where there are as yet no Franciscan religious. The school for Evangelization, organized and animated by the SFO during the last four years, has proven to be a very effective means for the new Evangelization and also for the promotion of Franciscan ideals and of the SFO itself.
Italy: During its meeting of June 4-11, 1998 (see Koinonia 1998, n. 3), the Presidency decided to publish a decree, establishing, at the end of the mandates of the obediential Councils (February 6, 1999), a transitional body to usher in the election of a single unified National Council within three years. The National Council of the OFM obedience appealed against this decree to the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated life and Societies of Apostolic Life. The Congregation asked the opinion of the Presidency CIOFS and of the Conference of General Ministers. The Presidency presented its reply on August 31, as did the Conference of General Ministers immediately after its meeting of October 2. The Congregation has now asked the International Council to await the results of mediation efforts, inspired by the General Ministers, among the national leadership of the SFO in Italy.
West Africa: From December 7, 1998 to January 10, 1999, Fr. Ben visited Chad, Central African Republic and Cameroon. In Chad he gave a three-days formation course for about fifteen SFO leaders from ten local Fraternities. In the Central African Republic he gave three days of formation for Secular Franciscans, with an average of 50 participants, and three other shorter meetings. In Cameroon he visited, together with Fr. Roberto Pirovano OFMCap, the SFO Fraternities in the English and French speaking parts. The 900 Secular Franciscans are present in at least six dioceses of Cameroon. The three Bishops they met expressed their esteem and their joy of having the SFO present in their diocese. The SFO in Cameroon needs formation for Secular Franciscans, for spiritual Assistants and Animators. It also needs a better internal organization, through the official erection of some local Fraternities and the election of its respective Councils.
Salvador, (BA), Brazil, October 17, 1998
Dear Provincial Ministers of Latin America,
We, as participants of the IV Latin American Congress of the SFO and the Franciscan Youth, which was held in this city from October 12-18, 1998, want to reaffirm the statements made by the III Congress, celebrated in 1995.
During the Congress we have seen that we still need to insist on:
1. appointing adequate and prepared spiritual Assistants to the local, regional and national Fraternities of the SFO and of the Franciscan Youth;
2. conducting assistance collegially at the regional and national level;
3. the fruitfulness of unified assistance to the SFO and the Franciscan Youth;
4. support for the formation of the Friars to know the SFO and the Franciscan Youth, and concrete help in promoting meetings for spiritual Assistants at all levels in each country.
Furthermore, because this Congress was held on the 20th anniversary of the renewed Rule, which affirms for the SFO the autonomy of its government, the unity of all Fraternities in one single Order of lay people and its secular character, we spiritual Assistants present at the Congress express again our strong support for the relevant motion approved by the Congress, because we are convinced that it is of the utmost importance for the SFO to live out whatever is stated in its Rule.
Trusting in God and in Francis, we spiritual Assistants hope we can always count on your help to arrive at that life-giving union with one another in the whole Franciscan Family, so as to make present the charism of our common Seraphic Father in the life and mission of the Church.
Follow the signatures of eight Spiritual Assistants OFM, OFMConv, OFMCap and TOR, coming from five Latin American countries.