Elections Table

Capitulars re-elect minister general, elect new vice minister general and area councilors

Tibor KauserMary StronachTibor Kauser, OFS, of Hungary has been re-elected minister general of the Secular Franciscan Order. He now begins his second six-year term.

Mary Stronach, OFS, of the United States of America is the new vice minister general.

Mary is a former USA international councilor who has been serving with the Order’s Presidency as an interpreter and as a member of the Formation Commission.

They lead the “little fraternity” of the Presidency of the International Council of the OFS (CIOFS).

They were elected during the Order’s General Chapter in Rome, Italy, held Nov. 13-20, 2021. (Photo Gallery.)

Also elected were seven Presidency councilors serving different areas of the world, plus a Presidency councilor representing Franciscan youth (YouFra). They are:

  • Francis Park, OFS (South Korea): Asia-Oceanía
  • Adolph Assagba, OFS (Togo): Francophone Africa and islands.
  • Eremenciana Chinyama, OFS (Zimbabwe): English and Portuguese Speaking Africa.
  • Dina Shabalina, OFS (Ukraine): North Europe.
  • Noemi Riccardi, OFS (Italy): Southern Europe and the Mediterranean.
  • Ana María Raffo, OFS (Peru): Central and North America (reelected).
  • Silvia Noemí Diana, OFS (Argentina): South America (reelected).
  • Luis Félix Chocojay, OFS (Guatemala), YouFra.

The new CIOFS Presidency was confirmed by the president of the elective session, Fr. Massimo Fussarelli, OFM minister general, during the celebration of a mass of thanksgiving at the Basilica of Saint Sebastian in Rome.