The
Office of General Assistant for the Capuchin Poor Clares and affiliated
institutes was formally established in 1970 when the definitory
named Br. Lázaro Iriarte as the first general assistant.
He was followed by Br. Leonhard Lehmann in 1990, Br. John Bednarik
in the year 2000 and Br. Juan María Castro Gárate
(Viceprovince of Mexico) in 2007. The purpose of this office is
not to have authority over the sisters but rather to provide animation
and representation with the First Order by means of a general
assistant. The duties of a general assistant include the publication
of a bulletin once a year (Pax
et Bonum) the visiting of the convents and the organization
of workshops/conferences for the local assistants and/or nuns
if requested.
The four main groups that are represented are:
1) Capuchin Poor Clares (about 150 monasteries
in the world);
2) Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration (about
25 monasteries);
3) Capuchins of the Third Order Regular (about
16 monasteries);
4) Capuchins of Frances Taffin (a small group of 23 sisters
in four monasteries)
The total number of sisters is about 3,000.
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