CEMCap Assembly 2024

From June 3 to 5, 2024, the CEMCap assembly took place at the Capuchin friary “Cristo del Pardo” in Madrid. Present were the provincials of Calabria, Campania-Basilicata, Catalonia, Central Italy, Croatia, Emilia-Romagna, Foggia, France, Genoa, Lombardy, Malta, Marche, Piedmont, Portugal, Puglia, Sardinia, Sicily, Slovenia, and Spain; the custodes of Romania, Ticino and Near East; and Delegates from Albania, Greece and Türkiye and a representative of the presence in Algeria.

The meeting was first and foremost intended to help the brothers reflect on the realities, challenges and possibilities in the Mediterranean. On the morning of the first day, Br. Stefano Luca OFMCap and Br. Francesco Zecca OFM presented two papers followed by discussion by the participants. This helped to bring things into focus excellently. The challenges posed by post-modernity in Europe and the reactions and expectations of the men and women of our time are opening the brothers to a new way of being and acting; in particular, by way of the probing questions and the needs of young people – an important area of evangelization. These were defined as a “constellation of missionary possibilities.”

The ministers, custodes and delegates were then able to take time for small group discussions and fraternal sharing. This led to a series of proposals for the next phase of the Conference’s activity, especially in view of the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Capuchin family. They chose to pursue a collaboration with the Northeast European Conference, with hopes of fortifying workshops that will help animate the conferences and devoting attention to the St. Lawrence Fraternities.

The assembly was also an opportunity to prepare for the next General Chapter. There was a presentation of topics that will be addressed, and an election was held for a delegate to represent the Conference at the General Chapter. A few hours were then set aside for visiting the city.

There was a great spirit of cordiality and collaboration at the meeting, and the liturgy was celebrated in different languages. Coming together in one accord, the meeting represented well the richness and variety among the friars of the Conference and demonstrated their desire to walk together in this new venture within the Order.