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CONVOCATARY LETTER OF THE 13th PROVINCIAL CHAPTER
OF THE ANGLO HIBERNIAN PROVINCE
TO TAKE PLACE
ON THE 9th JULY 1893
AT ST. PAUL'S RETREAT MOUNT ARGUS DUBLIN
This authentic copy was made
from a copy lent by St. Mary's
Retreat, Harborne, Birmingham.
It was this day placed in the
archives of St. Paul's Retreat
to replace a copy missing for
many years.
July 4, 1955.
Rector

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I. X. P.
GREGORY of St. Joseph, Provincial of the Province of St. Joseph.
To
the Very Rev. Fathers Consultors, Rectors, Superiors, Master of Novices, Rev. Fathers, Students, and Brothers.
Health and Benediction in the Lord.
We hasten to communicate to you the intelligence just communicated to us by Our Most Rev. Father General Bernard Mary of Jesus, giving us power and permission to convoke the 13th Provincial Chapter of Our Province, an event which cannot fail to be regarded by you as of the greatest importance.
Whether we consider the origin of such assemblies, the Divine assistance promised to those who take part in them, or the results which are expected to follow from them, how deeply interesting to all of us is not this triennial event in the history of our Province.
The origin of such gatherings may be traced back to that first meeting or council of the Apostles held in Jerusalem when St. Peter, addressing those present, spoke thus: "Men brethren you know that in former days God made choice among us that the Gentiles by my mouth shall hear the word of the Gospel and believe." Acts XV, 7.
From that first meeting came the idea of General Councils. After this model National And Diocesan Synods have been held in every age of the Church and following this example General and Provincial Chapters have been convoked, for the better government and discipline of Religious Orders.
The Divine assistance, so necessary on such occasions, will never be wanting to those called on to take part in such meetings, for in a Chapter, legitimately convoked, Christ Himself is present, for we have his own words assuring us: "Where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there an I in the midst of them" Matthew XVIII, 20.

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The object or purpose for which a Provincial Chapter is summoned is to remedy the abuses which through human frailty may have crept into the regular observance, and general discipline of the Congregation, to recall the religious to their first fervour, and to make regulations, and to frame Statutes for the government of the entire Province as well as each community; but the chief and principal work which will devolve on the Capitular Fathers is to choose and select men to adt as Superiors for the coming three years who by their prudence, charity, love of religious observance, and discipline, will encourage and lead to perfection and sanctity of life those subjects whom the Almighty will entrust to their care and solicitude.
At the termination of our period of office office as Provincial it will not be our of place if for our mutual encouragement we briefly record the good accomplished by the children of the Province during the last three years.
At the time of the last Provincial Chapter the Province had assumed very large proportions, having acquired several new foundations wing to the zeal and energy of our Revered Predecessor.
The Australian foundation inaugerated by him and successfully established by the Very Rev. Fr. Alphonsus of the B. Virgin and a zealous and devoted band of religious (whose numbers we have been happily able to augment) is now placed on a firm foundation and is being recuited by fervent youths being belonging to those parts.
The Retreat of the Noviciate at Mary's Mount, Goulbourne is at present, we are informed, filled with youthful aspirants who hope ere long to be numbered among the professed Children of the Congregation.
The Retreat of St. Brigid at Marrackville, Sydney, possesses four

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students who have finished their philosophical course.
In this retreat the observance is now kept in its entirety so that we hape at the coming Provincial Chapter it will be erected into a canonical retreat of the Province.
A kind Benefactor has given the Congregation a considerable portion of land to erect a Retreat on in a place called Moss Vale in the Archdiocese of Sydney. It is hoped that before long practical steps may be taken to carry out the pious wishes of this gentleman.
The Australian foundation has met with a success unequalled we believe in the Annals of the Congregation, and the Province has reason to be proud and edified at the self sacrificing manner in which so many of our brethren volunteered, to relinguish to many happy home associations, and in true Missionary spirit go to make Christ Crucified better known and loved under the Southern Cross at the Antipodes.
Here at home we have not been idle. The religious attached to our Mission House at St. Mungos, Glasgow, so long deprived of a suitable residence now rejoice in having a spacious and comfortable house in which they can attend better to their own sanctification and discharge more efficiently the onerous and laborious duties with which they are charged.
In St. Ann's Sutton, owing to the generosity of a kind benefactor we hope soon to be able to remove the holy remains of the Ven. Fr. Dominic, of the Mother of God, and Fr. Ignatius of St. Paul, to a more becoming place than they have hitherto rested in, by the addition of two Chapels, already built to the existing Church.
A considerable amount of pecuniary responsibility has been wiped out from the standing debt of the Province, owing to the benefactions of kind friends and the energy of Superiors as well as the economy practised by

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our good religious.
The holy labour of the Missions, the distinctive and special work of the Congregation has been prosecuted with ability and zeal, both in Australia and at home so as to call forth the commendation and thanks of the Bishops and Priests of the various diocese in which we have been called to labour.
We gladly avail ourselves of this opportunity of bearing testimony to the alacrity and zeal with which our religious have at our request taken part in this mix meritorious work of their vocation and it is known to us that their incessant labours, self-denial, sobriety and mortification practised during the time of the Holy Missions have given great edification to others and continued in no small degree to the fair name and peputation of the Congregation.
While however we thank God, for these and many other marks of the Divine pleasure in regard to our Province, it is not unknown to you that the Province has had its trials and sorrows, also, the nature of which it is not necessary for us at present to detail. We feel, however, that we owe it to the religious of the Province, that we should express our heartfelt gratitude and thanks for the warm affection and sympathy we have received from them, at a time when we were much distressed, lest the humiliations and sorrows of our beloved Province, were occasioned by our misgovernment, in the discharge of our responsible office.
We take this occasion likewise of thanking every member of the Province for the kind congratulations and fervent prayers offered to us and for us, on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of my Ordination to the Priesthood.
It remains now for us to exhort you Very Rev. Fathers, who will form the 13th Provincial Chapter of our Province, to consider seriously

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beforehand the responsible duties which will devolve on you at the coming Chapter, and to pray yourselves and ask your religious also to obtain light from on high for the happy issue and success of our labours.
The internal discipline of each Retreat, the external and active work connected with each, the financial condition of the Province, will supply matter for serious deliberation.
The most responsible and anxious duty, however, which we will be called upon to discharge at that time will be to select Superiors, who will be to their brethren, as far as in them lies, faithful models and representatives of our Holy Founder.
If the province is to preserve and maintain, love for religious overservance and discipline. If burning zeal for the salvation of souls is to be a chief characteristic in the lives of our religious. If, in a word, the Spirit of St. Paul of the Cross is to influence and animate us in the future as I sincerely hope that it has done in the past will depend, to a great extent, on those who will govern and guide the Province in the future.
We have then all of us need of prayer to obtain light and guidance in a matter where, God's honour, the interests of religion and the Congregation are so much concerned.
To this end, besides the prayers which every religious will offer up for the success of the Chapter, we prescribe the following prayers to be recited in common by the Community, during the time of the afternoon meditation, from the 5th June till the 5th July:
VENI CREATOR & PRAYER,
LITANY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN, with PRAYER "CONCEDE",
Three Paters, Aves, & Glorias in honour of St. Michael,
St. Joseph, and Our Holy Founder, St. Paul of the Cross, with their
respective prayers.

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On the days of the Triduum, as on also the days of the Chapter, all the Students, Lay-Brothers, and Novices, will receive Holy Communion. We remind the Fathers Rectors and Local Superiors to bring to the Chapter besides the "litterae patentes" and Seal of Office, the following documents:
1. A certificate of the faithful celebration of the Masses signed by all the Fathers of the House except the Fathers Rectors or Superior.
2. A certificate of the exact keeping of the "Archivium" signed by the Father Rector or Superior, and the Father Vicar.
3. An Inventory of all the goods of the House made out under the various headings, as for example, Church, Library, Sacristy, etc.
4. A correct financial statement of the Retreat, giving an abstract of the three years of administration and stating at the same time, the amount left in the deposit or Bank, before leaving the House for the Chapter, and also any sums of money credited to the House (if any).
5. A faithful statement of any debts due by the House, including: 1) Money borrowed at interest, and mentioning the percentage paid yearly on it;
2) Loans of money held with interest (if any).
3) The outstanding debts or current bills, those already or to come in and remaining still unsettled up to the time of leaving office.
In conclusion we appoint the 9th of July, 1893, for the celebration of our Provincial Chapter which will be held in our Retreat of St. Paul of the Cross, Dublin. We request all the Capitular Fathers to assemble in the above Retreat not later than Wednesday, the 5th of July, in order that to assist at the Triduum prescribed by our Holy Rules, and also to be present at the preliminary Sessions during the three days preceding the celebration of the Chapter.
Given at St. Joseph's Retreat, Highgate, London.
This 30th Day of May, 1893.
(Signed) Gregory of St. Joseph, Provincial.

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CALL NO. ITEM NO.
1893.05.30 DOI
TRANSMITTED DAY
CLASS.
MUNICIPAL
EVERY DATE SERIAL 149
1943.06.04
ALLIANCES
MOUNT ARCADE DESIGN C.