From the 31st March-4thApril 2025, the Coordinating Committee of the Mediterranean Franciscan Network (RFMed) held its annual meeting in Rhodes, Greece. This Mediterranean Island, known for its tourist appeal, is also a refuge for many migrants from Asia Minor and Africa.
There is a Franciscan fraternity in Rhodes belonging to the Custody of the Holy Land. This presence not only serves the island’s only Catholic parish and its associated churches, but also constantly seeks to offer assistance to people in migration transit. One of these actions is the monthly distribution of food to migrants and refugees in the name of St Anthony.
Fr. John Luke Gregory, OFM, parish priest and guardian of the friary, acknowledges the lack of institutions that assist migrants in the region. Therefore, he asserts that “the little we can do is greatly appreciated by those who need it.“
During the meeting, RFMed members expressed their concern about the increase in rearmament in several European countries and the winds of war and conflict in the Mediterranean region. They also reaffirmed the value of the Franciscan presence in the region and the challenge of continuing to strengthen this network to offer joint responses around three priority areas: migration, peace, and youth.
The figure of St Francis of Assisi accompanied the discussions and reflections, recalling that his mission took place in the Mediterranean during times of crusades and religious conflicts. With this memory in mind, the friars renewed their hope that another Mediterranean is possible, and that Franciscans can be sowers of that hope.
