By a wide margin, the delegates to the General Chapter approved the Final Document entitled "Bearers of the Gift of the Gospel." The delegates overwhelming positive vote suggest that they believe that the authors of the document caught the patterns of thought and action that emerged during Chapter sessions over almost four weeks.

The authors of the final document (Marcel Kangwej Tshikez [Congo], Cesare Vaiani [Italy] and Manuel Espinoza Anaut [Mexico]) were summoned to the Chapter for the express purpose of producing the document. They attended all the Chapter's plenary sessions and made the rounds of the languages groups and commissions as they were trying to articulate the consensus that gradually emerged among the Chapter's 154 delegates.

There was no native English-speaker among the three friars who produced the final document. That is evident in some of its language and concepts-even in English translation.

A strong emphasis in the document is the clear attempt to show the Chapter's continuity with the Franciscan tradition. The text is eight and one half pages and there are 67 footnotes-most of which are references to Franciscan sources.

Most American Franciscans will expect a document that resonates with their life experience. They will disappointed. Still, there is much in this document that can lead us reflect on our commitment to be bearers of the Good News of Jesus Christ. It challenges us to give freely the gift of the gospel that we have received freely. It assumes the typically Franciscan notion that we cannot appropriate the Good News for ourselves alone. We must share with our sisters and brothers the gift of faith that we have received.

The text of the final document cannot be released until it appears on the Order's website. There will be some "polishing" of the text. I will alert you to the document when it is finally released.