“A sea of brotherhood. The Franciscans for a new humanism of the Mediterranean”. It is the theme that guides the “Chapter of the Mats” of the Province of the Friars Minor of Puglia and Molise, which takes place in Taranto from Friday 14 to Sunday 16 June, and sees friars, Poor Clares and lay people sharing the initiatives of an intense program.
The Chapter of the mats takes place in conjunction with the G7 hosted in Borgo Egnazia, also in Puglia: this is the international summit that sees the world’s leaders and Pope Francis meet to discuss crucial political issues in a global context marked by conflicts and changes threatening climates.
The objective of the Chapter of the mats is «to listen and respond to the cry of the suffering that surrounds us, overcoming indifference and promoting peace and reconciliation. The participants – explains a note from the Apulian and Molise Province of the Friars Minor – will reflect on how the Franciscan charism can today offer solutions to the challenges of our time, with particular attention to the problems of the Mediterranean”.
The choice of Taranto as the venue for the Franciscan meeting is not accidental. «The city, which will host the Mediterranean Games in 2026, is located at the center of a sea facing complex social and environmental challenges. The Franciscans, aware of these urgencies, want to raise public awareness of the importance of taking small steps towards care, justice, hospitality and dialogue”, continues the note.
The program. The meeting starts on Friday 14 June at the headquarters of the Jonico Department with a round table on the Mediterranean. Speakers include the sociologist Giuseppe Moro, an expert from the Cnr-Irsa of Taranto, and the theologian Giuseppina De Simone. The evening will end with a prayer for peace at the Madonna della Salute church.
On Saturday 15 June, three exceptional witnesses will speak: Brother Francesco Patton, custodian of the Holy Land, Luca Casarini, founder of Mediterranea, and Sister Miriam Oyarzo, involved in the care of women victims of violence in Istanbul. Together they will discuss how to promote care, justice, hospitality and dialogue. In the afternoon, between Daniel Blanco and between Massimo Fusarelli, Minister General of the Friars Minor, will discuss the ongoing Franciscan projects in the Mediterranean, including the Franciscan Mediterranean Network and the Oikos project, Center for the integral ecology of the Mediterranean, born in Taranto. The day will also see the participation of young people from the Franciscan Youth of Puglia and Molise. At 9pm the singer Giovanni Caccamo will hold a concert open to the public in the San Cataldo Cathedral, as part of which he will present his project “Manifesto for change” (www.manifestchange.ca), presented to the UN.
Sunday 16 June opens with a moment of prayer in the church of San Pasquale, presided over by the metropolitan archbishop of Taranto Ciro Miniero, followed by discussion and listening workshops at the Jonico Department. The Chapter of the Mats will end with the Mass presided over by Brother Massimo Fusarelli at 11.30 in the Cathedral of San Cataldo in Taranto.
