On November 11-14, 2019, the Definitors of the Province of St. Joseph, Spouse of the B.V.M. in Romania, and the Provincial Custody of the Orient and the Holy Land, met jointly at the Friary of St. Anthony of Padua in Sin-el-Fil, Beirut, Lebanon.

The work of the Definitors was alternately coordinated by the Minister Provincial, Friar Teofil PETRIŞOR, and the Provincial Custos, Friar Anton BULAI. They discussed such topics as mutual understanding, fraternal life and mission, vocation promotion, initial and ongoing formation programs, the collaboration between the two Jurisdictions, the resolution of some pressing problems, prospects for the future and the development of new ways to give witness to the Conventual Franciscan charism in the various areas where the friars are present.
The Definitors visited the residence of Most Reverend César ESSAYAN, OFM Conv., Apostolic Vicar of Beirut. While there, they had a pleasant and productive meeting with the bishop. The bishop spoke about status of the local Church within today’s troubling political and economic context of Lebanon. He also invited the Definitors to stay for lunch. The meal was a pleasant setting for communion and Franciscan sharing.
To the extent that the work schedule allowed, the Definitors also a visited some significant tourist spots in the area such as the Shrine in Zahle, where our friars have a friary and a hermitage; the National Shrine in Harissa; the Patriarchate of the Armenian Church; and the Cave of Jeita—a splendid natural wonder in Lebanon.
The warm welcome of the friars and people of Lebanon; the deepening of our common journey; the joy of spending time together; the moments of common prayer and the Mass; and meeting Friars Massimiliano CHILIN and Jalil HADAYA, who maintain a significant Conventual Franciscan presence in Lebanon, all these were true gifts from God. They were an experience of real joy in the Lord and in the spirit of our Seraphic Father St. Francis.
Heartfelt thanks to all the friars of Lebanon for their welcome and their witness to the faith and the Conventual Franciscan life!

Friar Virgil BLAJ Provincial Secretary

“We are all invited to choose our boat and embark towards other shores in the direction of new horizons”. Thus Friar Dominique MATHIEU began his homily for a Mass of Thanksgiving on Tuesday July 2, 2019, in the church of St. Anthony of Padua in Beirut, Lebanon. Friar Dominique, a member of the Provincial Custody of the Orient and the Holy Land, was recently elected the Assistant General for the Centralis Europae Foederatio (CEF) during the last General Chapter.

The Mass of Thanksgiving celebrated the gift of Friars Dominique Joseph MATHIEU and Florin Gheorghiţă BOGDAN and bade them farewell. They are from the Lebanese communities of St. Anthony of Padua in Sin el Fil and St. Francis of Assisi in Zahlé. The two friars concelebrated this evening Mass with Friar Anton BULAI, the Provincial Custos of the Orient and the Holy Land, at our church of St. Anthony of Padua in Horch Tabet, Sin el Fil.

A large assembly of faithful gathered to praise the Lord and thank him for the gift of our brothers. The liturgical service for this celebration was provided by our young people in vocational discernment. Hymns were sung by the choir of the parish scout troop. After the Mass, everyone moved to the friary for a fraternal agape meal and countless photos were taken from various mobile phones. Dulcis in fundo, the fraternity gathered that evening on the terrace of the friary for a barbecue, songs and dancing.

With St. Francis in his “Praises to Be Said at All the Hours,” we also say: “let us praise and glorify Him forever”, for the gift of these brothers. May they sail to other ports and return, inshallah (‘God willing’ in Arabic and Turkish) to our lands in the Orient, the cradle of encounter with other faiths, churches and Christian traditions.

Fr. Roger Kouyoumdji