FORMATION NEWS

Upcoming dates

September 8, 2026 San Damiano, Assisi

Reception into the Novitiate of Br. Oscar Gomez

October 10, 2026 Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua, Rome

Solemn Profession of Vows of Br. Dagoberto Hernandez Lopez, O.F.M.; Br. Efrain Gabriel Rojas Mendieta, O.F.M; and Br. Kevin Ottoniel Hernandez, O.F.M.

October 11, 2026 Basilica of Saint Peter, Vatican City

Ordination to the Diaconate of Br. Dagoberto Hernandez Lopez, O.F.M.; Br. Efrain Gabriel Rojas Mendieta, O.F.M; and Br. Kevin Ottoniel Hernandez, O.F.M.

Ordaining Bishop: Most Rev. Mauro Cardinal Gambetti, O.F.M. Conv., Archpriest of the Basilica of St. Peter.

From the Provincial Office

ATTENTION ALL FRIARS!

Photos Needed

We are in need of photos for our files. In many of the files of our friars, photos are very outdated. Some photos are from ordination or first professions, even those of us who are in our 70's or 80's. (No first communion pics please)

Please supply for the Provincial Curia files as soon as possible a current photo. Photo requirements:

Head and shoulder shot

In Habit

Plain background (no scenes)

JPEG format preferred

(email to jlorenzo@icprovince.org)

Hard Copies will be accepted (4 x 4)

Sample Photo Below

PROVINCE UNDER 10 HELD IN LYNN

From August 9–12, nine friars of the Province who have made their Solemn Profession within the past ten years gathered together with two friars who accompanied and facilitated the meeting. The Under Ten Gathering was a time to pause from the rhythm of ministry, reconnect with one another, and reflect on our vocation as brothers. It was an opportunity for prayer, ongoing formation, honest sharing, and fraternity.

We began our days by placing our gathering in the hands of the Lord through the Eucharist and Lauds. These moments of prayer reminded us that before anything we do, we are first called to be with the Lord and to walk together as brothers.

One of the first important moments of the gathering was the opportunity to share openly about our present experience of ministry and fraternity. We spoke about where we are, the joys we have experienced, the challenges we face, and the ways God continues to work in our lives. This sharing allowed us to listen to one another with greater openness and to recognize that, although each of us has a different experience, we share many of the same hopes, questions, struggles, and joys.

Fraternity was another central theme of our gathering. “The Lord gave me brothers.” We reflected on what it means to walk together as brothers and how our relationships with one another are an essential part of our Franciscan vocation. We were reminded that fraternity is not simply something we live because we share the same house or ministry, but a gift and a responsibility that requires presence, listening, patience, forgiveness, and care for one another.

Our ongoing formation also invited us to look at ourselves as whole persons. We reflected on integral health, sharing honestly about the importance of caring for our physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. It was a rich conversation, marked by trust and openness. We were able to speak about our own experiences and recognize the need to care for ourselves so that we can continue to serve others with greater freedom and generosity.

We also reflected on affectivity and the Theology of the Body, exploring how our human relationships, emotions, and capacity to love are deeply connected to our vocation. These conversations invited us to continue growing in self-awareness and to seek a mature and integrated way of living our consecrated life.

Another important part of the gathering was reflecting on our life of prayer and the challenge of finding a healthy balance between prayer and ministry. In the midst of the many demands of service, we were reminded of the words of St. Francis and his call not to “extinguish the spirit of prayer and devotion.”

Our ministry cannot be separated from our relationship with God. Prayer is not simply another activity in our schedule; it is the source from which our service and our life as friars must flow.

We were also grateful for the opportunity to share the experience of the Chapter of Mats – Under Ten in Assisi. Friar Daniel and I shared with the brothers what we experienced during that gathering of Under Ten friars from across the Order. This helped us connect our local experience as a Province with the wider Franciscan family and to see that our hopes and challenges are also shared by friars around the world.

As we came to the end of our gathering, we took time to put into writing our ideas, vision, and hopes for our Province. Rather than simply keeping the fruits of these days for ourselves, we wanted to find ways to share them with our brothers and allow this experience to contribute to the life of the whole Province.

Throughout these days, meals, conversations, prayer, and simple moments together were just as important as the formal sessions. Preparing and sharing meals, praying together, and sitting around the same table reminded us that fraternity is built not only through great conversations, but also through the ordinary moments of life.

As we concluded the gathering, we left with a deeper appreciation for the gift of our vocation and for the brothers with whom we share this journey. The Under Ten Gathering reminded us that we do not walk alone. We are called to continue growing, serving, praying, and discerning together, trusting that the Lord who called us continues to form us through one another.

May these days bear fruit in our lives, in our fraternities, and in the mission entrusted to us.

Br. Marco Antonio Gomez Garcia, OFM

Pope Leo Visits Assisi

"GO! Franciscan Youth Meeting" at Portiuncola

Eight centuries after the 30th May, 1221, when 5000 friars met at the church of Our Lady of the Angels to meet and pray together, on the 6th August, 2026, 2500 young people from all over Europe met in the same place to pray, welcome and dialogue with Pope Leo XIV, on his second visit to the Porziuncola of his pontificate. 

The meeting, which came at the end of the "GO! Franciscan Youth Meeting", promoted by the Ministers General of the Franciscan Family and organised by the Friars Minor of Assisi (OFM, OFMCap and OFMConv), in collaboration with the Diocese of Assisi - Nocera Umbra - Gualdo Tadino and Foligno and the City of Assisi, did not disappoint expectations. 

In the parvis of the Basilica, packed with young people and others, Pope Leo was greeted by Fr. Marco Vianelli OFM, Minister Provincial of the Seraphic Province of the Friars Minor of Umbria and Sardinia, in the presence of the Ministers General of the First Order of the Franciscan Family. 

This was followed by the long-awaited meeting with young people. Three of them – Karolina from Croatia, Giovanni, and Luigi from Italy – asked the Pontiff many questions, concerning the lives of young people like them, their realities, the world that changes too quickly, leaving doubts and uncertainties. 

To Karolina from Zagreb, who asked how she could bring hope to her peers, Leone replied by taking the example of Francis, his evangelical radicalism, following Christ and the joy of being together in His name: "Bear witness to this style everywhere, especially in a time when technology makes us unaccustomed to being together, amongst people of flesh and blood”, said the Pontiff. 

Giovanni di Bologna, on the other hand, questioned him on how to be able to make definitive decisions in a world where the culture of the provisional reigns. The Holy Father recalled how a definitive choice is not a cage, but a "revolutionary act", which, if done with faith, trust, and reliability in Christ, opens up new paths to be discovered, with God's help. He also shared his vocational experience: "The Lord has never left me alone: he has always accompanied me, also giving me people to walk with. Thus, in the vocation to be a priest, a member of the Augustinian community, a missionary, I found a light that guided me until today, until I had to say 'yes' to a very special call: that of being Pope". 

Luigi from the YouFra in Paternò, a small town in Sicily, focused on a phrase that many young contemporaries repeat, namely that "they believe, but not in the Church". In this case, Pope Leo took up the experience of Francis, who rediscovered Christ by contemplating the Crucifix, who invited him to "repair his house": "Each of us has a role in this construction site that is always open. We have different responsibilities and vocations, but we walk together, inspiring, helping and correcting each other. It is important to do our part. Then we will speak of the Church with the affection with which we speak of a Mother, because we will recognise that we belong to her." 

After greeting dozens of friars inside the cloister of the Basilica, Pope Leo XIV presided at Mass on the day of the Feast of the Transfiguration. In his homily, he emphasised how Our Lady of the Angels was first for St Francis, and then for St Clare, the place of their transfiguration, in which they welcomed the Gospel sine glossa, "without excuses or interpretations, and the life of Jesus began anew in them."  

The Pontiff recalled how the light of the Transfiguration is the same light of Easter morning, of the new day, "towards which we are oriented, while around us, and sometimes in us, it is still dark. We see the dawn of this in canonized saints, such as St. Francis and St. Clare, and in a myriad of brothers and sisters who respond to evil with good. We are not alone! In these days you have experienced this", said Leo, recalling the events that young people have experienced with the "Go! Franciscan Youth Meeting". And taking up the title of the event, the Holy Father made an appeal to all young people: "Today Europe and the whole world are looking for new saints in you: dare to believe in the word of the Gospel, become human with the freedom of Jesus Christ, embrace sister poverty! 

The title of your meeting – Go! – it is a mission, a sending out on roads of which we do not have maps, because they open by listening to the heart, obeying the Spirit, following the Risen One where he wanted to precede us. Go! Go! Better yet: let's go! Let's go! On the margins, where injustice and the arrogance of a few deny the dignity and dreams of many, of too many sons and daughters of God", to build a "civilisation of love whose sprouts you have found in so many examples of gratuitousness, and which transfigures – in the image of Christ – countless peacemakers even today committed to serving life in the most tragic scenarios of death". 

Before the final blessing, a young man, Francesco Varone, on behalf of all the participants of the meeting, thanked the Pontiff for his presence, asking him to pray for all the young people of the world. 

The first 2026 issue of Acta Ordinis Fratrum Minorum, covering the months of January through April, is now available. The volume brings together documents, provisions, appointments, and news concerning the life and activities of the Order during this period. The publication contains several documents related to the Eighth Centenary of the Transitus of St Francis, including the words addressed by Pope Leo XIV to the Franciscan Family and the decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary establishing a Franciscan Jubilee Year. It also includes several texts by the Minister General, Br Massimo Fusarelli, OFM: +The letter for the 2026 Sunday of the Word of God,  dedicated to Blessed Gabriele M. Allegra.

+The letter of the Franciscan Family on the occasion of the Eighth Centenary of the Transitus.

+The Easter letter; the Good Friday message for the day of prayer and penance for peace and reconciliation; and the letter of the Ministers  General of the Franciscan Family for the 2026 World Week of the Poor. The volume also provides information on preparations for the 2027 General Chapter, Provincial and Custodial Chapters, appointments and provisions issued by the government of the Order. It also contains documents and news from the various Secretariats and Offices of the General Curia concerning formation and studies, missions and evangelization, causes of canonization and beatification, the safeguarding of minors and vulnerable adults, Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation, the Secular Franciscan Order and the Poor Sisters of St Clare. This issue is completed by the chronicle of the Minister General’s visits, celebrations of the Franciscan Centenary, news from the various Entities of the Order, the necrology for 2026 and the Order’s statistics for 2026.

AVAILABLE ONLINE ON THE OFM.org website:

https://www.ofm.org/uploads/ActaOrdinis_Ianuarii - Aprilis_2026_N_1_web.pdf

Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe Conclude Chapter of Elections

The Friars Minor of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe concluded a historic Provincial Elective Chapter in St. Louis, MO (U.S.) on July17, gathering in prayer, fraternity, and discernment as they elected a new Provincial Government and reflected on the future of Franciscan life and ministry. The assembly marked the first Provincial Elective Chapter since the 2023 unification of five U .S.Franciscan Provinces. More than 300 friars from across the country came together on the 12th to the 17th July, 2026, to choose the new Provincial Government, deliberate on proposals, and celebrate their shared vocation, helping shape the next chapter in the life of the Province. 

“Brothers, we have a Provincial: Michael Perry,” announced Br. Larry Ford, OFM, Chapter Secretary, on Wednesday, the15th of July. After a brief pause, cheers swept

through the room. Applause followed, and the friars rose together in a standing ovation. Br. Michael Perry, OFM, was the first elected Minister Provincial of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe, receiving an absolute majority of Chapter Members’ votes. Visitor General and President of the Chapter Br. Teofil Czarniak, OFM, presented the provincial seal to Br. Michael, who received it with a quiet reverence.

Br. Michael, director of the Laudato Si’ Centre for Integral Ecology at Siena University in 

Loudonville, New York, served the Order of Friars Minor as Minister General, the 120th successor of St. Francis of Assisi, from 2013 to 2021,as well as Definitor Provincial and Minister Provincial for the legacy Sacred Heart Province. “I don’t deserve to be standing here,” Br. Michael said after making an oath of fidelity to the Catholic Church and promising to ensure the observance of the Rule and General Constitutions throughout the Province. “Pray for me, please, and thank you for your trust and your love.”

Br. Erick López, OFM, was later elected Vicar Provincial by majority vote. Br. Erick, who served on the first Provincial Definitory of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe and is based in Carolina, Puerto Rico, ministered for nearly nine years at St. Camillus Parish in 

Silver Spring, Maryland (U.S.). With his hand resting on the Book of Gospels, Br. Erick professed his belief in the doctrines of the Catholic Church with quiet reverence. “I promise to serve you with everything I have,” he said. Then, in Spanish, he added, “To my brothers in Puerto Rico, you touched my heart. Thank you.” 

Following the election, the friars gathered in prayer as the newly elected Minister Provincial and Vicar Provincial professed the Oath of Fidelity and the Profession of Faith. Beyond elections, the Chapter served as a forum for fraternity, reflection, and decision-making. Friars reviewed reports, discussed proposals, and considered priorities that will help shape

the province’s mission in the years ahead. Discussions were lively and open, as friars shared hopes, concerns, and aspirations, often punctuated by moments of fraternity and well-timed levity.

In addition to electing a Minister Provincial and Vicar Provincial, the Chapter Members also selected members of the Provincial Definitory, who will serve alongside the new Provincial Government in guiding the life and ministry of the Province:

Br. John Aherne, OFM

Br. Peter Boegel, OFM

Br. George Camacho, OFM

Br. Henry Fulmer, OFM

Br. Colin King, OFM

Br. Roger Lopez, OFM

Br. Rommel Perez Flores, OFM

With the election of new leaders, proposal votes finalized, and the chapter concluded, the focus turned to honoring the jubilarians whose decades of faithful service helped shape the Franciscan life being carried forward today. Amongst them: Br. James Bok, OFM, marking 50 years of priesthood, offered younger friars simple advice drawn from a life-time of ministry: “Say yes to the unexpected. I never planned or expected to be involved

in any of the ministries that were mine,” he said. “It’s been an incredible and blessed ride,

with someone else at the wheel. Brothers, say yes to the unexpected. The Holy Spirit is in it some where!”

September Birthdays

Take time to wish our brothers a Happy Birthday!

Dennis Arambasick - September 3rd - (78)

Thomas Hollowood -September 4th - (91)

Kevin Gabriel Gonzalez Vega- September 7 (35)

Daniel Cavalieri - September 10th - (38)

Eissa Lazzaro Aziz - September 11th - (60)

Richard Martignetti - September 18th - (60)

Charles Trebino - September 26th - (78)

Damian Johnson - September 27th - (81)

Charles Soto - September 27th - (84)

BROTHERS:

Please print out a copy of this newsletter to share with those in your community who do not have email. We hope that every friar in our province will have access to the Newsletter and that a printed copy will be posted on your friary bulletin board.

Thank you