MILWAUKEE — The Provincial Council members will be part of a meeting with General Minister Fr. Jose Rodriguez Carballo, OFM, next week to discuss the future of the Franciscans in the United States.
Provincial Minister John O’Connor, OFM, Provincial Vicar Dominic Monti, OFM, and the members of the Council are gathering from Dec. 10 through 13 at Cardinal Stritch University with the leaders of the six other Franciscan provinces of the Orders of Friars Minor in the United States, the General Minister, and Fr. Michael Perry, OFM, the General Vicar.
“As all of us face declining numbers and resources, we will be looking at ways to more closely collaborate with each other and may even take the first steps toward reconfiguring our present provincial structures in order to assure a dynamic presence for our Order in this country,” said John in a recent letter to the friars.
“This meeting is obviously very important since it may produce serious implications for our Province as we plan for the future,” he added. “Consequently, Dominic and I and the Council ask for your prayers that the Spirit may be with us in our deliberations with our fellow friars from the provinces of the United States.”
Next week’s meeting is a continuation of the discussions of a July gathering in California of these provincial councils. The purpose of that retreat was to provide “an opportunity for members of the councils to get to know one another and to pray and reflect on our Franciscan life,” said Dominic.
Editor’s note: A detailed report on the meeting will be provided in the next issue of this newsletter.