Europe Project: Cracow Meeting

The coordinating group of the friars commissioned by the General Minister for the Europe Project met from May 16 to 20, 2017. The Province of Cracow (Poland) welcomed the participants at the friary of Cracow (Olszanica).

A little history

The first meeting of the Europe Project group took place at Fátima in December 2014. The General Council, conference presidents, and all the major superiors of Europe participated. At the end of this meeting the General Minister, Br. Mauro Jöhri, sent to the whole Order the letter “Fraternity for Europe” which described everything that would become the Europe Project. A commission was also established: Br. Pio Murat, General Councilor, as president; Br. Eric Bidot, Provincial Minister of France; Br. Tomasz Żak, Provincial Minister of Cracow; Br. Eduard Rey, Provincial Councilor of Catalonia; Br. Gaetano La Speme, Provincial Minister of Syracuse, and Br. Jean-Marcel Rossini of the Province of Sardinia and Corsica as secretary.

A second, larger meeting was held in Venice in July 2016, at which about sixty friars from the various provinces and custodies of Europe participated. In this meeting the friars were able to reflect on the future of our communities on the European continent. By means of conferences, talks, and work in groups, they shared their hopes and concerns.

Why Cracow?

Already during the meeting in Venice, certain initiatives in Capuchin life in the Cracow Province were presented and many of the friars took an interest. Having the meeting in Cracow allowed the friars to visit these places—itinerant communities, communities with the poor, houses of prayer—and to know the Province better.

What was discussed?

During the meeting the friars reflected on the guidelines of the Project, according to which the fraternities of Clermont-Ferrand (France) and Kilkenny (Ireland) have taken off. They also spoke of the most recently started communities within the Project, at Spello (Italy) and at Lourdes (France) as well as looking forward to others.

Toward Lourdes

The next meeting of the Europe Project group will take place in Lourdes (France) from July 22 to 25, 2017.