INDEX N° 265 You areare our faith - PresentationPresenttatioon JULY 2013 01 ooff the letter ooff tthehe GGeneralenerral MMinisterinister ChChangesanges in the GenGeneraleral DDeefi nnitoryiitory You are our faith NeNeww General Defi nitor Presentation of the letter of the General Minister PPresence,resence, witness, perseperseverancevev rance he Year of Faith, proclaimed by and perfecter of our faith.” (Heb 12:2) 02 anand…patienced…patience - InterviewInterview with TBenedict XVI and proposed anew BrBr.. David TencerTencer in content and purpose by Pope Francis, The words recorded in the meeting MMeetingeeting of the General calls on each to take a look at and between the Virgin Mary and Elizabeth 03 DDeefi nitornitoryy renew his own relationship with the Lord. resonate in this experience; words that It is with this intention that the General ‘stop time,’ words of the joy that comes MMeetingeeting of NewNew MinisteMinistersrs at Minister, Br. Mauro from a lived faith: “And blessed is she FFrascatirascati who believed that there Jöhri, opens the letter FFraternalraternal visivisitt to TurTurkeykey he writes to all the would be a fulfi llment of brothers of the Or- what was spoken to her FFranciscanranciscan frifriarsars at MouMountnt AthosAthos from the Lord.” (Lk 1:45) der of Minor The DelegatiDelegationon of CuCubabaa passes to Capuchin. The time of struggle; the time of Grace! “The time 0044 the provprovinceince of MaraMaranhão-Pará-nhhãão-Pará- Introduce d by the of Joy”! AAmapámapá words of the Virgin Capuchins at the ‘March‘March for LifeLife’’ Mary: “Here I am! We know “that the gift of Let it be done to me faith must be protected TheThe FranciscanFranciscan Family ata WYD and cultivated,”—and RRioio 2013 according to your knowing also “that the word,” the journey believer goes through the of faith is marked by temptation of the routine, the steps made in dis- of compromise and not cipleship, re-evaluated infrequently there is a dry- at the same time as ness that injects the feel- a theological locus, ings of discouragement anticipating its own that keep us from seeing New development even the clear and bright hori- ahead of the search zon that faith opens to our existence,” the General Defi nitor for sense, such that it may be said rightly General Minister responds by inviting all r. Victorius Dwiardy, appointed with Mary, ‘Mission precedes understand- the friars of the Order to share with one BGeneral Defi nitor in substitution ing.’ another the gift of faith. of Br. Cesar Acuin in the meeting of the Defi nitory on June 27, 2013, was Indeed, ‘Mission precedes Understanding’ This is precisely how the letter concludes: is the leitmotiv or the cloth out of which born December 11, 1966 in Sebalos, “I wish that our provincial and local Indonesia. He entered the Capuchin the Letter written by the General Minister fraternities be places where we support to all the friars of the Order is woven. novitiate of the Province of Pontianak each other in the journey of faith and on July 15, 1989, made his fi rst profes- ‘A journey of faith’ winds as a time of help each other to recognize the pres- sion in 1990 and his perpetual profes- grace in the ‘time of struggle,’ where, in the ence of the Risen Lord among us. Let us sion on August 23, 1997. After the following of Jesus Christ, we are supported witness to the beauty of the faith, helping studies of philosophy and theology by his Word: “Courage. Do not be afraid,” each other with mercy and patience in the and priestly ordination on October 2, such that the experience becomes one of struggles of belief that come to us in our 1999, he studied civil law at the Chris- growth and awareness, but above all of lives.” tian University of Indonesia in Jakara- Communion with Him who is the “pioneer Br. Umberto Losacco OFMCap. ta, specializing in and earning a degree in Private Law in 2008. He worked as parochial vicar in the cathedral parish of the Archdiocese of Pontianak, serving also as General Secretary and Changes in the Chancellor as well as a member of the Council of Consultants of the same General Defi nitory archdiocese. Br. Victorius was also OME, Italy – Br. ministers on June 27, fol- executive secretary and later president RCesar Acuin, General lowing the presentation of of the Dharma Insan Foundation – a Defi nitor for PACC, asked nominations by the PACC foundation started by the Archdiocese of Pontianak to support the Catho- to resign his position for Conference, the General lic hospital of St. Anthony and the reasons of health. Gath- Minister, with the consent Institute for the training of nurses ered in ordinary session on of his Defi nitory, appointed and midwives. Within the Order he June 17, 2013, the General as General Defi nitor Br. carried out the duties of Defi nitor and Defi nitory accepted his Victorius Dwiardy, until Provincial Minister of the Province of request. In a subsequent now Provincial Minister of Pontianak. He was then vice presi- ‘extraordinary’ session held the Province of Pontianak, dent, and - recently - President of the during the meeting of new Indonesia. PACC Conference. HIGHLIGHTS “PRESENCE, WITNESS, PERSEVERANCE AND… PATIENCE”

he last issue of BICI reported the news of the visit of the General Minister Br. Mauro TJöhri and his Vicar Br. Štefan Kožuh to the 3 Capuchin Friars living in Iceland. Soon after, Br. David Tencer, one of the missionaries in Iceland, was with us and we took the oc- casion to ask him some questions about his experience living in Iceland.

Br. Umberto Losacco ofmcap Presence, witness, perseverance and… patience • Brother David, next year you will celebrate ten Interview with Br. David Tencer OFMCap years since your arrival in Iceland. You are not Ice- landic. You come from the Slovak Republic, land of St. Elizabeth, patron of the OFS, and you to get used to it. To open a door you have made your way to the ‘land of the elves’ in October to remember to turn the lock the oppo- of 2004. What memories do you have of that site way. And the old , seeing this, time in Slovakia? And of your Community? said to me…all opposite…remember that • For me, we’re not talking about a period in Iceland everything is the opposite…a of life in the past but of something always quality - perhaps very rare in traditionally present, because I am here in Iceland Catholic countries - is a personal responsi- always as a member of our Slovak province bility for the faith and the church… and I live a deep, fraternal relationship The survived here in the with our province. If I go for vacation in diffi cult times of the early 1900s, thanks Slovakia, I always say, ‘I’m going home.’ precisely to individuals…at that time there At the same time, thanks be to God, it is was, for example - offi cially - just one true vice versa; leaving Slovakia I say that Catholic, Gunnar Einarsson. He educated I’m going home to Iceland…and I hope, his children in the faith and his last son be- 02 before I die, I can say for the last time, I’m came a priest and then In 1942 he became going home… the fi rst bishop of the of Reyk- • What made you leave the mountain country of javik…this is how personal responsibility Central Europe to go to the middle of the Atlantic bears fruit… between the northern seas and touch the land of • The chronicles relate that the fi rst Capuchin the Vikings? house was opened in 2007. But you had already I believe it was God himself who pushed been in the area since 2004. When the Bishop of me to come to this place. I like being here Iceland made the request in 2010 for a new Capu- very much, but if it were not Him, I would chin fraternity for the care of the Polish, Lithu- not wish to stay here any longer. I had felt anian, and Filipino migrants present on the island, the calling to go in mission for years, and how did you feel, what reaction did you have? the prospects were always some northern A great joy…It is God who gives growth… place…Greenland, Siberia…Iceland was and that relations with diocese are so good one of the possibilities. and open…I do not know…joy…joy • For centuries the faith of the land of Iceland has • Then in the meeting held at the General Curia on Our Masses have ten people taking part, been inspired by the Lutheran Church. And the November 15 to 18, 2010, the General Defi nitory but we are from six nations…Christmas Catholics? Can you speak to us of the religious responded positively to the request of the Bishop of 2005 was the record when we had pres- soul of Iceland? And of the Catholic communi- Iceland for the foundation of a new fraternity for ent for the Mass at Night people from ties? the care of the Polish, Lithuanian, and Filipino 33 nations. It is clear, therefore, that Icelandic Christians belong to the National migrants present on the island. This is now your communication is not possible through Lutheran Church of Iceland, independent fraternity? And your ministry? words. It seems to me that is presence, from other Protestants but in close contact witness, and perseverance that gives We are currently three friars of the Slovak fruit…and patience…as the Icelanders with them. We Catholics are very much province. But we hope to add to the num- a minority (3% of the population), made say, ‘When God made time, he made ber. There was someone interested in our enough’. up of a few natives and many immigrants. vocation; we have also had a that However, I can say that the relations with then left, but has always remained in a very • This year you had the Pastoral Visit of the the local church are very good. When, close relationship with us. General Minister: Would you talk about it? for example, they speak of the Catholic For what do you hope? The territory of our parish, extending Church, they speak of mother church… I to the southeast for about 700 km of It was a historic event, because it was the am 50 years old and I have never in my life coastline, encompasses the whole east of fi rst time since the creation of the world heard Protestants speak that way. Iceland. The population is about 20,000, that a Capuchin General Minister came • Can you highlight a particularly Icelandic quality of which about 700 are Catholics…but as I to Iceland. For me personally it was a in living and sharing faith in Jesus? explained to the Lutheran priests in a meet- great gesture of fraternity, to make us Here time, nature, the mentality, everything ing, all 20,000 are ours, because we have the feel that we are not abandoned, forgot- is different. When I arrived, I needed time responsibility to pray for them all. ten, lost among the glaciers… And what CAPUCHIN PRESENCE will come out of it? I believe and I hope that things will move forward. But Meeting of the General Defi nitory even if nothing changes, already precious to us is the sense of fraternity that ROME, Italy – Ahead of the fi fth Defi nitory meet- Mauro and Štefan brought. ing, on June 8, 2013 the General Minister, accom- panied by the General Procurator and his personal Secretary, presented to the Holy See the Constitu- tions and Statutes of our Order approved by the 84th General and then further reviewed by the Meeting of New Ministers at Frascati Juridical and Editorial Commissions, such that they may be confi rmed. RASCATI, Italy – The custom- of an electronic inventory of our Fary meeting for the formation houses. Each major superior is in- In the meeting itself, held in Rome from June 17- and information of new ministers, vited to fi ll out, on a website to be 23, 2013, various topics were treated concerning set up already for ten years accord- set up by the end of the year, the personal issues of friars, of circumscriptions and ing to the expressed will of the forms to provide the information of interprovincial collaboration; mid-term reports 2000 General Chapter, took place needed for a database of the world- of circumscriptions were also discussed as well as from June 23 to 29. This time it was the reports of conference meetings and of various the time of the event that was new; recently celebrated chapters. whereas until 2012 it was held in the Approvals of some requests for admission to the In- month of January, this year it was ternational College for the academic year 2013-2014 decided to have it in June – a more which did not require the award of scholarships were favorable time from the point of received. view of the weather. In attendance were 32 major superiors—provin- Some brothers in charge of offi ces and services of cial and viceprovincial ministers the General Curia were invited to the meeting and and custodes—elected in 2012 andd the Manual of the General Bursary was approved for in the fi rst fi ve months of this year. a period of three years. In the mornings the most impor-- Circumscriptions tant topics for animation were treat- The request of the Domus Presentiae in Arunchal ed, among which there were themes wide Capuchin patrimony. Pradesh, India to erect the Delegation of Arunchal such as: The fi gure and role of the Pradesh was accepted. Also, the Domus Presentiae minister, authority and obedience The participants had, as always, the in Malawi will become the Custody of Malawi. seen from the pastoral perspec- opportunity to meet those respon- tive, fi delity to the consecrated life, sible for the various offi ces and General Curia – Appointments particularly in the area of the vow services of the General Curia—to Br. Jean Marcel Rossini, of the Province of Sardinia 03 of chastity, the government of a meet in person those to whom a and Corsica, was appointed Secretary for the French circumscription under the juridical- minister interacts on a practical Language and Assistant General ; he will canonical aspect, the Constitutions level in the work and services of carry out at the same time the work of bursar of the and Statutes, fraternal collaboration these offi ces. This appointment was fraternity of Garbatella; between circumscriptions, forma- accompanied and closed by a frater- Br. Domenico Donatelli, of the Province of Apulia, tion in the Order, international eco- nal meeting with the whole fraterni- was appointed Liturgical Animator for the Interna- nomic solidarity, missionary anima- ty of the General Curia at a supper tion and animation in the area of in Frascati. To all of this was added tional College of St. . Justice, Peace and Ecology. a visit to the International College Br. Carlo Calloni, of the Province of Lombardy, was and to other central institutions of appointed Vicar of the fraternity of Garbatella; Among others, two documents ap- the Order: the Franciscan Museum, proved by the last General Chapter Br. Próspero Arciniegas of the Province of Colombia the Library, and the General Ar- was appointed a member of the General Formation in 2012 were presented: the fi rst chives. takes consideration the procedures Council as delegate of the CCA Conference. to be implemented in the case of On the morning of the last day, The fi rst recommendations for the celebration of abuse of children and vulnerable each participant was able to share CPO VIII, which will be dedicated to the theme of adults; the second regards the direc- his own experience of the week. “The grace of working,” were developed. tives in the area of fraternal collab- What was emphasized the most was oration between circumscriptions, the fraternal atmosphere created In the sixth Defi nitory meeting, held in Rome on known until recently as solidarity of among the participants, the pres- June 2013 during the meeting of new ministers, in personnel. In the economic sphere, ence of the General Minister and addition to the previously mentioned appointment in addition to emphasizing the need Defi nitors during the whole of the of a new General Defi nitor, Br. Hugo Mejia Morales, to further promote economic soli- gathering, the liturgical prayer and General Defi nitor, was appointed General Secretary darity, the General Bursar present- meditation made in common. for Missionary Animation and Br. Joaquim José ed a new initiative that will consist Hangalo of the Viceprovince of Angola as informa- tion systems manager at the General Curia. Franciscan friars at Mount Athos The International Franciscan Centre for Dialogue Fraternal visit to Turkey (CEFID) in Assisi, organized an offi cial visit to URKEY – The fraternal visita- all the friars. Especially striking was Mount Athos from June 10-12, 2013. This was in Ttion of the Custody of Turkey the Saturday evening in Maryemana response to an invitation from Fr. Ioustinos and Fr. was carried out on May 19-26 by Br. where there was a candlelight vigil Joannikios, two from Athos who came on Pio Murat, General Defi nitor, ac- for the feast of St. John with the pilgrimage to Assisi in October of 2012 along with companied by the Provincial Min- participation of a hundred Turkish the paternal blessing of the of Constanti- ister of Emilia-Romagna. Br. Pio, Christians from our communities. nople, Bartholomew I. originally from Izmir (ancient Smyr- Bishop Ruggero Franceschini pre- Participating in the visit were Jerzy Norel, Vicar na), was able to visit the four Ca- sided at the intense and participa- General of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual, puchin communities and speak with tory Sunday Mass at the tomb of Friar Mauro Gambetti, Custos of the Sacred Con- CAPUCHIN PRESENCE FRANCISCAN FAMILY vent in Assisi, Friar Silvestro Bejan, General Del- the Apostle in the presence of about three hundred Christians. The music egate for Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue, ministry was organized by the Christians of Antioch and by a group of young and two friends and collaborators of CEFID: Mr. Africans who live in Izmir. In the afternoon Br. Pio concluded the visit with Virgilio Avato of Grottaferrata and an honorary a meeting where all the friars of the Custody were gathered: he encouraged citizen of Patmos, and Mr. Ioannis Chrysafi s, a them in the apostolic work they carry out and invited them to look to the Greek journalist. It seems like a visit such as this future with confi dence, suggesting the discernment of projects for a renewed has never taken place in the history of the Francis- evangelization; this will also allow the involvement of other Provinces in this can Order. land so precious to Christians all over the world. Arriving at the sacred Monastery of Simonopetra, the afternoon of June 10th, the Friars were received in the great Chapter Hall in an atmosphere of genu- ine Christian fraternity demonstrating a splendid The Delegation of Cuba passes generosity and hospitality. During the course of the three day stay, there were continuing interesting to the province of Maranhão-Pará-Amapá dialogues with the , Fr. Elisha, and with the AS FECHAS, Cuba – After more bly of the delegation, celebrated from monks of the community, and it was agreed to re- Lthan two centuries of intense mis- June 1 - 3, 2013. It was attended by peat the meeting in Assisi in order to share the rich sionary work, the Province of Spain, the friars who work there, together spiritual heritage which has as its center, the union by decree of the General Minister, with the delegate, Br. Antonio Mar- with God and his Divine Light that transforms passes responsibility for the Del- tins, the Provincial Ministers: Br. us, because everything is identifi ed in the absolute Deusivan Santos (Maranhão- and infi nite thought of God. The Friars partici- Pará-Amapá) and Br. Benja- pated in the Divine Religious Ceremonies of the min Echeverría (Spain), the sacred Monastery of Simonopetra (Morning Prayer, General Defi nitor for Brazil, Divine Liturgy, Vespers), meals together with the Br. Sergio Dal Moro and the monks, and various moments of fraternity among General Defi nitor for the the monastic community. Spanish language, Br. Hugo Certainly, the monastic fathers of the holy Moun- Mejía, who read the decree tain of Athos received their Franciscan brothers of the General Minister and with great love, and thanks to this visit, another presided at the solemn Eu- small step has been realized in the seeking of a charist at which about twelve spiritual link and mutual openness in the search we Capuchins concelebrated. all share for God. Between the Spanish and the 04 Br. Silvestro Bejan, OFMConv. Brazilians, the Capuchins in General Delegate for Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue Cuba are ten, present in four egation of Cuba to the Province of fraternities and working in missionary The Franciscan Family at WYD Rio 2013 Maranhão-Pará-Amapá, Brazil. The service, in parishes, and in formation. transfer took place at a special assem- RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – The Franciscan Family of Brazil (FFB) is preparing to offer a true fraternal gathering for all who are related or attracted to the way of Ss. Francis and Clare of Capuchins at the ‘March for Life’ Assisi, a path that continues to have millions of EOUL – On June 8, 2013, nine This March for Life models itself followers and supporters all over the world. In terms of the schedule, there will be the follow- SCapuchin friars participated in the somewhat on the March begun in the ing Franciscan events: (1) International meeting second March for Life in Korea, an United States in 1973 to protest the le- of Franciscan Youth (YouFra) –from July 19 – 22 event sponsored by the Pro- in the city of São João del Rei, MG. (2) Vocation Life Alliance in the Yeouido Stand – between July 23 and 28, from 10 a.m. to 8 Hangang Park in Seoul. Despite p.m., in Quinta da Boa Vista in Rio de Janeiro. (3) the heat, many people came to- Franciscan Space – Meeting Place where there will gether ‘under the one umbrella’ be musical and artistic performances, workshops, of defending life from its be- and a place for prayer and refl ection to be offered ginning to natural end: lawyers, above all in a deeper fraternal communion on July professors, young people and 23, 25, and 26, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (4) The meet- Catholic religious, Protestants, ing with the Franciscan General Ministers – as a Buddhists, and ordinary folks of true family, there will be a close and direct dialogue all ages gathered outdoors near with the young people and Franciscans from all the Han River. The event was the branches of the Order. It will be on July 24 preceded by various preparatory and 3 p.m., in the church of San Sebastian, in the ‘warm ups,’ and began properly neighborhood of Tijuca, a great gathering of the with the talk of Father Casimiro whole Franciscan Family with the ministers and and then continued with musical per- galization of abortion in that country. other general superiors of the different branches of formances, dances, and testimonies. In Korea the fi rst March was in 2012. our diverse family.

editore Curia Generale dei Frati Minori Cappuccini responsabile Luciano Pastorello OFMCap Curia Generale OFMCap C.P. 18382 00163 ROMA Italia collaboratori Tutti i segretari della Curia generale impaginazione e grafi ca Marek Przeczewski OFMCap edizioni italiano francese inglese polacco spagnolo tedesco portoghese Tel. +39.06660521 Fax 0039.064828267 [email protected]