From July 6 to 17, 2026, the Santa Veronica Giuliani Formation House and College, in the State of Mexico, hosted the annual assembly of the abbesses of the three federations of the Capuchin Poor Clares of the five Federations in America and the Capuchin Poor Clares of the Blessed Sacrament in Mexico. The gathering brought together the superiors of monasteries from across the continent for several days of intensive instruction, discernment, and fraternity.
The proceedings were led by the presidents of the five federations: Mother Rosa María Ramírez Valencia (Federation of the Most Holy Sacrament), Mother María de Jesús Centeno Padilla (Federation of the Immaculate Conception and Our Father Saint Francis), Mother Jovita Humérez (Federation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary), and Mother Elizabeth Flores (Federation of Our Lady of the Angels).
Also in attendance at the event were the religious assistants of the federations (Br. Juan Miguel Subiza Azcona, Br. Pablo Jaramillo Escobar, and Br. Constantino Alonso Zaldívar), the president of the confederation of the Americas, Mother María Amparo Carlos Berumen, and Br. Clézio Menezes dos Santos, the General Minister’s delegate for the Capuchin Poor Clares.
Formation and Current Challenges
A significant portion of the program was led by Br. Alfredo Rava, Vice-Procurator General of the Order, who conducted a comprehensive instructional program focused on the main challenges facing contemplative consecrated life today. Among the topics covered were the exercise of authority, legal aspects related to the various forms of separation from a religious institute (exclaustration, definitive departure, dismissals), ecclesiastical offenses in administrative and financial matters, and the various types of abuse within the Church. Significant attention was also devoted to the study of the papal documents Vultum Dei Quaerere and Cor Orans, which serve as cornerstones for the reorganization of women’s contemplative life.
Updating the Constitutions and Historical Roots
The assembly also provided an opportunity to appraise various shared practical issues, such as the report on the common novitiate and proposals for updating the federal statutes. In this context, Br. Clézio Menezes dos Santos presented a comprehensive report on the process of updating the Order’s Constitutions—a text currently observed by approximately 150 monasteries in 26 countries—which is being promoted globally to foster a renewal that is faithful to the charism of St. Clare and fully in harmony with current ecclesiastical legislation.
Furthermore, it was an opportunity for reflection on the Order’s own living memory, thanks to a presentation by historian Prof. Evaristo Robles, who traced the history of Mexican monasteries, highlighting the spiritual richness and the quiet yet significant contribution of women religious to the country’s history.
The Conclusion of the Meeting
With a strong spirit of Capuchin-Franciscan communion, the assembly concluded with a Eucharistic celebration presided over by Br. Clézio Menezes dos Santos. In his homily, the General Minister’s delegate invited the sisters to joyfully cherish the charism they have received, so that they may continue to be a living presence of Christ from the silence of their monasteries.