| DAILY NEWS BRIEFING
ENGLISH SPEAKING CONFERENCE O.F.M. |
June 4, 2009 |
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FRIDAY, JUNE 5:
- Election of the Vicar General
SATURDAY, JUNE 6:
- Election of the General Definitorium
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Br. José Rodríguez Carballo, OFM, re-elected General Minister |
DOMUS PACIS - In a day filled with pomp, circumstance and tradition, Br. José Rodríguez Carballo, OFM, was elected by the General Chapter to serve a second six-year term as the Order's General Minister.
The day began early with a Mass presided over by His Excellency Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, Special Envoy of Pope Benedict XVI to the General Chapter. The Cardinal was the Pontifical Delegate sent to oversee the election of the General Minister. The Mass was celebrated in the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli.
THE DAY BEGAN WITH MASS IN THE BASILICA
In his homily, the Cardinal said, "We are in a particularly significant place in the life of St. Francis. It is the place of his discovery of the Gospel and of the mission, it is the place of the fraternal meeting in the Chapter of Pentecost, it is the place of pardon experienced as the gate of Paradise, it is the place of the holy passing of the Poverello, where he brought his consecration to a conclusion by consigning himself totally into the arms of the heavenly Father, led by the hand by 'sister corporal death'. May this place, on this occasion, be for each one of you also a place of an ever renewing discovery of the Gospel and mission."
CARDINAL JOSE SARAIVA MARTINS
[Full text of the Cardinal's Homily]
With great excitement permeating the brothers, Mass was followed by a quick breakfast and then the Chapter delegates re-convened in the aula of Domus Pacis to begin the process of electing the General Minister.
Br. Francesco Patton, OFM, Secretary of the Chapter, offered a formal greeting to Cardinal Martins. "Your presence in our midst is a reason for encouragement and a sign of the goodwill of the Holy Father towards us Friars Minor. From our very origins the Seraphic Father asked the Church of Rome, which he loved to call 'our Mother', to give us a Cardinal to accompany the journey of the Order, as a sign of how firmly our Fraternity is rooted in the Church."
THE CARDINAL AND THE CHAPTER SECRETARY CONSULT BEFORE THE ELECTION
Again, Cardinal Martins addressed the Chapter delegates, "My presence here today is a sign of a benevolence, of a trust and of a blessing which continue in time and which the Lord Pope - as Francis loved to call him - wishes to show you so that you may continue to live according to the form of the Holy Gospel and that you may continue to call the men and women of our times 'to penance', to conversion, to accept Jesus Christ as the only Saviour and to place Him at the centre of life.
FRANCESCO PATTON, OFM, SECRETARY OF THE CHAPTER WELCOMES THE CARDINAL
[Full text of Cardinal Martins' Address]
Following the singing of Veni Creator Spiritus, calling upon the Holy Spirit to be with the delegates as they selected the next successor of St. Francis, the Chapter again went into closed session for the election. More than an hour later, the delegates exited the aula proclaiming that they had re-elected Br. José to a second six-year term. Of the 152 votes available, Br. José received 110 votes.
THE PROCESSION TO THE BASILICA BEGINS
By the time of their emergence, many other friars, sisters and others from the area had gathered to hear the news and to celebrate with the Order. Emerging from the Domus Pacis, the friars were led in procession to the Portiuncula singing the Te Deum where they formed two rows to the doors of the Portiuncula. The General Minister and Pontifical Delegate walked through the midst of the rows of friars entering the small Chapel that is the heart of the Order.
FRIARS GATHER OUTSIDE THE PORTIUNCULA
Stepping behind the altar, Br. José made the Profession of Faith and then Cardinal Martins witnessed the profession and then gave Br. José the Seal of the Order. Then, our newly re-elected General Minister stepped in front of the altar to receive each of the friars gathered, to accept their congratulations and offer a sign of peace.
ROBERT CAMPAGNA, OFM, (IMMACULATE CONCEPTION PROVINCE EMBRACES THE GENERAL MINISTER
The service was concluded as Br. José gave the Blessing of St. Francis to all gathered and all sang Ave Regina Coelorum. All of the Chapter delegates enjoyed a very festive lunch in the refectory of the Protoconvento at Santa Maria deglie Angeli.
THE GENERAL MINISTER BLESSES THE FRIARS |
| PROVINCIAL NOTEBOOK: Jeffrey Scheeler, OFM (St. John the Baptist) |
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DOMUS PACIS - Br. Jose Rodriguez Carballo was re-elected Minister General this morning at the General Chapter in Assisi. Jose was elected on the first ballot, receiving 110 of 152 possible votes.
Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins was present an envoy of Pope Benedict to oversee the election.
After the election, the friars processed to the Portiuncula where Jose made his profession of faith. Each friar had an opportunity to offer congratulations and obedience. When it was my turn, Jose was in tears, but he asked me to send greetings to all the brothers of St. John the Baptist.
There is a festive feel in the air. As we processed, the bells were peeling magnificently. The weather is clear and beautiful, and there were press and tourists in abundance. It is a quite powerful and emotional experience. Shortly we will have a festive meal, and then we meet again in small groups to discuss who might serve as vicar general. A straw ballot will be taken this evening, and the vote tomorrow morning.
FRIARS GATHER FOR A GROUP PHOTO AFTER THE ELECTION |
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PROVINCIAL NOTEBOOK: Leslie Hoppe, OFM (Assumption BVM) |
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DOMUS PACIS - Though the results of the two straw ballots for Minister General made it clear that José Rodríguez Carballo was the choice of most delegates, the election of the Minister General still provided some drama simply because of the rituals surrounding that election and the presence of the Papal Delegate, Cardinal Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, CMF.
The day began with the Eucharist at 7AM with the papal delegate presiding. The Cardinal Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, CMF reminded us of the tenth chapter of the Rule regarding the election of the Minister General during the Pentecost chapter. The Rule says that the General is to be "the minister and servant of the other friars" and that the friars are obliged to obey him in a spirit of faith. They are also to have recourse to him with confidence, knowing that they will be received by the Minister with
kindness.
After the quick breakfast, the delegates assembled for the election at 9AM. First, the secretary of the chapter called the roll and Cardinal Martins confirmed the appointment of the tellers with one word in Latin: confirmo. The tellers then took their oath of secrecy not to reveal how people voted.
Next, the Minister General knelt before the papal delegate and thanked God for the good that God had accomplished in the last six years. He thanked God for the Vicar General and the members of the Definitorium by name. He asked pardon for his failures and then surrendered the seal of the Order to Cardinal Martins.
The delegates then swore their oath to elect as Minister General the brother that they believed worthy "according to God." After filling out their ballots, the delegates walked to the front of the chapter room and placed their ballot in a box. After the balloting was concluded, the box was opened and the ballots
were counted and then read aloud. When Brother José's total reached 77, spontaneous applause broke out. After all the ballots were read, Francesco Patton, the secretary of the Chapter, announced José's election. Again, the delegates responded with enthusiastic applause.
Following the signing of official documents, the delegates went in procession, singing the Te Deum, to the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels. There in the chapel of the Portiuncula, Cardinal Martins witnessed Brother José's profession of faith and returned to him the seal of Order.
All the friars present then entered the Portiuncula one by one and offer José their congratulations and promised him their prayerful support. Brother José then blessed us with the blessing of St. Francis for the first time in his second term of our Minister General. The service concluded with the singing of Ave Regina Coelorum. A festive dinner took place at the Protoconvento of the Portiuncula at 1PM. At 3:30, we were back at work in our conferences, preparing for the election of the Vicar General.
BR. JOSE BEFORE HE MAKES HIS PROFESSION OF FAITH |  This DAILY NEWS BRIEF is produced by and for the friars of the English Speaking Conference of the Order of Friars Minor. Executive Secretary: Thomas Washburn, OFM.
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