SPIRITOFST.FRANCIS | FOLLOWERS OF ST. FRANCIS
By Pat McCloskey, OFM
n July 13, Massimo Fusarelli was elected minister in the United States and president of the English-Speaking general of the Order of Friars Minor. The 118 voters Conference (ESC), says: “Although I had never met Massimo celebrated the order’s general chapter at the Capuchin San prior to the general chapter, my interactions with him durLorenzo da Brindisi International College outside Rome. ing the chapter have given me a favorable impression of Brother Massimo had led Rome’s St. him. I look forward to working with him Bonaventure Province since July 2020. and the others who have been elected to Brother Massimo, born in Rome in our general government as we continue 1963, professed his final vows in 1989 to put the priorities of the order into and was ordained a priest later that practice.” The ESC currently includes year. Before being elected as minister of seven US provinces, one each in Canada, his province, he had animated the friar Ireland, Lithuania, and Malta, plus community at San Francesco a Ripa in one custody each in Great Britain and Trastevere (Rome) and led its parishioners the United States. and others in ministering to immigrants, Brother Mark Soehner, minister of St. those with addictions, and other marJohn the Baptist Province and ESC vice ginalized people. For three years Brother president, describes the new minister genMassimo had helped friars in six northeral as “warm, confident, and clear about ern Italian OFM provinces to become St. his mandate from the general chapter to Anthony Province in 2016. continue to revitalize the order.” He espeBrother Massimo Fusarelli Brother Massimo became the 121st cially supported the creation in 2023 of a successor of St. Francis to lead the Order of Friars Minor. new US province from six of the seven existing ones. He follows Brother Michael Perry (Sacred Heart Province, United States), who served as minister general since 2013. “God touched Francis’ heart through In his homily at the general chapter’s final Mass, Brother the mercy offered to a brother, and Massimo said that we thank the Lord on our faith journey he continues to touch our hearts through because “he puts so many people in our path, especially the encounter with others, especially those who are most despised and lonely, the small and the poor, those impoverished by life, the discarded. In their the most needy.” school, he makes us once again attentive to the Gospel and —Pope Francis its power already at work in us.” Brother Isauro Covili Linfati from Chile was elected vicar WHAT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ASKING OF US general on July 14, followed the next day by the election of Every general chapter has the right to indicate priorities for general councilors from Bissau, Brazil, Colombia, Guinea, all the friars until the next general chapter. The 2021 chapItaly, Malaysia, Malta, Poland, and Switzerland. ter’s final document identifies what the Holy Spirit is inviting Brother Tom Nairn, minister of Sacred Heart Province the friars to offer the Church and society at large. They should clearly show the order’s “two lungs” (fraternity and being lesser brothers to all) while offering more assistance to their refugee sisters and brothers. The friars should use the encyclicals “Laudato Si’” and “Fratelli Tutti” as guides for animating their renewal in the next six years. They should cooperate fully with Church and civil authorities to safeguard minors and vulnerable adults. The friars should be “missionary disciples,” open to being evangelized by the people to whom they are sent. They must always recognize that the “cry of the earth” and the “cry of the poor” are closely connected. In a telegram to Brother Massimo Fusarelli (right), Pope Francis congratulated the new minister general and wrote, “May the seraphic father, St. Francis, be an encouragement for you in leading your brothers.”
12 • October 2021 | StAnthonyMessenger.org
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE PONTIFICAL INSTITUTE FOR ARABIC AND ISLAMIC STUDIES
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Friend of the Poor Elected Minister General
