Morning Session

The day began with a prayer service organized by the CONFRES conference. After a presentation of the summary of the previous day, the secretaries of the Conference groups presented the results of their discussions of the previous day. 

Many groups reported that the friars typically respond with charity to the excluded. The South Asia group said, “We have been good at giving things to the excluded and not very good at accompanying them.” They noted that Francis had to leave Assisi to embrace the leper, but that we sometimes shrink from the insecurity of leaving Assisi to go the world the excluded inhabit.

The Brazilian group noted that up until now we have done good work, but that it was now time to explore new forms of ministries. “If we go to the poor as teachers, we will fail,” they said, “but, if we are with them, we shall find together new ways to find Jesus and then we will be successful.” 

After a break, during which a Brazilian group called Acca performed some very high-energy dances, Miguel Alvarez addressed the participants. 

He told the participants that the first part of the Congress had ended. They had identified the excluded, the process of exclusion and what we do in our provinces. The next step is to discern what is emerging from the Congress. 

He said that justice, peace, integrity of creation, formation and evangelization are all integral parts of the Franciscan identity. Our specific ministries have to express our identity. We go neither as specialists nor as substitutes for the government. 

In the excluded, we find our theological milieu. The poor is where we experience the presence of God.

We have assisted the excluded up to this point, and our task now is to initiate processes of inclusion. The way to do this is through diagnosis – because no cure is possible without a diagnosis. The next task of the Congress is to learn the strategy to do this.  [ paper in Spanish]

After Miguel’s talk various reactions and comments were given from the floor. Among them was the comment that situations of exclusion and injustice can exist within the Church and within the Order, and it is easier to denounce outside than to be self-critical. Also, it was pointed out that we are neither political leaders nor owners of agencies that give assistance. Instead it is better that we are facilitators who can form networks of assistance. Finally, one participant noted that there are political dimensions in the love of one’s neighbor. 

Before ending the morning session, it was announced that Ilidio Inacio of St. Clare Custody in Mozambique and Br. Calvin Bugho of the St. Peter the Baptist Province in the Phillipines were elected to join the steering committee of the Congress.