Christ sent everyone out to evangelize: the apostles, the seventy-two disciples, and, we might say, all the baptized. All Christians are sent by the Lord to evangelize. The mission must not be limited to priests alone. The laity cannot be viewed merely as the recipients of evangelization, for whoever welcomes the Gospel and makes it a way of life is called to evangelize. Let us consider how important it is to evangelize together: friars, consecrated sisters, and laypeople.
In this spirit, we would like to invite you to the Fourth Inter-Franciscan Online Course, organized by the Secretaries of Missions of the First Order and TOR, which this year invites us to reflect on the theme: “Evangelizing Together: Friars and Laity Inspired by the Same Charism,” to be held on November 17, 18 and 19, 2026, in the morning (from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – Rome time). You will be able to follow the course by selecting translations in Italian, English, French, Spanish, and Polish.
There will be three mornings dedicated to reflecting on how to evangelize together. Men and women religious, laypeople, young people, and volunteers are called to share our diverse experiences, perspectives, and gifts. We will reflect on the foundations of this journey, on the specific contribution each of us can offer, and on the difficulties that still hinder its full realization. Indeed, it is not a matter of distinguishing between leaders and collaborators, but of recognizing that we are all jointly responsible, each according to our own vocation and gifts.
We invite all of you, brothers and sisters of our Franciscan Family, to take part in these events.
May the Lord grant us the creativity and courage to proclaim the Gospel—not merely side by side, but together. And may the Gospel increasingly shape our lives.
Program: IV Corso inter-francescano_EN
Letter from the Ministers General: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1dP7qrduRxlXy3L55wFeuPgb3VtOzPytD?usp=sharing
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