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SPECIAL ISSUE
ENGLISH SPEAKING CONFERENCE O.F.M. |
June 5, 2009 |
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MICHAEL PERRY, OFM ELECTED VICAR GENERAL
MICHAEL PERRY, OFM EMBRACES BR. JOSE AFTER THE ELECTION OF THE GENERAL MINISTER
"I feel like I did when I was elected Provincial; the same though came to mind today as it did then: while it is easy for me to invite others to step out into the deep, God and the brothers today are now calling me to do the same in a new way."
- Br. Michael Perry, OFM
Vicar General of the Order |
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| American Michael Perry, OFM (Sacred Heart) elected Vicar General |
 DOMUS PACIS - There was great rejoicing among the delegates to the General Chapter - especially those of the English Speaking Conference - as the Chapter elected Michael Perry, OFM, to serve as the next Vicar General of the Order. Br. Michael is currently the Provincial Minister of the Sacred Heart Province in St. Louis, MO.
Br. Michael has been serving as a Moderator of the Chapter, having been elected to that post on the first day of the Chapter. Br. Michael was elected Moderator on the first ballot. This is a very high-profile role at the Chapter.
Br. Michael's name began to surface for Vicar General after the election of the General Minster on Wednesday. Although the results of the two straw ballots are not made public, Br. Michael had a good showing on both of them.
At approximately 11:30 a.m. here, Br. Michael was elected today as Vicar General of the Order receiving 103 votes out of a possible 152. He was again elected on the first ballot. Br. Michael joins the ranks of five other friars from ESC countries to serve as either Vicar General or General Minister of the Order. Those before him were:
- Haymo a Faversham, England, Minister General, 1240-1244
- David Fleming, England, Vicar General, 1901-1903
- Valentinus Schaaf, U.S.A., Minister General, 1945-1946
- John Vaughn, U.S.A., Minister General, 1979-1991
- Gilles Bourdeau, Canada, Vicar General, 1991-1997
Br. Michael is originally from Indianapolis, IN. He was born in 1954, entered the Order in 1977, professed solemn vows in 1981, and was ordained a priest in 1984.
Br. Michael worked for 10 years in the Democratic Republic of Congo as pastor, educator, and
director of development projects. He received his Ph.D. in Religious Anthropology at the
Centre of West African Studies, University of Birmingham, UK in 2002. He has also worked for the U.S. Bishops' Conference, Franciscans International, and Catholic Relief Services.
On June 10, 2008, the friars of Sacred Heart Province elected him to serve as their Provincial Minister. Br. Michael had served on his Provincial Council since 2005.
Mere moments after his election, Br. Michael expressed the following thought, "I feel like I did when I was elected Provincial; the same though came to mind today as it did then: while it is easy for me to invite others to step out into the deep, God and the brothers today are now calling me to do the same in a new way." |  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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