DAILY BRIEFING
ENGLISH SPEAKING CONFERENCE | ORDER OF FRIARS MINOR
May 22, 2015

"I sometimes describe the Church as a field hospital. True, there are many wounded, how many wounded! How many people who need their wounds to be healed! This is the mission of the Church: to heal the wounded hearts, to open doors, to free people, to say that God is good, God forgives all, that God is our Father, God is tender, that God is always waiting for us..."

- Pope Francis
February 15, 2015


Br. Julio Bunader, OFM re-elected as Vicar General
Chapter discusses selection of General Definitorium

Vicar General Julio Cesar Bunader, OFM
DOMUS PACIS, ASSISI - Following the re-election of yesterday of  General Minister Michael A. Perry, OFM , the focus of the General Chapter today remained on the selection of friars to serve in leadership for the next six years. 

Today's focus was two-fold. The morning was devoted to the election of the Vicar General of the Order, and the afternoon was focused on discussion about the process for selecting the new members of the General Definitorium and then the straw ballot for those positions.

On the first ballot of the morning, Br. Julio Ceasar Bunader, OFM (Assumption BVM, Argentina) was re-elected as Vicar General of the Order. Br. Julio has already been serving in that role since July 2013 filling the vacancy created when Br. Michael Perry became General Minister to fulfill the term of Archbishop Jose Rodriguez Carballo.

 

There were 126 voting Capitulars and the result of the vote was as follows:

  • Br. Julio Cesar Bunader, OFM (Assumption BVM, Argentina): 75 votes
  • Br. Francesco Paton, OFM (San Virgilio, Trent): 45

There were also four friars receiving one vote and two blank ballots. 

 

Vicar General Julio Cesar Bunader, OFM, making his profession of faith in the Chapter Hall flanked by General Minister Michael A. Perry, OFM, and Chapter Secretary William Short, OFM.

 

Following the counting, Secretary of the Chapter Br. William Short, OFM (SB) officially declared Br. Julio validly elected. The General Minister than asked Br. Julio if he would accept his election. Br. Julio responded that he would accept. At this point the Chapter hall broke out in applause.  Br. Julio then came forth immediately for his oath of fidelity and his profession of faith. He then knelt before the General Minister to be confirmed in office and to receive his blessing.

 

Br. Julio Cesar Bunader, OFM, was born on January 1, 1961 in Mendoza, Argentina. He entered the novitiate of the Province of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Argentina receiving the Franciscan habit on March 5, 1984 and made his First Profession of Vows on February 27, 1985. His Solemn Profession would take place on March 12, 1988 and he was ordained to the priesthood of Jesus Christ on May 1, 1992.

 

Br. Julio kneels before the General Minister in the Chapter Hall to be confirmed in office as Vicar General and receive his blessing.


 

Br. Julio served as a member of the General Definitorium representing Latin America before becoming Vicar General in 2013. 


He has previously served as Provincial Minister, President of UCLAF Conference and Cono Sur, Provincial Definitor, Assistant Visitator General, he has assisted in Initial Formation, parish ministry, educational centers, as rector of the Franciscan Theological Institute; Dean of the Franciscan Faculty, and Professor of Moral Theology. His academic titles include: Professor of Philosophy, Bachelor of Science in Theology, and Licentiate in Moral Theology (Alfonsianum - Rome).

Provincial Minister Astijus Kungys, OFM (St. Casimir, Lithuania) offers his congratulations to the Vicar General on his election.

 

Provincial Minister John Puodziunas, OFM (ABVM) offers his congratulations to Br. Julio


 

Congratulations Br. Julio!

 


Chapter thanks Papal Delegate
Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa concludes service to the Chapter

DOMUS PACIS, ASSISI - With the election of the General Minister behind them, Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa, Archbishop Emeritus of Santiago, Chile, and Papal Delegate to the General Chapter departed today.

"My job was to be with you for the election of the General Minister," the Cardinal said to the Chapter delegates. "It seems that the Holy Father likes to call upon people from the farthest parts of the wrold."

As gifts of remembrance for his time with the friars, General Minister Michael A. Perry, OFM, gave the Cardinal a special parchment with the Blessing of St. Francis to Brother Leo, a collection of images depicting the Canticle of the Creatures and some liturgical items for use during the Eucharistic celebration. "Remembering that as friars, the Eucharistic Lord is at the center of our lives," he said.

In his departing remarks, the Cardinal said to the friars, " Fraternity has always been something that I have treasured and it has been a grace to be welcomed into your fraternity during these days. The job of the next General Definitorium will be to listen to the voices of the fraternity. I remember the image of in the Portiuncula where the Virgin Mary receives the message of the Angel Gabriel. In every circumstance of our life we hear the message that the Lord gives us. It is important to ask the Lord what is His message now for you? Like the Virgin, we too are now full of graces. What is God saying to you now through the angel? What is the moment of grace now today? Thank you for the welcome you have given to me. I have felt at home here with you. Thanks so much."

Capitulars thank the Papal Delegate for his service to the Chapter.

Hoping the right kind of trouble finds you
VIDEO: Provincial Minister Dennis Vavrek, OFM (CTK)




Candidates for the General Definitorium
Changes from the last General Chapter

DOMUS PACIS, ASSISI - The General Chapter began its consideration of the General Definitorium this afternoon, a conversation that has been going on in language and Conference groups for the last several days. The great amount of conversation has been around the changes to the composition of the General Definitorium that were approved by the Plenary Council in 2013 that will be exercised for the first time at this General Chapter.

 

The Plenary Council which took place in Poland in November 2013 reduced the number of General Definitors to eight: three from Europe, two from Latin America; and one each from the English Speaking Conference, Africa, and Asia.

 

The nominations presented today were:
 

For Europe (six candidates presented, three to be elected):

 

Presented by COMPI (Italy):

1. Friar Sabino Iannuzzi, OFM (Province of Benevento, Current President of COMPI)

2. Friar Antonio Scabio, OFM (Province of Veneto)

 

Presented by the North and South Slavic Conferences:

1. Friar Ivan Sesar, OFM (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

2. Friar Sinisa Balajic, OFM (Split)

 

Presented by COTAF (Germany, Austria, France, Hungary, Belgium, Netherlands, Romania, Transylvania):

1. Friar Lorant Orosz, OFM (Hungary)

 

Presented by CONFRES (Spain, Portugal):

1. Friar Miguel de la Maya Merayo, OFM (Leon)

 

For Latin America: (four presented, two to be elected)

1. Friar Valmir Ramos, OFM (Sacred Heart in Brazil)

2. Friar Cesar Kulkamp, OFM (Immaculate Conception in Brazil)

3. Friar Mauro Vallejo, OFM (St Francis Solano, Peru)

4. Friar Ignacio Ceja, OFM (st francis and James in Jalisco Mexico)

 

For the English Speaking Conference (ESC): (two presented, one to be elected)

1. Friar Caoimhin O'Laoide, OFM (Ireland)

2. Friar Joseph Rozansky, OFM (Holy Name, USA)

 

For Africa: (two presented, one to be elected)

1. Friar Nicod?me Kibuzehose, OFM (Kenya)
2. Friar Victor Lu?s Quematcha, OFM (Guinea-Bissau)


 
For Asia, Australia, Oceania: (two presented, one to be elected)

1. Friar Lino Gregorio Redoblado, OFM (Philipines)

2. Friar Johnson Manipadath Varkey, OFM (India)
 
 

At the conclusion of the presentation of the nominations, it was pointed out by the Secretary of the Chapter that Capitulars are free to elect any friar of the order to the office of General Definitor. The Chapter conducted the straw ballot in the late afternoon. The election of the General Definitors will take place tomorrow (Saturday) morning.