Brothers and sisters of the Franciscan family and special guests from Spain, Italy, Turkey, France, Morocco, Greece and representatives of Franciscans International in Geneva gathered in the city of Marrakech, Morocco, to participate in the first Franciscan meeting of service to migrant and refugee population in the Mediterranean.
Lenten season encourages both Franciscans, Christians and people of goodwill to address society’s problems and advocate for positive change.
The Franciscan Conference of Asia and Oceania (FCAO) is the name by which the two conferences (EAC and SAAOC) that bring together the Franciscan Provinces, Custodes and Foundations of those continents are known.
The Secretariat for Mission and Evangelization, Br. Francisco Gómez and Br. Denis Tayo, together with the General Office for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC), Br. Daniel Rodríguez Blanco and Br. Taucen Girsang, visited the Franciscan Province of Saint Michael the Archangel of Indonesia during the week of the Octave of Easter from 1-6 April 2024.
On the 2nd February 2024 from Nairobi airport, where I stopped for eight days of meetings with my brothers, I landed in Goma, the main city of Kivu, the large region in eastern Congo.
La Spezia is an Italian city located between Pisa and Genoa, four hundred and twenty
kilometers from Rome. It was built in the narrow valley that connects the mountains with the
Ligurian Sea, belonging to the Mediterranean.
The Franciscan Network for Migrants of the Americas (FNM) held its annual Assembly in San Salvador, El Salvador, from 19 to 26 September.
From December 4 to 5, 2023, in the fraternity of Montariol, situated in the city of Braga, Portugal, a meeting of the offices of animation from the four Provinces that make up the (CONFRES) Conference took place. It was organized by the Secretary General for Missions & Evangelization, the Secretary General for Formation & Studies, and the animators of the JPIC offices, in collaboration with the President of the Conference of Spain and Portugal, Br. Joaquín Zurera, and the responsible Definitor General, Br. Cesare Vaiani.
A short visit to Custody of St. Anthony of Malaysia-Singapore-Brunei, from 22-25 October 2023, was done by Br. Taucen, OFM on behalf of JPIC OFM in Rome. The aims were to share with the friars regarding JPIC’s activities and matters, to listen to their experiences due to the JPIC animation plan, and to look forward on ongoing formation program for JPIC animators.
The meeting was held in Semarang, Central Java-Indonesia, from 16-20 October 2023, where the participants came from 60 nationalities around the globe, including a representative from JPIC Office in Rome, Br. Taucen OFM, a representative from Brazil, Br. Rodriquez Perets OFM, and a representative from Indonesia, Br. Mikael Gabra Satrio, OFM.