The process for the renewal of the position of Custos of the Holy Land and for the election of the members of the 2025 Custodial Chapter, scheduled to be held from 1 to 12 July, has begun. On Monday 16 September, the first phase of voting opened. Each friar received two ballot papers: a white one for the Election of the Custos and a coloured one for the election of the Chapter. The appointment of the new Custos is expected in the spring, while the names of the friars who will take part in the Chapter will be known by the end of January. The new Custos takes office with the Chapter.
The electoral colleges
To elect the friars who will take part in the Chapter, the Custody has established seven electoral colleges corresponding to the different geographical areas, in order to guarantee to widest presence of nations and cultures. Each friar can only vote for members of his college and can express a number of preferences equal to the number of friars who will enter the Chapter from that college (the number in each college is proportional to the number of friars who make up the electorate). As far as the election of the Custos is concerned, there are no colleges and each friar can express three preferences from all the confreres whose name is shown on the ballot paper in alphabetical order.
Active vote
All the friars who, at the time when the ballot papers were printed, have made their solemn profession and belong to the Custody “in the narrow sense”, i.e. friars of the Custody of the Holy Land or who have been in service at the Custody for at least two years, can vote for the Chapter and for the Custos. For these elections, there are 212 friars with an “active vote,” i.e. with the right to vote, for the election of the members of the Chapter and 236 for the election of the Custos.
The election of the Custos
To be elected Custos, the candidate must have at least five years of solemn profession and belong to the Custody “in the narrow sense.” An important innovation will be introduced with these elections. Until now, only a person belonging to the clergy could be elected Custos, according to Canon Law. Un Rescriptum by Pope Francis has opened the doors to the possibility of appointing or electing “lay brothers” in governing roles of the clerical institutions of Pontifical law, including the Order of Friars Minor.
The election of the Custos takes place in three phases. In this election, the first phase takes place from 16 September to 30 October. The 12 friars receiving the most votes are admitted to the second phase (from 14 December to 25 January 2025). In the second vote, the three friars who have received the greatest number of votes will make up the “set of three” which will be presented to the Definitorium General of the Order, together with a report by the Visitator General and his opinion on the three candidates. After a consultation with the Vatican, the Definitorium General appoints the Custos.
“In the case of the Custos of the Holy Land, the friars express a vote that is indicative, but not binding,” the Visitator General, Fra Alojzy Warot, who ensures that the elections are held correctly, explains. “Our Brothers have the right to vote, the right to express their opinion, but the final decision is up to the Minister General. This is because of the importance of the role of the Custos.”
Figure of mediation
“Each provincial must have first of all a great capacity of fostering communication between the friars and between the governance and the friars. This applies in particular in the Custody of the Holy Land, which is characterized by a strong international presence, and by different cultures, languages and origins,” reflects the Visitator General. “On the one hand, knowledge of languages, knowledge of the place and of the complexity of the Custody will definitely help. Above all, though, a figure that fosters fraternity is necessary.”
The Custody is a particular province, due to its role of representing the Church to the outside world. “On the other hand,” Fra Alojzy emphasizes, “the role of the Provincial, including of the Custos, is a role within the province and the community of friars. For the Custos, it is difficult to have this balance between external action and internal community life, but I would stress fraternal life, because this is the first task of the Provincial: the most important thing for whoever guides the Custody is the contact with the friars, involving the friars and mediating between the situation of the Custody and the individual friars.”
The 2025 Chapter
The next Chapter of the Custody will have the task of deciding the guiding lines of the government of the Custody for the following three years and electing the new government of the Custody (Vicar and Discreets). Some members automatically enter the Chapter (“voters by right”) and some are elected members (“assigned voters”).
The friars who hold some positions indicated by the Statute of the Custody enter as voters by right. They include the outgoing Custos, the incoming one, the Visitator General, the Vicar and the Discreets, and the Guardians of some convents. The number of voters by right is variable: each time, a friar may hold one or more positions that make him automatically a member of the Chapter. The “voters by right” are excluded from the lists of friars eligible for the Chapter and do not vote to elect the “assigned voters.”
The number of assigned voters” is also variable, as it depends on the number of voters by right. The rule states that it is more than two units more than that of the voters by right. Those who have been solemn professed for more than five years and belong to the Custody “in the narrow sense” may be elected. The friars who on the first vote obtain the absolute majority of the votes and those who on any second vote obtain the simple majority are elected. On the second vote, those who obtain the most votes tripled by the number of places available gain the places.
Fifty-seven friars will enter the 2025 Chapter. Of these, 27 are voters by right and 29 will take part as “assigned voters.” Lastly, one friar indicated by the Commissaries of the Holy Land will enter the Chapter, but without the right of vote.
Marinella Bandini
