“Be truly holy”: Apostolic Nuncio to OFM Capuchins in Angola at Third Ordinary, Elective Provincial Chapter

The native of Poland’s Catholic Diocese of Przemyśl said, “The holiness of Friars is the most convincing response to the crisis of authenticity that threatens Consecrated Life.” 

“Holiness is not built alone. It is born in washing one another’s feet, in forgiving each other, in patiently bearing with the brother’s weaknesses in love,” the Apostolic Nuncio said.

He warned against the danger of a Religious Life centred on activism, spiritual vanity, or the search for prominence. 

“If you lose the taste for holiness, you will lose the meaning of your vocation. The world needs to see friars in prayer, in silence, in adoration – not only friars in meetings and projects,” he added.

The Apostolic Nuncio insisted that “holiness is possible today, even in a restless world marked by profound challenges.” 

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He recalled that St. Francis of Assisi became holy not through great external deeds but by the way he radically embraced Christ. “Be holy in the manner of Francis. Be brothers with your brothers, be poor with the poor, be gentle with the little ones. That is where Capuchin holiness shines,” Archbishop Dubiel said.

The Apostolic Nuncio in Angola, who also represents the Holy Father in São Tomé and Príncipe, invited the Capuchin Friars to return to the sources of their charism. 

Referring to the writings of St. Francis and the first Constitutions of the Order, he said they contain the sure path to holiness. “Read these pages not as ancient documents, but as a mirror of your identity; they are living texts pointing to a holy, poor, obedient, and fraternal life,” he said.

Reflecting on the five-day event, Archbishop Dubiel said, “This Chapter is a time of grace. It is an invitation to renew your hearts. The Church expects you to be holy Friars, not merely efficient ones.”

The Vatican diplomat encouraged the Capuchin Friars to live the moment in a “spirit of prayer, discernment, and openness to the Holy Spirit.”