Fifty bishops from around the world gathered in Assisi to spend some time in fellowship, reflect on the theology of “closeness,” and journey together toward the 500th anniversary of the Capuchin reform
From September 10th to 13th, 2026, the city of Assisi hosted a meeting of Capuchin bishops. The event was attended by fifty bishops from around the world—including North and South America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania—along with the General Minister, the General Council, and various collaborators. This time of exceptional communion was blessed with the presence of three of our four Capuchin cardinals (Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungo, Cardinal Sean O’Malley, and Cardinal Celestino Aós Braco) and the two former general ministers, Br. Mauro Jöhri and Br. John Corriveau, now a bishop.
The Unveiling and Presentation of the Pectoral Cross
The gathering took place with a deep spirit of brotherhood, alternating between times of study, prayer, and sharing. It began on September 10th at the Domus Laetitiae in Assisi with an opening address and greeting from the General Minister, who thanked those who had requested and promoted the gathering, as well as each bishop for his service to the Church. At the end of his address, each bishop was presented with a simple pectoral cross, rich in charismatic symbolism, enclosed in a pouch sewn by a group of Ukrainian mothers who had lost their children in the war. The involvement of these mothers was encouraged by the Capuchin friars in Ukraine. The first day concluded with vespers, led by Cardinal Ambongo Besungo in the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, which began with a procession passing through the Portiuncula.
Ecclesiological Reflection and a Return to the Origins
September 11th and 12th were devoted to presenting the various diocesan contexts in which bishops serve the local churches, and to exploring several theological topics in depth. One such presentation was a talk by Prof. Dario Vitali, a professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University, who offered an ecclesiological reflection on the delicate balance between institution and charism found in religious who have become bishops, with specific reference to members of the Capuchin Order. The participants then attended to their spiritual lives by visiting churches, praying, and celebrating the Eucharist. One of these celebrations took place at the Shrine of the Renunciation, entrusted to us Capuchins, and a Mass presided over by Bishop Felice Accroca, Bishop of Assisi-Nocera Umbra-Gualdo Tadino, in the crypt of the Basilica of St. Francis at the tomb of the Seraphic Father. At the Sacro Convento, Bishop Felice Accroca then shared his profound knowledge of Franciscanism through a learned and thought-provoking reflection.
The “Frontier Vocation” and the “Theology of Closeness”
The final day began with a Mass with Cardinal Sean O’Malley presiding. Br. Mauro Jöhri then delivered the closing address, focusing on the gift of the Capuchin bishop’s vocation—one that often calls him to serve in frontier regions and to go “where no one else wants to go.” Br. Mauro also invited everyone to look to the future, in anticipation of the upcoming 500th anniversary of the Capuchin reform, to bring the charism to an increasingly interconnected and globalized world.
The journey toward the 500th anniversary of the Capuchin reform has been recognized as a crucial opportunity to rediscover the roots of our charism. According to Archbishop Andrés Stanovnik, Archbishop Emeritus of Corrientes (Argentina), the fundamental value that unites the identity of the friar with that of the bishop is “closeness”: not merely a sociable attitude, but a genuine theological stance that embraces the concrete, wounded human person, following the example of St. Francis, who did not renew the Church through abstractions, but by embracing lepers and sitting side by side with the poor, always obeying the Holy Father.
This fourth meeting of Capuchin Bishops—a tradition officially begun in 2000 by the then General Minister, Br. John Corriveau—represents an important step on the journey toward the 500th anniversary of the reform. As Cardinal Sean O’Malley emphasized, returning to Assisi during the jubilee year of St. Francis was “a great honor” and a “wonderful opportunity to experience the fraternity of so many bishops from around the world.”
