Coherencia externa del Programa Operativo con las Orientaciones Estratégicas Comunitarias

"Just as it is the duty of the Superiors to procure in charity the good of the subjects, in the same way it is necessary that the subjects help the Superiors faithfully to keep the law".

(Holy Founder)172

283. At the local level, the Congregation consists of communities that find in the religious house their juridical entity.

I. The Local Community

284. The local community is the whole of the confreres regularly assigned to it by the Superiors' appointment. The community, animated and directed by the local Superior, rules its own internal life and pursues its apostolic aims in the framework of the province and of the local Church

1. The Local Chapter

285. The local chapter is the assembly of the members of the community with the right to vote, convoked and presided over by the local Superior173. The local chapter may be convoked also at the request of the Discreets174, or the majority of the voting members.

286. The local chapter may be convoked directly by the Superior general or by the provincial Superior; both may participate in it with full rights.

287. The local chapter:

a) organizes the life of the community, promptly assigning at the beginning of each year, offices and duties within its competence, and setting up times and modalities for community activities;

b) establishes criteria of collaboration with lay groups and movements that assist the apostolate of the community;

c) supervises and coordinates the :various sectors of activity and decides on initiatives that significantly involve the community;

d) cares for the preservation of the spiritual, cultural, scientific, and artistic patrimony of the community;                                                                                                                           172 _{Const. XIV.} 173 _{Cf. nn. 36-37.} 174 _{Cf. nn. 190; 296-297.}  

e) plans the financial administration in its various sectors, examines and controls the annual financial reports and decides on the expenses within its competence and within the province financial plan;

f) examines the topics of the general and provincial chapters, formulating and voting on eventual propositions, and electing the representatives of the local community and their substitutes to the provincial chapter;

g) expresses its opinion, in particular cases, for the admission of the renewal of temporary vows

288. A community forms a chapter if it consists of at least three voting members, including the Superior175.

288.1 - The rights and duties of non- chapter forming religious are regulated by the provincial statutes or, for unforeseen cases, by the provincial council.

2. The Local Superior

289. The local Superior is the confrere who presides over and governs the community as first responsible, animator of its life and coordinator of the activities of the confreres176.

290. Any voting priest who, from his solemn profession, has spent at least five years in the Congregation, may be appointed Superior.

291. The appointment of the local Superior is the competence of the provincial Superior, with the consent of his council and previous suitable consultation: Ratification of the appointment pertains to the general council.

292. The mandate of the local Superior is for one year and it is renewable for a maximum of six consecutive years in the same community; in order to extend it beyond its limit, and, in any case, no more than another six years, the provincial council must obtain the consent of the general council.

293. The local Superior:

a) fosters unity, fraternal collaboration, and regular observance in the community;

b) coordinates personal work and community activities, harmonizing the talents and propensities of the individuals;

c) assures the functioning of the community offices, listening to, exhorting, and correcting fraternally those directly in charge;

d) is available at the request of the religious, creating a climate of respect and freedom for all;

e) maintains stable relations of sincere collaboration with the provincial Superior and with other communities;

f) invites the collaboration of the laity in the apostolate of the community and helps the community to share in the problems of the environment in which it lives;

                                                                                                                          175 _{Cf. n. 156.}

g) encourages regular contacts with the local Church and fosters the opportune association with public and private institutions;

h) informs the community of his activities and perceptions in his office, as they may be of interest to the confreres or may regard particular sectors of community life.

294. The local Superior, upon consultation with his council:

a) gathers the confreres for mutual spiritual animation and for an ongoing revision of community life;

b) subjects the apostolic activity of the community to constant evaluation and updating in harmony with the needs of the local Church and of the province.

295. The functions of the local Superior, if he cannot fulfill them, are performed by his Vicar, annually chosen by him from among the voting members of the community, with the ratification of the provincial council.

295.1 - Other eventual functions and competencies of the Vicar shall be established by the provincial statutes, by the chapter, and by the local Superior.

3. The Local Council and the Community Offices

296. The Discreets are confreres elected annually by the chapters as counsellors to the Superior in regard to problems which do not require convocation of the chapter. They, with the Superior, form the local council.

296.1 - The number of Discreets, not higher than four, is annually, decided upon by the local chapter; in the communities with less than six voting members, the chapter may take the place of the local council in its functions.

297. The local council:

a) facilitates prompt information about, and just evaluation of, facts regarding the community;

b) periodically controls the financial and economic situation of the community, along with the various accounts;

c) examines the Acts of the house and the minutes of the chapters, the Mass registers and the fulfillment of the bequests and related obligations.

298. The local Treasurer manages the goods of the community and provides for the material necessities of the confreres and of the house. Periodically he gives an account of his actions to the Superior and to the community. Other duties of his are indicated by the Constitutions177.

298.1 - The local Treasurer is appointed every year by the provincial Superior, upon consultation with the community, the council, and the provincial Treasurer.

                                                                                                                          177 _{Cf. nn. 311-312.}

299. The community Chancellor is annually appointed by the local Superior, upon consultation with his council. He writes the Acts of the house and attends the local archives, collecting documents of interest to the community and the Congregation.

300. In addition to offices foreseen by the Constitutions178 and by the provincial statutes, each local chapter may establish others which are necessary for the community, such as: prefect of sacristy; vocation promoter; librarian; infirm and guest attendant.

II. The Religious Houses

301. The establishing of a new religious house, center of vital encounter for the confreres, shall always have as its purpose the evangelical witness and apostolic commitment of the community in the local Church.

302. Establishment and suppression of religious houses are decreed by the general chapter according to the norms of law.

303. Outside the general chapter, the general council, upon initiative also of the provinces, may provide for the establishment and suppression of religious houses.

303.1 - Unless otherwise indicated by universal and particular law, the goods of a suppressed house are transferred to the administration responsible for the house.

304. All houses which do not belong to a province or pro-province are under the immediate jurisdiction of the Superior general.

305. In the houses directly dependent on the Superior general, where not otherwise prescribed: a) the appointment of the local Superior is the competence of the Superior general, upon

hearing the opinion of his council and previous suitable consultation; b) the administration is controlled by the Treasurer general;

c) representation of the voting members at the general chapter is decided by the previous general chapter or by the general council according to criteria adopted by the same chapter179.

306. The general council, for serious reasons, and by way of exception, may temporarily reserve to the immediate jurisdiction of the Superior general certain houses of a province, normally without their loss of rights and duties in the province itself.

306.1 - In the houses temporarily dependent on the Superior general, the juridical relation of the individual voting members with the province to which they belong, and the pertinent right to active and passive voice, are governed by particular norms given by the general council.

                                                                                                                          178 _{Cf. nn. 295; 296; 298; 299.} 179 _{Cf. n. 199.}

307. Religious houses of interprovincial nature may be established by initiative of the general chapter, general council, or various provincial councils. The juridical status is governed by agreement between the provinces concerned, with the general council’s ratification.

CHAPTER VI