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III: Provincial Chapter of the Anglo-Siberian Province
7/3/4/4
1. Decrees and Recommendations
After the usual prayers they entered upon some other topics which had been noted for discussion, and the necessity was spoken of, of requiring from novices at the time of their profession, a renunciation in legal form of all claim on the congregation in the event of their leaving it..... A paper was now produced containing a form of contract drawn up by a Catholic lawyer, between a novice and the Superior receiving his profession, in which he renounces every such claim. It was determined that this form should be adopted with some trifling modification to be agreed upon; and not only that novices to be hereafter professed should sign the form, but that all the present professed members of the province, and professed subjects of other provinces, on being transferred to this, should do likewise.
2.
The subject of our studies was now brought forward. It was remarked frequently persons accepted as clerical novices, though qualified in other respects, are deficient in their style of reading latin, and likewise English. It was determined that provision should be made for such as these spending some time, at the discretion of the Provincial, in studies calculated to remove this deficiency; and that none should be allowed to proceed to higher studies, unless on examination by the Provincial, or by some one defuted by him, they should be found to have sufficiently improved on this point.
3.
It was then represented that in most of the retreats the Platea had not been regularly kept up to the present time, and as information such as the Platea should afford, is called for at Rome, for drawing up the annals of the congregation, the Provincial was requested to appoint one of the fathers to visit the different retreats when this might be the case,

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3.
It was then represented that in most of the retreats the Platea had not been regularly kept up to the present time, and as information such as the Platea should afford, is called for at Rome, for drawing up the annals of the congregation, the Provincial was requested to appoint one of the fathers to visit the different retreats when this might be the case, and to collect materials upon which it may be drawn up without delay.

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3.
is termed nationalities, as also to the very severe prohibitions in the Holy Gule and Regulations of the least freedom in touching each other's persons.

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2.
4.a
It was represented in the first case place that for many years back, from time to time, the desirableness of establishing confrontaries of the Passion has been spoken of, and authority obtained from Rome for the purpose.
It was therefore recommended to the Provincial to take effective measures for carrying out this object.
b. After this, the question was treated of how [the money, which may be given to fathers conducting missions, should be divided among the retreats to which they might severally belong. It was decided that it should all be brought together into the hands of the superior of the mission, that the travelling expenses of each should all be provided for, and whatever remained should be equally divided.] The Provincial was requested to draw up a short regulation for the orderly execution of what has now been decided.
c. It was ordered in the next place, that the lay-brothers on coming home from journeys for the quest should be regularly allowed three days of repose, but that the rectors should be authorized to extend the time if they should judge it respective or reasonable.
d. Mention was now made of the importance of avoiding unnecessary visits and conversations, especially with females in scular houses, and of not accepting invitations for meals in them, as also of observing due caution in regard of females coming for instructions to our churches or houses. The Chapter thought it well, without making new regulations, to call attention to the strict prohibitions of regulations on this matter, which may be seen in the acts of our first provincial chapter, and those made at other times by provincials in their visitations. The superiors of the province were now called upon to take great care to have these orders duly attended to.
e. The chapter also judged it expedient to call the attention of all the members of the province, especially of the younger ones, to the carnest exhortations contained in our Holy Rule & Regulations, to

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e. The chapter also judged it expedient to call the attention of all the members of the province, especially of the younger ones, to the larmest exhortations contained in our Holy Rule & Regulations, to cultivate mutual charity, to avoid the saying of anything which might wound the feelings of others, as peculiarly is understood by what

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CALL NOITEM NO1863-08-24001AYEAR MONTH DAYCLASS.NUMBER.ENTRY DATESERIAL1975-05-1583ADDRESS