The Capitular Assembly convened at 9:00am and we commenced with Mid-Day Prayers. The Moderator did the roll call and we moved for the reading and approval of minutes by a show of hands.
Mons. Anton Theuma, bishop of Gozo, commenced his reflection at 9:20am. He iterated Pope Francis who said that we should give more importance to time than to space. Mons. Theuma noted that often we are tied to our spaces and tend to hold tightly to them. It is more important to focus on the dimension of time.
We need to give importance to our personal conversion towards Jesus Christ. At times We give too much importance to activities, we have too much fear about our present and this makes us lose the rhythm of gradual conversion towards Jesus Christ.
Mons. Theuma reflected that the Community lies at the heart of the religious vocation. If we sacrifice the Community we attack an essential aspect of the Franciscan vocation. In the end, the Church is always a community.
As a result, decisions are to be taken in a spirit of discernment, so as not to neglect the communitarian dimension, which is essential to religious life.
A 30min coffee break was given to the Assembly, and we resumed our work at 10:45am.
Br Antonino Catalfamo OFM, Minister Provincial of Sicily shared with us the reality of his province, that revolves around two ministries: Mission and evangelisazion and formation. Brothers Raymond Falzon and Stephen Magro recounted their recent experience in Sicily and both were touched by the welcoming attitude of the friars.
A number of questions and reflections were shared by individual friars on the themes of collaboration with the Sicilian Province and evangelisation. A number of interventions concerned the theme of fraternal life, overcoming past hurts and working together.
The Minister General closed the assembly at 13:25 and we headed for lunch.
