Kerala, INDIA — From April 1 to 30, 2026, the “Preparatory Course for Perpetual Profession” (PCPP) was held at the Amala Ashram in the Capuchin Province of St. Joseph, Kerala, where the Capuchins of the Indian Conference (CCMSI) were entrusted with the task of leading the organization and facilitation of the course. This year, Br. Amal Keeprath, OFMCap., as program director, together with Br. Joseph Joseph Kolendesh, OFMCap., and Br. Augustine Newton, OFMCap., accompanied these young friars.
The PCPP is a one-month intensive course that began as a joint initiative of the entire Franciscan Family (male orders) present in India. The course aims to prepare student friars through an intense period of prayer, discernment, and fraternal interaction before they make their perpetual profession. This joint initiative has been held annually over the span of 38 years. This year, the course was attended by 73 friars in formation from the Indian provinces of the Friars Minor, the Friars Minor Conventual, the Capuchin Friars Minor, and the TOR.
The daily schedule provided a balanced mix of times for prayer, in-depth study sessions, personal reflection, group sharing, community life, work, and leisure. The topics of study helped the friars deepen their living of the Franciscan charism, spirituality, the evangelical counsels, vocational discernment, discipleship, leadership, community life, and the challenges of religious commitment in the contemporary world. The preparatory course for perpetual profession was also an opportunity to share the cultural richness and diversity of Franciscan presences and testimonies in India.
One very important factor that contributed to the program’s development was the course’s location, as the Capuchin Spirituality Center “Amala Ashram” is nestled in a lush natural setting that offers an experience of being fully immersed in Creation.
The presence of the president of the Capuchin Conference of India, visits from various provincial ministers, the participation of several scholars, and the close support of the local province underscore the importance of this inter-Franciscan formation program, which is unique in India. As usual, this year the friars returned to their respective circumscriptions with a deeper spiritual conviction, renewed enthusiasm, and a greater appreciation for the Franciscan call and charism, to which they will remain committed for life.