The Members of the Chapter left Jerusalem and Ain Karem and headed to Bethlehem on Sunday the 8th July to conclude the Chapter in the place where the Word had manifested Himself in human flesh.
The work was brought to a close in the morning with the drafting of a “Message to the Ministers, Custodes and all the Friars”, in which, going back over the process of preparation and the running of the Chapter, some difficulties, and hope for their solution, were pointed out and some desires and proposals for improving the quality of the identity and mission of the Friars Minor were manifested.
Following a fraternal exchange with the General Definitory, the Minister presented his conclusions. Br. José R. Carballo expressed two convictions and two fears: the conviction that life is good and should not be lived in mediocrity, and, at the same time, the conviction that life is also difficult and requires sacrifice and self-discipline.
The fears highlighted, on the other hand, are those concerning the structures (physical, of life and mentality) and of the tendency towards comfortable middle-class living. The Minister General asked the young Friars to become creative in their fidelity, “new wine in new wineskins”. Finally, he pointed out five items that should be attended to in the future: the quality of fraternal life, an improvement in communications, the sense of belonging to the Order, the closing of the gap between initial and ongoing formation, and openness to the missionary projects of the Order.
The work was brought to a close in the morning with the drafting of a “Message to the Ministers, Custodes and all the Friars”, in which, going back over the process of preparation and the running of the Chapter, some difficulties, and hope for their solution, were pointed out and some desires and proposals for improving the quality of the identity and mission of the Friars Minor were manifested.
Following a fraternal exchange with the General Definitory, the Minister presented his conclusions. Br. José R. Carballo expressed two convictions and two fears: the conviction that life is good and should not be lived in mediocrity, and, at the same time, the conviction that life is also difficult and requires sacrifice and self-discipline.
The fears highlighted, on the other hand, are those concerning the structures (physical, of life and mentality) and of the tendency towards comfortable middle-class living. The Minister General asked the young Friars to become creative in their fidelity, “new wine in new wineskins”. Finally, he pointed out five items that should be attended to in the future: the quality of fraternal life, an improvement in communications, the sense of belonging to the Order, the closing of the gap between initial and ongoing formation, and openness to the missionary projects of the Order.