SFO International Council - Weekly edition
Volume: 8 - N. 16 - 2002 - April - III
From: Koinonia, 2002, N. 1
The Conference of Assistants General met in the OFM Curia on the 16th January 2002. It elected Br. Valentín Redondo OFMConv as President and Br. Ivan Matic’ OFM as Secretary for the next three years. The four numbers of Koinonia for the year 2002, which will take the Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte as their starting point. The following themes will be treated: Which SFO for the Third Millennium; The SFO, houise and school of communion; lay vocation: identity and belonging; the place of the SFO in the Church and society. The situation of the SFO in various countries was also discussed and the pastoral visitations and presence at the National Chapters were planned. It was decided to send the Statutes for Spiritual and Pastoral Assistance to the Secular Franciscan Order to the President of the Conference of Ministers General of the First Order and TOR, Br. Joachim Giermek, OFM Conv for approval.
The Conference met in the OFMCap Curia on 1st March 2002. All were brought up to date on the visits made and on the various meetings and seminars carried out. The situation of the SFO in Italy was discussed together with the Minister General of the SFO. A note was made of the declaration of the Italian Assembly of the Italian SFO/OFM (Sacrofano, 24th February 2002) "to disassociate ourselves from the project of structural unification brought forward by the CIOFS". Such a declaration is in stark contrast with the commitment of the Italian OFM Ministers Provincial to involve the Fraternities assisted by them in the process of unification of the Italian SFO. We were then brought up to date on the participation of the Franciscan Youth in the World Youth Day in Toronto (24-28 July 2002). On the morning of 25th July 2002 there will be a meeting of Fra.Youth Delegates and in the evening they will take part in a "Franciscan Fest" organised by the Franciscan Family around Toronto. For further information you may consult the web page: http://www.ciofs.org/youfra.htm
Br. Valentín had a meeting in Osimo with the regional Assistants of the Marche on 10th January 2002. The theme was the Role of the Spiritual Assistant in the light of the renewed Constitution of the SFO. The Assistants of the First Order, the Regional Ministers SFO/OFM and SFO/OFMConv and the local Minister of the Fraternity of Osimo were present. A long discussion to go deeply into the theme and the new profile of the Spiritual Assistant on both the local and regional levels followed the presentation. It was an important time of Fraternity and dialogue.
A formation meeting for Assistants to the SFO and YOUFRA of Portugal was held in the Retreat House of St. Francis in Leiria, from the 20th to the 22nd January 2002, promoted for the first time on a general level by the National Council and the National Conference of Assistants. Br. Ivan Matic, OFM, Assistant General, the Ministers of the various Fraternities and the members of the National Council for YOUFRA also attended.
After dealing with some current topics, Br. Ivan pointed out the role of the Spiritual Assistant according to the General Constitutions of the SFO and the vocation of the Secular Franciscans today. The intervention of the Assistant General was the occasion for a lively debate with questions on the new items contained in the new Constitutions, requests for clarification and thorough examination.
During the meeting there were two interesting interventions on Secular Franciscanism in Portugal. One was on the life of the National Fraternity of the SFO by Carlos Moura, National Minister of the SFO and the other on the life of the YOUFRA by Pedro N. Coelho, International Councillor of YOUFRA.
On the 30th January 2002 a meeting of the Presidency of COMPI (Conference of Ministers Provincial OFM in Italy) with the SFO Minister General, accompanied by Br. Ivan Matic, OFM, General Assistant of the SFO. The President of COMPI, Br. Francesco Bravi, reaffirmed that, in obedience to the orientations expressed by the Minister General OFM, the Italian Minister Provincial are committed to involving the Fraternities assisted by them in the process of unification of the Italian SFO. A broad exchange of views with regard to the times and ways of the process of unification on the regional level and in view of the contents of the National Statutes of the Italian SFO. It was underlined that there is still resistence to and difficulties in accepting the unification on the part of both the Assistants and, especially, on the part of the laity. It was recommended to have understanding for the strain of changing for some people and to consider the National Chapter, planned for the 27th April till the 1st May 2002, as a first step only.
During the second half of January, Br. Valentín Redondo, General Assistant OFMConv., had various meetings. From the 21-25, he animated the Spiritual Chapter of the Custody of Friars Minor Conventual of Bolivia on the: "The Apostolic Fraternity". On Sunday, 27th January, he had a meeting with the National Minister of Bolivia, Enrique Vidaurre, and another two National Councillors. He participated in the assembly of the FALC (Federation of Conventual in Latin America), on the 28-30 January, to present to the Conventual Major Superiors The SFO and the Role of the Spiritual Assistant. On the 4th February, having visited some local fraternities of Bolivia, he had a fraternal meeting with the local Fraternity of La Paz, and reflected with them on different aspects of the same Fraternity.
The General Assistant OFMConv., Br. Valentín Redondo, was present at the XI National Chapter of the Fraternity of Peru from the 8th to the 10th February 2002. It was a formative, elective and festive meeting, during which the National Minister, Br. Juan de la Cruz Pineda, was elected.
Br. Valentín Redondo, General Assistant OFMConv., participated in the Course for Spiritual Assistants of the Conventual Franciscans, 14-16 February, in Collado Mediano, near Madrid. The topics developed were: The New Constitutions: Encarnita del Pozo, Mission of the SFO: Jacint Bigordà, Fra.Youth: Pedro Asensio, Relationship of the First Order with the SFO and the spiritual assistance, Br. Valentín Redondo.
From the 19th to 22nd February 2002 the II Seminar for Spiritual Assistants of the SFO and Franciscan Youth of Central America was held in the convent of the Friars Minor at Planes de Renderos in San Salvador. The Seminar was animated by members of the General Conference of General Assistants of the SFO: Br. Valentìn Redondo, OFM Conv; Br. Michael Higgins, TOR and Br. Ivan Matic, OFM.
The Assistants of the various Franciscan Families of El
Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama participated
with great interest in the Seminar.
In a climate of comunion and sharing in the experiences made in the
field of assistance to the SFO/YOUFRA the participants underlined
strongly the requirement for a more suitable formation, of both
religious and secular Franciscans on the life of the SFO/YOUFRA and
their reciprocal and vital relationships with the other Franciscan
Orders.