Rome, Sept. 6, 2024. Yesterday, the 10 General Councilors who will aid the General Minister in the governance of the Order were elected. Early this morning, after Eucharist was celebrated in the conference groups, the capitulars assembled to elect the General Vicar of the Order. According to the Constitutions, he is chosen from among the General Councilors and has the following task: “Should the General Minister be impeded from exercising his office, the General Vicar takes his place in all matters relating to the governance of the Order” (Const. 126:3).
The elected Vicar of the Order is Br. Silvio do Socorro de Almeida Pereira, from the Province of Maranhão-Pará-Amapá (Brazil), who has served the last term as General Councilor for the Capuchin Conference of Brazil (CCB). Br. Silvio was born in Brazil in 1973. After temporary profession in 1999, he studied philosophy in São Luís (Brazil) from 1999-2001. From 2002-2005 he completed his theological studies in Belém. He was ordained a priest in 2005 and then served as provincial secretary from 2006-2007. In 2008 he was sent to Rome to further his studies, obtaining a Licentiate and then a Doctorate in Dogmatic Theology at the Gregorian University. He returned to Brazil in 2015 and was guardian, formator and professor in Belém until 2017. He was elected Provincial Minister in 2018, and in 2021 he was appointed General Councilor of the Order, replacing Br. Carlos Silva, who was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of São Paulo, Brazil.
After the election of the General Vicar, the capitulars resumed their study work on the theme of “Fraternal Collaboration” and “Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation” (JPIC). The discussion in the hall demonstrated a diversity of positions on Fraternal Collaboration: some groups supported the St. Lawrence Fraternities (FSL) as a good idea for reviving our charism, which could involve the Order more. Other groups stressed the centrality of the theme of collaboration and mission, a very important element for the Order at this time, which arouses interest from more friars: it belongs to our charism, and it is a proactive force for the proclamation of the Gospel and for the witness of interculturality (dialogue between the collaborating circumscriptions is important for better putting the projects into context). Regarding the JPIC theme, the capitulars consider it important and timely in our context of a shattered and wounded world where we are called to bring justice, promote reconciliation at various levels, and care for our common home. The role played by other Order-related bodies such as Franciscans International in promoting fraternity and justice in the world was recognized and appreciated.
In the late afternoon, the capitulars gathered again in the hall to continue with the Chapter agenda, which examined some legal issues presented by the officers of the General Procura, followed by a time of discussion.Tomorrow the capitulars will travel to Assisi for a pilgrimage to the tomb of our Seraphic Father, and then to the shrine of La Verna (Sunday, September 8) on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of St. Francis receiving the stigmata.
