Thirty delegates from around the world are gathered through October 30 to reflect on mission and collaboration. The Minister General’s invitation: to transcend local boundaries and open ourselves to genuine fraternal solidarity.
The 9th Plenary Council of the Order (PCO IX), taking place in Rome from October 11 to 30, 2026, began with joy and in an atmosphere of brotherhood and prayer. The proceedings, focused on the themes of Mission, Fraternal Collaboration, and the Fraternities of St. Lawrence, include the participation of 30 delegates representing the nine conferences of the Capuchin Order, together with the General Minister, Br. Roberto Genuin, and his Council.
This long-awaited occasion of grace, reflection, and decision for the entire Order officially began on October 12 with a Eucharistic celebration presided over by the General Minister. In his homily, drawing inspiration from the day’s readings, Br. Roberto issued a powerful call to the entire fraternity: to rediscover “spiritual intelligence.” Authentic renewal, he emphasized, cannot stem from our works or our merits, but must be grounded in God’s mercy and in the salvation given in Christ.
Looking both to the past and to the future, the General Minister recalled how, over the centuries, the Order has been able to follow the Master through periods of missionary zeal, facing trials, and building solid institutions. But today, in the face of rapid societal changes, “we no longer have time to rest on our laurels.” The challenge requires a profound “exercise in steadfastness and freedom”: we must remain firmly rooted in the faith in order to free ourselves from the burdens of the past, while planning a future faithful to our Franciscan identity. Recalling the figure of St. Seraphin of Montegranaro, whose feast day was being celebrated that day, Br. Roberto pointed to humility, service to our brothers, and attentive listening to the Word as the fundamental attitude for the Council’s work.
At the conclusion of the Mass, the friars gathered in procession and made their way to the Aula Magna, pausing in prayer before an altar dedicated to the Divine Shepherdess, patroness of the Capuchin Missions. There, invoking the light of the Holy Spirit, the General Minister officially declared PCO IX open.
The first sessions of the day were devoted to formalities, such as confirming the attendance of the delegates, electing certain PCO officers (including the moderators and the presidential council), and presenting the PCO’s organizational structure. In the afternoon, after resolving logistical matters, the proceedings got into full swing with an important opening address by the General Minister.
Br. Roberto clarified the nature and objectives of the Plenary Council, outlining from the outset some crucial challenges facing the Order in terms of its mission and collaboration:
- Overcoming Closure: There is an urgent need to form friars with a genuinely missionary spirit, moving away from that narrow-minded attitude that leads one to look only at the boundaries of one’s own circumscription.
- Welcoming as Gift: The Western world faces the challenge of welcoming friars from other parts of the world, viewing them as a precious gift, and thereby overcoming the rigidity of local traditions.
- True Solidarity: The mission must be freed from economic considerations or interests: true support must come exclusively through the solidarity of the entire Order, in order to preserve the authentic nature of the mission.
Thus began the Order’s Ninth Plenary Council. We invite all friars and the faithful to follow the proceedings and updates through our official communication channels.
