Proclamation of XIII General Chapter

     May God the Holy Spirit unite us even more with the Son to the Father!

Undoubtedly, the most important event in the life of a religious Congregation is the celebration of the General Chapter, an unusual period, a time of deep renewal within us, a time of renewal and of new impulse towards the future. For this reason, with joyful heart full of trust and hope, with the consent of the General Council, according to our Constitution, today, October 18, 2005, the 85^th anniversary of the birth of the Society of Divine Vocations.

I Announce the Celebration

Of the XIII General Chapter which will take place in Pianura, in our mother-house, near the tomb of our Venerable Founder, and will start on the 3^rd of July 2006.

The Chapter “has the task of protecting the spiritual heritage of the Congregation, looking after its common good, promoting its apostolic life, making its charism better known, protecting its unity, keeping abreast of the constant renewal of aggiornamento of both structures and members; it elects the Superior General and his Councilors, the Representative to the Holy See; treats questions of major importance, and establishes norms which are binding to all members of the Congregation (Const. art. 128).

So that the Chapter may be able to comply adequately all these tasks, it is necessary to have a long and intense preparation by all the members of the Congregation. Our preparation must consist of prayers, sacrifices, studies, and a conscientious attitude that the Congregation goes as well or as badly as anyone of us acts and behaves. The renewal should not come from outside but, rather, from inside; not from others but from me.

In this period, it is easy to be driven by the desire of changing all, of yearning to make statues for others losing sight that personal conversion and renewal come only from within.

The XIII General Chapter shall only be celebrated once! It will never return again. If we lose this opportunity which is offered us, we will not be able to catch the next train!

The XIII General Chapter wants to see all members of the Congregation involved with the personal and communitarian questionnaires, with inquires, suggestions, informative reports, news releases, prayers and sacrifices, No one is excluded, and no one must feel excluded in this event.

Following the positive example of other religious families, we are considering the possibility of a non- binding survey of all confreres in perpetual vows about their preference and choice for the person to be elected to office of Superior General, without taking away the responsibility of the Delegates to elect the new one, Such survey may serve as orientations for the Chapter’s members.

Considering the positive ideas of about 90% of the confreres, the XIII General Chapter will offer us for the first time in the history of the Congregation, the opportunity of studying our charism and its impact with groups which, in one way or another, live and work for our charism. We will try to see our charism from within it and from outside of it. The tentative plan (it is understood!) is to dedicate the first two days of the Chapter, soon after the three-day retreat, to the study of the charism with the participation of various groups of Vocationist Cooperators.

I call the attention of all confreres on the important of the election of the Delegates, considering that the result of the Chapter depend basically from this first choice. Let us bear in mind that it is illegal to solicit votes for oneself or for others; it is good and praiseworthy to consult a person that is trustworthy. I ask not to vote for those that seek votes or for those that make promises of any kind. Everyone must vote conscientiously for the person who may represent credibly the entire Congregation. If I may give suggestion to all, I say: vote for the person who really loves the Congregation, that is, who works for the Congregation and sacrifices himself for it. Sending to the Chapter delegates who don’t love the Congregation, or who are not good religious, or those religious that work for themselves, may prove an humbling experience for the ones elected, for the group that elected them and to the Chapter itself.

I dispose that:

1. the election of the Delegates to the General Chapter shall be held on the 12^th of December 2005, in all our regional groups. The scrutiny process shall be presided by the Provincial for Brazil, by the Delegate for the USA, by the personal delegates in Nigeria, India, Argentina, Philippines and Colombia, and by the zonal representatives in Italy. Madagascar will vote with the group Center-North Italy;

2. for the election of the Delegates, every religious votes in the regional group in which he resides (or should reside according to his previous obedience) effectively today.

3. on every first Friday of the Month, for November to June, there will be Eucharistic adoration all day long in our community chapels and parish churches;

4. every third Friday of the month, from November to June, shall be a day of community fasting.

5. for all the month of July 2006, in virtue of holy obedience, no religious shall make nay commitment other than what is normally assigned to him; no one may program vacation, travel or other activities. All those that do not participate to the Chapter shall be available to substitute the Delegates to the Chapter;

6. everyday, starting today, after the Offertory (or after the Morning Prayers or Vespers), the following prayer shall be done in community for the good results of the Chapter:

a)      Enclosed herewith are the following:

1.      Election ballot

2.      Envelop with description “XIII General Chapter – Election of the delegates”

3.      Practical norms for the election of Delegates for the General Chapters;

4.      Number of Delegates for the Chapter 

b)      The Regional groupings are: Brazil, USA, North Campania, South Campania, Center- North Italia, Puglia, Argentina, Nigeria, India, Philippines and Colombia. (Mdagascar is enlisted, by decree, as part of Center-North Italia).

c)      The voting and the counting of ballots will take place on the 12^th of December 2005. The meeting will have the following program: 

10: 00 AM – Adoration

11: 00 AM – Election and Counting the Ballot

12: 30 PM – Angelus, Examination of Conscience and the Offertory

1: 00 PM – Lunch

 The meeting for the election of the Delegates shall take place in the following houses: 

1. Brazil is Sao Gaetano, Salvador, presides the Provincial Fr. Jose Carlos Lima

2. USA, Newark, presides the Delegate Fr. Antonio da Silva

3. North Campania, Voctionary of Pianura, presides Fr. Claudio De Caro

4. South Campania, Altavilla Silentina, presides Fr. Salvatore Musella

5. Center-North Italy, Rome, General Curia, presides Fr. Ciro Sarnataro

6. Puglia, Mola di Bari, presides Fr. Ernesto D’ Alessio

7. Sicily, Ribera, presides Fr. Alfredo Della Greca

8. Argentina, La Plata, presides Fr. Oscar Zamora

9. Nigeria, Ibadan, Fr. Justin Vocationary, Presides Fr. Lawrence Okwuosa

10. India, Mulayam, Divine Union Vocationary, presides Fr. Antony Pittappilly

11. Philippines, Davao, Holy Trinity Formation House, presides Fr. Nicola Martino

12. Colombia, Medellin, presides Fr. Nicola Carandente.

 d)      Those for grave reason cannot be present at the voting place must seal their own election ballot in the envelop enclosed, which will then be enclosed in another envelop addressed to the president of the group; after, it shall be sent either by registered mail or by hand-carry. A vote sent by registered mail or by hand-carry which did not reach at the hand of the president by election time, will not be counted, and therefore, has no value.

 e)      The president of each Regional Group will send via fax the result of the election. After which, he will send by mail or by carrier the election ballots and the written minutes of the proceedings of the session.