| Francis Walter, OFM, elected General Definitor |
 DOMUS PACIS - In a week full of exciting elections - including the election of an American Vicar General, Michael Perry, OFM - today was perhaps the most exciting election for our beloved Immaculate Conception Province.
At approximately 11:30 a.m. local time, our beloved brother Francis Walter, OFM, was elected to serve for the next six years as General Definitor of the Order.
Frank was first nominated by the English Speaking Conference during its October meeting in Chicago. Each Conference of the Order was asked to submit two nominations to the Chapter for consideration.
PROVINCIAL MINISTER ROBERT CAMPAGNA, OFM & NEWLY ELECTED GENERAL DEFINITOR FRANCIS WALTER
Frank was elected today on the first ballot with 103 votes out of a possible 152. As General Definitor, he will be required to report to the General Chapter immediately and take up his role as Definitor and member of the Chapter.
Provincial Minister Robert Campagna spoke right after the results were made known, "This is a great day of rejoicing for our Province. Fr. Francis is the first friar of our Province elected to the Administration of our Order since Fr. Antonine DeGuglielmo served in the same role in the late 1950s. We are very proud of Fr. Frank on this great accomplishment. We rejoice with him and our prayers are with him as he takes up this new ministry to our Franciscan fraternity."The last member of our Province to serve as General Definitor was Friar Antonine DeGuglielmo, OFM, who served in that capacity from 1957-1963.
Frank replaces Friar Finian McGinn, OFM, a friar of the St. Barbara Province in California who has served as General Definitor during this past administration being elected in 2003.
At the time of his election Frank was serving as Addetto of the Secretariat in the Vatican Congregation for Evangelization of Peoples. He has been in that role since 2005. He also currently serves as Provincial Director of Formation and Studies and Director of Temporary Professed Friars at our Convento San Francesco in Rome.
Frank made his Solemn Profession in our Province on June 24, 1976, and was ordained to the Priesthood on May 06, 1977. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Philosophy from Immaculate Conception College Seminary in Troy, NY, in 1972, and his Master of Divinity from St. John's Archdiocesan Seminary in Brighton, MA in 1977. Additionally, Frank received his Licentiate in Sacred Theology in Franciscan Spirituality from the Pontificio Atheneum Antonianum in Rome in 1992.
NEWLY ELECTED GENERAL DEFINITOR FRANCIS WALTER, OFM SHOW HERE CONCELEBRATING MASS AT THE TOMB OF ST. FRANCIS DURING OUR PROVINCIAL CHAPTER OF 2007
Over the course of his ministry, he has served in parochial settings at St. Anthony Church, Troy, NY; St. Leonard Church, Boston, MA; St. Francis Church, Toronto, Canada; and Holy Assumption Church, Roebling, NJ.
He has also served in the formation ministries of our Province serving at various times as both Director and Assistant Director of Postulants, Director of Novices, and Provincial Secretary of On-Going Formation.
His election is a tremendous honor for both Frank and for our Province. Congratulations to our brother!! | |
| INTER NOS is an update designed solely for internal distribution and mailed electronically to the Friars of the Franciscan Province of the Immaculate Conception. Content is edited by the Province's Office of Communications. Friar Thomas Washburn serves as Director of Communications. Please send all communications [letters, articles, etc.] directly to the Provincial Minister at Rmcofm@aol.com. |
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| Prayer for Vocations |
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O Mary Immaculate, Patroness of the Americas
and Queen of the Order of Friars Minor,
we ask you to inspire humble and chosen souls
for a life in Christ and in the spirit of St. Francis.
With
Motherly care,
foster vocations to our Order and to our Province,
so that seraphic love, labor and sacrifice
will ever flourish in this land dedicated to your protection.
Amen.
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