As we approach our Provincial Chapter and the election of a new Provincial Minister, we ask God's blessing for Fr. Robert Campagna, O.F.M. Bob has been a blessing to our province, and we wish him well in every endeavor. We know that wherever he may go and wherever God leads him, he will always have a special place in the hearts of all the Friars of our Province. God bless you Bob, and thank you for your many years of sacrifice and dedication to God, the Church, the Order, and our Province.

Ad multos annos.

News from the Convento San Francesco

Dear brothers, receive a fraternal greeting of peace and good. As every month, it is always a pleasure to greet you and to be able to share our community life with you and the entire provincial family.

This month is a time filled with much pastoral and academic activity, activities that keep us very active and busy. With joy we have concluded this year in the different pastoral centers, which we have attended once a week throughout this entire year. With joy our brothers Gabriel Rojas and Kevin Leonel have finished their apostolate in Santa Lucia parish with the sacrament of confirmation with a Mass presided over by the Cardinal Vicar of Rome, His Eminence Baldo Reina. At the same time, our brothers Aldair Calderón together with Daniel Ramírez have accompanied a group of post-communion children. Our brothers Dagoberto Hernández together with Kevin Gabriel Gonzales worked with the SHALOM movement, providing evangelization service in St. Peter's Square with the young people and tourists who approached. Kevin Otoniel, Luis Hernández and this your servant worked in health pastoral care at Gemelli Hospital visiting the sick, and seeking to give a word of encouragement and above all companionship in difficult moments for them. These are very different experiences but each one very enriching for the personal, fraternal and spiritual life of each one.

We have also had the opportunity to welcome delightful visits to our convento, such as all the Poor Clare sisters from the monastery of Anagni, representing different nationalities: Italian, Nicaraguan, Honduran, Venezuelan and Colombian. This is a monastery of 28 cloistered nuns from our Second Order, abundant in vocations and full of hope for the Second Order. Our house also had the joy of welcoming all the novices from Italy, including our novice brothers Jimmy, Manuel and Eduardo, who shared with us a beautiful afternoon on our welcoming terrace while we contemplated a beautiful sunset with a view of St. Peter's.

We have also celebrated the birthdays of our dear brothers Father Pierre, our formator, and our Brother Luis, as well as the name day of our guardian, Father Antonio Riccio.

During this time of examinations and preparation for our provincial chapter, we wish to express our solidarity with all the capitular brothers, united in prayer as one provincial family. We give thanks to Father Robert Campagna OFM and his entire definitorium for all their time of service to our province. 

May the Lord give you his peace. 

Fraternally, Brother Oscar Valle OFM.

FRIAR LEONARDO MORLES GONZALEZ ORDAINED DEACON

On Friday, May 23, 2025, Friar Leonardo Morles Gonzalez, O.F.M. was ordained to the diaconate by Bishop Angelo Falzon, O.F.M., Bishop of Comayaga, Honduras. the ordination took pace at the Chapel of the Orfanato Valle de Los Angeles, Guatemala, where Friar Leonardo is stationed. Congratulations to our new deacon.

"Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach." (Rite of Ordination of Deacons)

MINISTER GENERAL MEETS WITH NOVICES OF THE ITALIAN PROVINCES

On Tuesday 27th of May, the Minister General, Fr. Massimo Fusarelli, and the General Definitor, Fr. Cesare Vaiani, met in the General Curia the 21 novices of the two novitiates present in Italy: those of San Damiano and La Verna.

Accompanied by Fr. Simone Ceccobao, Novice Master at San Damiano, and Frs. Francesco Bartoli and Fr. Raffaele Messa, Vice Masters at La Verna, the young friars were received in a fraternal meeting by Fr. Massimo and Fr. Cesare, with whom they talked about tracts of the The charisma of the Minor Friars in dialogue with the challenge of interculturality. Included in this group were the three novices of our province currently at the novitiate of the Assisi Province at San Damiano, Italy. They are Friars Manuel l Eduardo Alvarado Salinas, Manuel Alejandro Chavarria Blanco, and Jimmy Marchante. As indicated above in the Convento San Francesco report, the novices also visited our own Convento for a time of fraternity with our own brothers.

Fr. Rick Martignetti, O.F.M., Provincial Definitor and Vice President for Ministry and Mission at Sacred Heart University, Indianapolis, meets with our three novices during his recent school pilgrimage to Italy.

On the solemnity of Pentecost, the Portiuncula welcomed the beginning of the Plenary Council of the Order (CPO), which began immediately after the conclusion of the Chapter of Mats. From June 8 to 12, 2025, at the Domus Pacis, adjacent to the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels in Porziuncola, the Plenary Council of the Order of Friars Minor (PCO) took place. This is an institutional event of great importance, celebrated right next to the place that represents the cradle of the Order, where St. Francis lived fundamental moments of his vocation.

The meeting began with the report of the Minister General, Br. Massimo Fusarelli, OFM, who stressed that the CPO was born from the grace of the International Chapter of Mats that ended on the same day. For seven days, friars, religious women and lay members of the Franciscan Family from all continents reflected on charism, fraternity (communion) and mission in our time.

The Minister General emphasized that “we cannot limit ourselves to maintaining what we have received, nor continue to settle for marginal adjustments. We need the audacity to rethink our way of being fraternity, both international and local, our structure and the capacity for greater collaboration”.

Br. Massimo also spoke of the need to renew initial formation and the meeting with young people, to carry out a review of the Ratio Formationis Franciscanae and to adapt the General Definitory to the new Franciscan geography. He also indicated that for the General Chapter 2027 crucial issues such as the Franciscan identity in the change of epoch, the Government of the Order, and the role of the Conferences in authentic co-responsibility are envisaged.

Subsequently, Sister Chiara Codazzi presented a summary of the final Document of the Chapter of Mats, underlining the importance of opening to the Holy Spirit as the protagonist of the journey. “It is He who has raised up the Franciscan forma vitae and only He can vivify it, renew it and open new horizons”.

The program also included the approval of the regulations and the election of the Economic Affairs Council of the CPO. The day ended with the recitation of Vespers in linguistic groups.

This Plenary Council marks an important moment to discern the steps necessary for the future of the Order, especially in view of the General Chapter of 2027.

But what exactly is the Plenary Council of the Order?

It is a fraternal assembly that brings together representatives from all the Conferences of the Order around the world. Approximately 60 friars participate, including two delegates from each Conference or Region, together with the Minister General and his Definitory, various members of the support staff, translators, and secretaries.

The main purpose of the PCO is to reflect deeply on the journey of the Order, address current challenges, and formulate concrete proposals for the next General Chapter in 2027. On this occasion, the insights that emerged during the recent Chapter of Mats will also be revisited.

Among the central themes of the 2025 edition are:

• Accompanying the processes of degrowth and transformation of the Entities;
• An evaluation of the current structure of the Conferences and Regions of the Order;
• Reflection on the number and role of the Definitors General;
• Review of the mandates of the 2021 General Chapter.

All of this will be lived in a spirit of listening, discernment, and fraternity, under the guiding theme:

“Living the Gospel, incarnating the charism, responding to the mission.”

The PCO is not only a time for analysis and planning, but above all an opportunity to renew our common desire to serve the Gospel mission according to the Franciscan charism, where it all began: at the Porziuncola.

Friar Paschal DeMattia, OFM from Padua Friary, New York City, to St. Patrick Home, Framingham, Massachusetts.

Friar Alfonse Ferreira, OFM, from the Listening Place, Lynn, Massachusetts to St. Patrick Home, Framingham, MA.

Summer Assignment of Friars from the Convento S. Francesco

Friar Dagoberto Hernandez Lopez - Blessed Sacrament, Manchester

Friar Kevin Ottoniel Hernandez- Mount Alvernia, Wappingers Falls

Friar Gabriel Rojas Mendieta - Mount Alvernia, Wappingers Falls

Friar Kevin Leonel Flores Godoy- St. Leonard of Port Maurice, Boston

Nelson Aldair Orantes Calderon has withdrawn from the Province's formation program.

PROVINCIAL CHAPTER NEWS 2025

The Provincial Chapter of 2025 begins on Monday, June 23, 2025 at Saint Francis Centre, Caledon, Ontario, and concludes on June 27. Important events of the chapter will be:

Monday, June 23 First Plenary Session at 1:30 PM

Appointments of committees, election of Plenary Session Moderators

Tuesday, June 24 Presentation on Child Protection (Morning)

Report of the Provincial Minister (Afternoon)

Election of the Provincial Minister and Confirmation

Wednesday, June 25

Visitation Report

Chapter Reports

Straw Ballot for Vicar and Definitors

Thursday, June 26

Province Financial Report (Morning)

Chapter Reports (Afternoon)

Election and Confirmation of Vicar and Definitors

Friday, June 17

Closing Mass, Unfinished Business, Conclusion

Chapter Officials

Chapter Steering Committee: Visitator and Definitorium

Secretary of the Chapter-  Br. Joseph Lorenzo

Assistant Secretaries- Brs. Alvin Te, Michael Ledoux

Legislation Committee: Brs. Michael Corcione, Antonio Riccio, Marco Antonio Gomez

Hospitality Committee: Brs. Anthonio Nardoianni, Daniel Cavalieri, Marco Antonio Gomez

Liturgy Committee: Brs. Jack Sidoti, Joshua Critchley, Bruce Czapla

Candidates for Moderators of Plenary Sessions: (Five chosen, three will be elected at Chapter) Brs. Richard Martignetti, Michael Della Penna, John Bucchino, Pierre Farrugia, Mario Julian.

Election Teller: Br. Jack Sidoti (One other will be appointed at Chapter)

NOTICE

Please remember to notify the Provincial Office if you have changed your email, phone number, cell number, or address. Thank you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR BROTHERS

John Bucchino - July 2 (80)

Albert Gauci - July 7 (78)

Joseph LaGressa - July 10 (77)

Francis Walter- July 13 (75)

Kevin Leonel Flores Godoy - July 22 (30)

Michael Corcione - July 23 (64)

Jose Alvin Te - July 25 (51)

Primo Piscitello - July 27 (91)

Claude Scrima - July 28 (91)