The 187th Chapter of the Order of Friars Minor came to an end with the solemn Eucharistic concelebration in the Basilica of the Portiuncula.

After a month of deliberations, the Chapter at last came to its conclusion for the 152 delegates who came from all corners of the world to gather in Assisi for this historic moment in the life of the Order.

The day began as Chapter delegates gathered in the main aula at 9 a.m. for a final address to the Chapter by General Minister Jose Rodriguez Carballo, OFM, in which he thanked everyone for their various contributions to the success of the Chapter.

He also once again found the opportunity to underline the efforts of the past years to strenghten the fraternal relationships between the Entities of the Order. He referred also to the fact that there has been a growth of awareness in understanding that the Gospel is a Gift to be received and offered to others. This was in direct reference to the Final document “Bearers of the Gift of the Gospel.”  This document has not yet been made public.

In his address, the General Minister said, “Where should we live and announce the Gospel? Wherever men live, wherever they suffer, work and hope. It is the spacious cloister of the world, in the innumerable inhuman cloisters, as we often repeat, where we are called to make ours the joys and sadness of the men and women of our times, particularly of the poorest and of those who suffer most, and to cast a positive eye over the contexts and cultures in which we are immersed, discovering unheard-of occasions of grace that the Lord offers us. We cannot separate ourselves from people. We, like the high-priest of the Old Testament have also been chosen from among the people, to be sent to them. It is there, inter gentes, particularly in frontier and conflictive places, that we are sent to confess the Gospel after we have allowed ourselves to be conquered by Him and, therefore, with the power from on high, to transform the heart and life of our contemporaries.”

The Chapter delegates also offered their heartfelt thanks to the 29 officials who during the past four weeks offered their services for the smooth running of the Chapter: the Secretary, vice secretaries and those assigned to secretariat together with the private secretary to the minister, the bursar, translators, interpreters, assistants, experts and communication officials.

Following this gathering in the aula, the Chapter came to its formal conclusion with a Solemn Mass celebrated in the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli.  Again, the General Minister was the presider and homilist.  In his homily Br. José again commemorated the 800 years of the Franciscan movement. He emphasized the fact that the diversity of language and culture, which have always characterized the Order, even in this experience of chapter, are a wealth in order to comprise in depth the will of God.

He said, “We are very aware that the mission which awaits us is arduous. The ground in which we have to sow the seed of the Gospel, the heart of mankind, is full of obstacles, as the parable of the sower reminds us. But we are equally aware that the germinating power of the seed of the Word of God has not diminished. We live at a time of crisis, which, for some, possibly implies a mortal threat and for others a trial of faith in the Lord of history and in His unfailing presence. The time that it has been our fate to live is delicate and decisive. But we have to be very aware that this is the time of God and, as such, reveals new opportunities, purifies, awakens potentialities, unveils signs of the future and of resurrection.”

All the Friars, after the Eucharist, were guests of the Fraternity of the Portiuncula for lunch. In the afternoon most left St. Mary of the Angels to return to their Provincial Fraternities.

During the four working weeks (which began on May 24th) the 152 delegates, representing the about 15,000 friars present in all the world, have examined the state of the Order and together outlined the way for the coming six years.

The final document, entitled “Bearers of the Gift of the Gospel” illustrates some ways with which today’s world, so much different from that at the time of St. Francis, the Friars Minor want to preach the Gospel.

The document states that our mission is among today’s peoples, having the others and not oneself at centre stage, in an attitude of sympathy towards the world, trying to understand and be understood by all peoples and cultures. Such engagement many a time translates in leaving to go to other countries to live among people of other languages and cultures and render present to all the gift of the Gospel. Evangelization thus assumes a spirituality that even pays attention to the values of justice, peace, integrity of creation and makes of the brothers bridges of dialogue, encounter and reconciliation.

The Chapter approved over 100 proposals with almost half of them regarding the revision of the legislation of the Order (General Statutes). The others indicate the path to follow for a renewed personal and fraternal formation of friars which keeps in mind today’s time in view of a missionary and social engagement capable of understanding the problems of today’s society.

The chapter added or re-enforced missionary projects in different areas of the world all to be undertaken between 2009 and 2015. There is a strong emphasis on themes of justice, peace and ecology.