Everyday the plenary council experiences a meaningful liturgical celebration in six languages: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish with an occasional addition of Polish and Indonesian. The liturgical animator is Br. Patrick McSherry of the Province of Detroit. Today’s principal celebrant was Br. Ennio Tiacci, who celebrated his 32nd anniversary of priestly ordination.

Br. Giuseppe Scarvaglieri, ofm. cap, from the Province of Messina, opened the morning session with the topic: Power and Capuchin Fraternal Life Today. He holds a doctorate in Sociology from the Gregorian University in Rome. He teaches Sociology of Religion in the Gregorian and Lateran universities. According to the speaker, power, with minority as its corresponding “shadow side”, has been a characteristic of much of the human condition throughout history. Even the spiritual evangelical life is greatly affected by power-related issues. Often, the exercise of power is in stark contrast to the example of Christ, which Francis put forward for his brothers. If we want to examine the phenomenology of power, we can look at the sources of power itself: its exploitation as sacred power, using tradition as a source of power, and the conditioning power of the modern world. A basic explanation for the misuse of power in our context can be found in the lack of understanding of the relational theory, and in the negative implications of the process of institutionalization. Hence, the need for a correct anthropological interpretation of human relationships, combining cultural motivations with cultural manifestations in such a way that human behavior acquires new aims and spiritual plausibility.

In the afternoon session, Prof. Giuseppe De Rita elucidated the concept of power and Capuchin minority and itinerancy. He spoke about power on three levels: 1) planetary or global power as controlling the countries by UN declarations and force; 2) intermediary power as self-perpetuating forces like modern technology, finance and military apparatus; and 3) individual power as competence or professionalism. He said all these levels of power are self-feeding machines. They do not readily welcome others into their circle. Professor De Rita said that friars should live on the periphery or fringe of the society, which is challenging today. They should understand the power-operating systems before going there because “truth is found on the edges”. He concluded that friars should courageously say no to all these levels of power. This is part of their minority or itinerancy.