Fr. Martín Carbajo-Núñez has been invited by the OFM General Curia to participate as a speaker at the 6th OFM Under Ten Chapter of Mats, which will take place in Assisi from July 4 to 12, 2026, under the theme: “All of you are brothers.”
On the afternoons of July 6, 7, and 8, the participants will be divided into three language groups —English, Spanish, and Italian— and will rotate among three emblematic places deeply connected to the Franciscan experience: the Porziuncola, where they will be addressed by the Most Reverend Minister General; San Damiano, with Fr. Martín Carbajo; and the Carceri Hermitage, with Fr. Carlos Salto, Dean of Theology at the Antonianum. Each group will spend a full afternoon in each of these significant places. At San Damiano, Fr. Martín Carbajo will speak on the theme: “Go and Repair My House: Sia lodato mio Signore.”
This 6th Chapter will gather OFM friars with less than ten years of solemn profession from different Entities and Conferences of the Order throughout the world. The meeting will take place within the framework of the commemoration of the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi and will focus on fraternity and mission.
At present, it is estimated that the OFM Order includes around 1,610 under ten friars, all of whom have been invited to participate in the preparation of the event, although the group that will physically gather in Assisi will be small.
Inspired by the historic “Chapters of Mats” convoked by Saint Francis, this gathering aims to be a space of fraternity, prayer, reflection, and missionary renewal. The Chapter seeks to strengthen the experience of internationality and interculturality, to listen to the hopes and challenges of young friars, and to promote concrete proposals for the future of the Order and for the 2027 General Chapter.
Throughout its history, the Order has already celebrated five Under Ten Mat Chapters: Santiago de Compostela (1995), Canindé, Brazil (2001), the Holy Land (2007), Guadalajara and Mexico City (2012), and Taizé, France (2019). Interestingly, the 1995 meeting began at the friary of Herbón, about 20 km from Santiago, where Fr. Martín was then concluding his service as Rector of the minor and Guardian of the shrine-house. He was entrusted with celebrating the first Mass of the gathering.
The Assisi 2026 meeting continues this fraternal and missionary tradition.
