From the CIOFS Presidency : November 10-17, 2000 - Emanuela De Nunzio

National elective chapters

Costarica - Zambia - Brazil - El Salvador - Ireland - India - Denmark - Great Britain - Tanzania - United States

During the meeting of the CIOFS Presidency held in Rome from 10th to 17th November 2000, we felt the need to write you a message of hope and encouragement because in the course of our work we were almost crushed by the amount of queries, problems and difficulties which had arrived on our table from national and local Fraternities all over the world. We said "It is only right that brothers and sisters who need clarifications and help contact us. It is a duty to deal with financial and juridical matters. But this is not all! First and foremost the SFO is fraternity on the way, a place where faith is matured, a humble and silent forge of "holy deeds": This is the SFO that the Presidency serves even when faced with negative aspects inevitably present in our Fraternity as a result of human fragility.

Hence our Message Http://ciofs.org/per/2000/lca0en53.htm and the prayer recited by all of us together to our Patron Saint, on the day of her Feast, so that she may intercede to make the SFO forever lively, limpid and active.

In our last meeting we naturally dealt with positive and stimulating issues:

-- the organization of a formation seminary in Rumania, where the SFO has numerous and promising members;
-- the acknowledgement of the Malta National Fraternity, which we warmly welcome to the international structure of the Order;
-- the reorganization of Franciscans International, of particular interest to the SFO, since it is active in the field of our laity;
-- the updating of the Guidelines for formation, which we hope to send you as soon as possible.

I will stop here since I can hardly give you the list of the 30 (!!!) items on our agenda which were dealt with harmoniously and agreed upon by all of us.

Before ending this brief report I would like to heartily thank all of you who prayed for me and sent me expressions of love and solidarity during my recent illness. I cannot thank you one by one because there are too many of you! But I would like to say that you were of great support and comfort to me and that your prayers were answered since I am still at your service, fragile and little as I am. God bless you all.

Costarica: June 16, 2000, presided over by Maria Leal Garcia, International Councillor (Mexico), at the presence of P. Valentin Redondo, OFMConv., General Assistant.
Manuel Antonio Zambrana has been elected National Minister.

Zambia: from July 7 to 9, 2000: presided over by Felix Mosha, International Councillor (Tanzania) at the presence of Fr. Artur Hauser, OFMCap, National Assistant Tanzania.
Francis Mulamba has been elected National Minister.

Brazil: from July 28 to 30, 2000: presided over by Emanuela De Nunzio, General Minister, at the presence of P. Valentin Redondo, OFMConv., General Assistant.
Maria Aparecida Crepaldi has been reelected National Minister.

El Salvador: August 5, 2000: presided over by Alicia Gallardo, Councillor of the Presidency (Chile), at the presence of P. Moisé Mouzón, OFM.
Carlos Vasquez Recinos has been elected National Minister.

Ireland: from August 24 to 25, 2000: presided over by Marianne Powell, Councillor of the Presidency (Denmark).
Ita O’Neill has been elected National Minister.

India: from September 1 to 5, 2000: presided over by Tom Purcell, International Councillor (Ireland), at the presence of P. Ben Brevoort, OFMCap., General Assistant.
Joseph Nadupparambil has been confirmed National Minister.

Denmark: September 16, 2000: presided over by Wilhelmina Visser-Pelsma, Councillor of the Presidency (Netherlands), at the presence of P. Valentin Redondo, OFMConv., General Assistant.
Marianne Powell has been confirmed National Minister.

Great Britain: September 1 to 3, 2000: presided over by Marianne Powell, Councillor of the Presidency (Denmark).
Ursula Waight has been elected National Minister.

Tanzania: from September 15 to 16, 2000: presided over by Salesio Njuki, International Councillor (Kenya), at the presence of Fr. Ngosa Alexander, OFMConv., National Assistant Zambia.
Felix Mosha has been confirmed National Minister.

United States: from October 17 to 22, 2000: presided over by Doug Clorey, International Councillor (Canada), at the presence of P. Ben Brevoort, OFMCap., General Assistant.
Bill Wicks has been confirmed National Minister.

The CIOFS Presidency presents to the new national leaders its congratulations, asking the Lord to bless them and to help them in accomplishing the service they have been called to render.