MEETING BETWEEN SICILIAN AND MALTESE PROVINCIAL DEFINITORIES

On 24 – 26 March the Minister Provincial of the Province of the Most Holy Name
of Jesus in Sicily, Br. Antonino Catalfamo, visited the Maltese OFM Province
together with Brs. Salvatore Ferro (Vicar), Giancarlo Guastella, Domenico
Mandanici, Benedetto Amodeo (Definitors) and Giuseppe Garofalo (Secretary).
During the two days of their visit they were welcomed in the Provincial fraternity
of Valletta. The aim of this visit was that of a meeting between the two Ministers
Provincial and their respective Definitories. The meeting took place in two
sessions in the newly inaugurated board room of the Provincial Curia.
During the Provincial Chapter of 2023 the Minister General Br. Massimo Fusarelli
encouraged both Provinces to embark on a programme of mutual cooperation,
involving particularly the fields of ongoing formation and evangelization. Since
then the two Provinces have met for a Guardians’ meeting in Ispica, and some
friars from Malta participated in a popular mission with the friars in Sicily. The aim
of mutual collaboration is that of strengthening the historic bond between both
Provinces, also in the light of the newly established Conferenza Europea
Meridionale (CEM), formed of the Provinces of Spain, Portugal, Italy and Albania.
Our Province is part of the English Speaking Conference (ESC), but we are also
invited to participate in the meetings of the CEM Conference.
The issue of mutual collaboration is still in the early stages and in no way does it
involve any discussion regarding the future status of our Province or the choice
we make regarding the Conference in which we wish to belong. It is simply an
effort to known one another better, and to understand our mutual challenges.
The result of the meeting was that we would collaborate in yet another ongoing
formation meeting for Guardians, as well as in the participation of Maltese friars
and young people to the Marcia Francescana of 2026, in order to work together in
vocational animation.