From January 11 to 13, 2026, the fifth assembly of CEMCap was held at the “Domus Laetitiae” in Assisi. Present were the provincial ministers of Campania-Basilicata, Catalonia, Central Italy, Croatia, Emilia-Romagna, Genoa, Lombardy, Malta, Marche, Piedmont, Portugal, Puglia, Sardinia, Slovenia, Spain, Tuscany, and Veneto; the custodes of Romania and the Near East, the delegates of Albania, Greece, and Turkey, a representative of the presence in Algeria, the provincial vicar of the Province of Sicily, the provincial vicar of the Province of France, and a councilor from the Province of Foggia. In addition, one of the provincial ministers of CENEC (Br. Paweł Szymala, Prov. Warsaw, Poland), the Secretary of CEMCap (Br. Luca Romani), and on the first day the General Minister (Br. Roberto Genuin), the two General Councilors of CEMCAP (Br. Maurizio Placentino and Br. Leon Budău), and the General Councilor of CENEC (Br. Marek Miszczyński).
The primary purpose of the meeting was to help participants reflect together on the situation, challenges, and possibilities of the Order in Europe. Along with the initial suggestions of the General Minister, the CENEC Councilor Br. Marek Miszczyński greatly contributed to this process. On the morning of the first day, Br. Marek drew inspiration from the General Minister’s 2025 initial letter of the sexennium (particularly Nos. 21 and 22) and presented an incisive report on the theme “Map of Our Capuchin Presence in Europe,” followed by some discussion by the participants and work in small groups. Brother Marek encouraged the participants to begin thinking about the future of the Order in Europe, presenting the St. Lawrence Fraternities as one way (not the only way) in which we can remain significantly present in a future Europe.
The ministers, custodes, and delegates then had the opportunity to share the fruits of their work in small groups during online meetings held in the months leading up to the assembly. These online meetings allowed participants to get to know each other and discuss their experiences in their provincial councils and the theme of the upcoming IX CPO. On the second day, Br. Pietro Maranesi and Br. Giacomo Franchini offered more reflections in the hall, the former with a report on the figure of St. Francis in the Capuchin Constitutions of 1536 and 2013, and the latter by sharing the rich experience of the meeting of lay brothers held in Rome between November 3 and 10, noting some differences within the Order: for example, in Asia and Africa the presence of lay brothers is slighter and their value less explicit than in other geographical areas.
The assembly was also an opportunity to hear about what is being done in CENEC: Fr. Paweł Szymala offered a beautiful summary of the progress made in his conference, highlighting challenges and possibilities. In addition, a joint meeting of the two European conferences was proposed for June 2027, to promote mutual understanding and fraternal collaboration between CEMCap and CENEC, seeking to unite their strengths before uniting their weaknesses.
On the last day of the assembly, presentations by CEMCap representatives for formation (Br. Massimo Ezio Putano), youth and vocation ministry (Br. Raffaele Orlando and Br. Gabriele Attanasi), and mission secretaries (Br. Matteo Ghisini) helped the provincials, custodes, and delegates to appreciate the process of collaboration that is beginning in these three areas of CEMCap, emphasizing how the pre-existing initiatives of the Italian circumscriptions are now gradually seeing the active participation of other members of the circumscriptions of Europe.
The meeting took place in a spirit of fraternal joy and collaboration. There was also a Eucharistic celebration at the tomb of St. Francis which had special meaning after the opening of the eighth centenary of the Transitus of Our Seraphic Father that took place at the Portiuncula on January 10th. The prayer in various languages, the sincere exchange during moments of sharing, and the desire to find new paths together bode well for the future journey of this new reality within the Order.