SFO International Council - Weekly edition
Volume: 11 - N. 18 - 2005 - May - I
From: Koinonia, 2004, N. 4
The Plenary Council for the Third Order Regular was held in Poconé, Brazil, from July 12-18, 2004. During the meeting Michael Higgins, TOR, General Spiritual Assistant, distributed copies of the SFO Rule, General Statutes, and Statutes for Spiritual and Pastoral Assistants to the SFO to all the provincials in the Order. He highlighted the passages in the documents which refer to the responsibilities and role of the major superiors. He encouraged them to be in close contact with local fraternities of the Secular Franciscan Order and to support them.
From August 18 to September 2, 2004, an intermediate fraternal chapter was held by the Conventuals in Zacopane, Poland, and an international meeting for formators of the Order was held in Harmeze, Poland, during the same time. The meetings began with a gathering of all 108 participants in various cities including Kracov, Niepokalanów, Czestochowa - where the miraculous icon of Our Lady of Jasna Gora (the Black Madonna) is found, and at Auschwitz (Oswiecim and Birkenau). The friars celebrated the Holy Eucharist in each of these special sites. Together with the former General Spiritual Assistant, Fr. Valentín Redondo, OFM Conv., Fr. Martin Bitzer, the current General Spiritual Assistant, presented a report at the meeting of formators entitled, “How to Present the Secular Franciscan Order to the First Order and the Third Order Regular as Part of the Formation Program.” They then conducted a round-table discussion with the participants. In a response to a request from the SFO Minister General, Encarnita del Pozo, Fr. Martin also traveled to Warsaw where he meet with Ioanna Berloswka, the National Minister of the SFO in Poland, and with Emilia Nogaj, the International Councilor.
The pastoral and fraternal Visit for the SFO in Thailand took place from September 3-6, 2004. Lucy Almiranez, SFO, and Fr. Samy Irudaya, OFM Cap., were present as the delegates of the Presidency of CIOFS. Fr. Johnson OFM, Spiritual Assistant for Thailand, and Sujittra and Khaimook, members of the SFO, were a tremendous help in the preparation and conduct of the visit. Three local fraternities were canonically erected during the visit: St. Anthony of Padua at Bangkok-Lamsai, Our Lady Queen of Peace at Ubonrajthanee, and St. Francis at Chiangrai. The visitators also met with Bishop Sangval Surasarang, the Bishop of the Diocese of Chiang Mai. The Bishop gave his authorization to establish a fraternity of the SFO in his diocese. The visitators were able to meet with all the SFO fraternities in the country and personally met the brothers and sisters. They were also able to meet with a group of Franciscan youth.
A meeting of the ministers and spiritual assistants of the SFO of the Bolivarian OFM Conference was held form September 5-10, 2004, in Caracas. Fr. Ivan Matic, OFM, General Spiritual Assistant, and Chelito Núñez, CIOFS councilor for the Spanish language, were present for the encounter The theme of the meeting was “Spiritual Assistance to the SFO: Realities and Challenges.”
Rosalvo G. Mota, SFO, the Vice-Minister General, presided over the National SFO Chapter in Uruguay from September 10-12, 2005. He was accompanied by Fr. Claudio Bedriñán, OFM Cap., the Minister Provincial of the Capuchins who live in Argentina and Uruguay. The Chapter Assembly consisted of 30 vocals - 83% of the total of 36 participants. Jorge Calzavara, SFO, was reelected as National Minister for a second mandate. The Conference of General Spiritual Assistants (CAS) would like to extend a hearty thanks to Fr. Claudio for the generous service he offered as a delegate of the Conference for this Chapter.
A meeting of YouFra took place on September 11-12, 2004, in Mexico City before the opening of the VI Latin American Congress of the SFO and YouFra. Those responsible for YouFra were able to discuss a number of important questions that face Franciscan youth in preparation for the Congress. Representatives of YouFra from various regions of Mexico focused specifically on the following themes: formation, organization, communication, finances, and the relationship between the SFO and YouFra. Xavi Ramos Pozo, SFO, Councilor for YouFra for the CIOFS Presidency, and Fr. Ivan Matic, OFM, General Spiritual Assistant, participated in the meeting and presented a new document for YouFra entitled “The Journey of Franciscan Vocation.”
The Sixth Latin American Congress of the SFO-YuFra in Mexico was held in Mexico City at the Mexican Episcopal Conference from September 14-19, 2004. The participants were also able to celebrate the Holy Eucharist at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Encarnita del Pozo, Chelito Núñez, Xavi Ramos, represented the CIOFS presidency and Fr. Ivan Matic, OFM, and Fr. Martin Bitzer, OFM Conv., General Spiritual Assistants, participated at the Congress which was attended by representatives from the majority of the countries in Latin America.
Some of the themes that were discussed during the Congress included:
Every presentation was followed by work in small groups. The conclusions and proposals were then presented to an editorial commission which prepared a final report for approval by the general assembly.
Two National Elective Chapters in Mexico - one for the SFO and the other for YouFra - took place from September 24-26, 2004. This is the first time that these two chapters were conducted at the same time. Approximately 100 capitulars participated in the chapters along with their national councilors and representatives of CIOFS - Encarnacion del Pozo, SFO, Minister General, and General Spiritual Assistants Fr. Martin Bitzer, OFM Conv., and Fr. Ivan Matic, OFM. The chapters were held at the Montagna di Cristo Re, Silao Gto., in Mexico. Josè Samuel Mercado, SFO, was reelected as the National Minister. After his reelection, the National Minister, assisted by Fr. Arturo Bustamante, OFM, the National Spiritual Assistant, presided over the elective session of the YouFra Chapter. Encarnacion del Pozo, SFO, Minister General, and Fr. Ivan Matic, OFM, General Spiritual Assistant, were also present for the chapter.
The pastoral and fraternal visit of the SFO in Sweden was held from September 15-19, 2004. The visit was conducted by Benedetto Lino, the delegate from the Presidency of CIOFS, and Fr. Samy Irudaya, OFM Cap., General Spiritual Assistant. The presence and cooperation of the National Spiritual Assistant of Sweden, Fr. Henrik Roelvink, OFM, was a tremendous help for the preparation and conduct of the visit. The visitators were able to visit a number of local fraternities and to personally meet the brothers and sisters, especially those who are in the initial stages of formation. They were particularly impressed with the Fraternity of Brother Sun which has a special ministry of outreach to prisoners. They now count among their number a novice who is serving a life sentence. The visitators met with a group of Mexican OFMs in Stockholm and requested that they make the SFO available to Spanish speaking people in the country. Benedetto Lino presented some stimulating expositions on the Rule and Constitutions and made some suggestions regarding the National Statutes. Fr. Samy contributed with some observations regarding formation of members of the SFO. Fr. Samy e Benedetto also met with the three national Spiritual Assistants - Fr. Henrik Roelvink, OFM, Fr. Marek Rubaj, OFM Cap., and Fr. Frans Eric Larson, TOR - and talked with them about the challenges they encounter as spiritual assistants. They also met with the National Council and encouraged them to proceed with their work with the SFO in Sweden. They made special mention of the wonderful contribution of Fr. Henrik Roelvink towards the vitality of the fraternities in the country.
Spiritual Assistants and SFO ministers are encouraged to make use of the special “SFO Files” website that has been so carefully and lovingly designed by the former OFM General Spiritual Assistant, Fr. Carl Schafer, OFM. The address of the website is: http://www.franciscans.org.au/sfo.