Prot. n. 3478

Rome, 6^th of June, 2022

To OFS National Councils and Ministers To YouFra National Councils and Presidents

Tibor Kauser

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As you know, Pope Francis has convoked the Church of God in Synod. This historic event needs our active participation, both as individuals and also as a fraternity.

There are two ways of to participate:

• The first way is to insert ourselves, as Secular Franciscan brothers, sisters and fraternities into the synodal procedure of our own dioceses. I hope that all of you have already found your proper role and have made your voice heard.
• The other way is to respond to the call of the Congregation for the Institutions of the Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life. We, as a worldwide Order have the opportunity and the responsibility to join the synodal process as an International Fraternity, too.

For this, by this letter, I invite every National Fraternity to reflect on the following simple questions.

1. What do you think are the major challenges and problems that the Catholic Church has to face in this decade?
2. How do you think the Catholic Church should respond to these challenges and problems?
3. What can you, as a committed, individual Secular Franciscan, offer to the Catholic Church, so that it may become the Body of Christ in a more authentic and visible way?
4. What could be the best contribution we, as Secular Franciscans, can make to the life of the Catholic Church?
5. What do we, Secular Franciscans, need the most from the Catholic Church?
6. What are the greatest challenges that we, the OFS, have to face in this decade?

You may choose to answer any, or all, of the questions as briefly or as long as you wish. Please ensure, that your answers are based upon as wide a range of opinions of the brothers and sisters as possible and send them to the CIOFS General Secretariat ([email protected]) by July 15^th 2022. Your answers will be summarized and sent directly to the Holy See.

Your precious contributions will be greatly appreciated. They will ensure that our voice will be heard and that we, as an Order, will be more visible in the Church and in the world.

With the hope in the future of a peaceful world and in a renewed Holy Catholic Church, I wish you all peace and good.

Your minister and your brother,

Tibor Kauser, OFS

CIOFS general minister

https://www.secularfranciscansusa.org/2022/06/08/minister-general-requests-ofs-participation-in-the-synod/

(This Article originally appeared in the Spring Issue of TAU-USA #105)

General Chapter Elections

Tibor Kauser, OFS, of Hungary has been re-elected minister general of the Secular Franciscan Order. This is his second six-year term.

Mary T. Stronach, OFS, of the United States of America is the new vice minister general.

Tibor and Mary lead the “little fraternity” of the Presidency of the International Council of the OFS (CIOFS). They were elected during the Order’s General Chapter in Rome, Italy, held Nov. 13-20, 2021.

Mary is the first American to hold an elected position on the Presidency. She is a former USA international councilor who has been serving with the Order’s Presidency as an interpreter and as a member of the International Formation Commission. A member of St. Joseph Fraternity, Utica, NY (St. Kateri Tekawitha Region), Mary also has been serving on the National Formation Commission.

Also elected were seven Presidency councilors serving different areas of the world, plus a Presidency councilor representing Franciscan youth (YouFra).

They are:

• Francis Park, OFS (South Korea): Asia-Oceania
• Adolph Assagba, OFS (Togo): Francophone Africa and islands.
• Eremenciana Chinyama, OFS (Zimbabwe): English and Portuguese Speaking Africa.
• Dina Shabalina, OFS (Ukraine): North Europe.
• Noemi Riccardi, OFS (Italy): Southern Europe and the Mediterranean.
• Ana María Raffo, OFS (Peru): Central and North America (reelected).
• Silvia Noemí Diana, OFS (Argentina): South America (reelected).
• Luis Félix Chocojay, OFS (Guatemala), YouFra.

The new CIOFS Presidency was confirmed by the president of the elective session, Fr. Massimo Fussarelli, OFM minister general, during a mass of thanksgiving at the Basilica of Saint Sebastian in Rome.

https://www.secularfranciscansusa.org/2022/06/06/new-vice-minister-general-is-from-usa-highlights-of-general-chapter/