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No. 4
(14)
7/3/15/1
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.
It is our privilege to make known to you that Our Most Rev. Fr. General, Bernard Mary of Jesus, has appointed the 30th June as the date for the opening of the 14th Provincial Chapter of Our Province, to be held in the Retreat of St. Paul of the Cross, Dublin. To every Religious of Our Province this is an event in which we are all intimately concerned, as from this triennial gathering of the Superiors of the Province will result not merely the good government of each house in the Province during the coming three years, but, as a consequence of it, new life and energy will be infused into our daily lives, abuses of any kind which may exist amongst us will be abolished, and all strengthened in their vocations by those amongst us whose lives have been remarkable for prudence, charity, love for discipline and regular observance. This, in a few words, is the meaning and object of our Provincial Chapter.
The wise provision of Our Holy Rule in bringing together the Superiors of each Province in the congregation at stated times is in accordance with ancient discipline in Church government. It is what the Church has been doing from the very beginning. At the very outset of her existence the Apostles assembled in Jerusalem under the presidency of St. Peter, who addressing them, spoke thus: "Men, brethren, you know that in former days God made choice amongst us that the Gentiles, by my mouth, should hear the word of the Gospel and believe," Acts xv., 7. At that time memorable meeting the Apostles drew up that formula of belief we call the Apostles Creed. They discussed matters of discipline, each giving his own opinion freely, and when a conclusion was arrived at, all acted in concert. In every succeeding age of the Church's history we find the same method has been adopted. Whenever doctrine was assailed, or strange and novel customs were introduced, the Doctors and Elders of the Church came together, and, having given the matter due consideration, determined what was the faith of the Church and what her primitive discipline.
Each Religious Order has wisely adopted the same method and assembled from time to time to renew the spirit of their Founder and see if the work which he was raised up by God to do in the Church was being carried out in its primitive observance by his children. This discipline of Holy Church and observance of Rule is all the more necessary in these days,

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owing to the circumstances we find ourselves placed in by reason of so much external work devolving on us as Missionaries of the Congregation, and being charged with the care of souls by the Bishops in whose dioceses our houses are situated.
It requires very little experience to be convinced that contact with the world, even though it be for a praiseworthy and laudable purpose, is dangerous and has its perils for a Religious. By mixing in secular society a Religious imperceptably acquires a spirit of worldliness and becomes influenced by the maxims and principles of the world. Love for retirement and the spirit of recollection and prayer are often, alas! too often, extinguished in the soul of the religious man, when he is too frequently absent from regular observance. Penance, mortification, the spirit of poverty—these distinguishing marks of a Passionist Religious—are often forgotten and set aside when we mix over much with the world. You remember the often repeated saying of Our Holy Founder: “Qui multo perigrinantur varo sanctificantur.” If then, owing to the active life, the circumstances of the time demands of us, any abuse or custom foreign to our spirit has crept in amongst us, it will be the duty of each Capitular Father at our Provincial meeting to make it known, and it will be the imperative duty of the Chapter to take the necessary steps to put an end to such abuses by framing such decrees and regulations as may seem good to them.
Besides the home Province you are aware that, connected with it by the most intimate ties, there is a flourishing colony of our brethren in the far-off land of Australia. God has blessed, in a wonderful manner, this young foundation, and the Province has reason to be proud of the great and good work done by the Fathers sent on that foundation. At our recent visitation in Australia, we were gratified more than we can express to hear the flattering accounts which reached us of our Missions and Retreats there, and the untiring labours of the Fathers for the salvation of souls. It was, however, still more consoling to see a young and fervent body of Australian Passionists, well trained and disciplined to the religious life, and imbued with sincere love and attachment to the Congregation and Our Province. This young off-shoot, sympathy and encouragement. They require, too, additional help from the home Province, for with their existing numbers they are unequal to the task of training Novices, educating Students and conducting Missions and Retreats.
All this, and agood deal more in connection with the Australian foundations, will be submitted to the venerable Chapter for consideration.
The principal and all-important work of the Chapter, however, will be to select Superiors for the coming three years, who will, by their example more than by words, maintain discipline and keep up the regular observance in its primitive fervour in Our Province. Our Province occupies an exceptional position in the Congregation owing to the fact that our Religious are called on to take so large a share in the external work of the ministry peculiar to secular priests. The necessity of the time demands this, and, for some, it is quite impossible to keep the full observance, but this circumstance renders it all the more necessary that the Superiors of the Province should be men of discipline and lovers of regular observance, and go before their brethren and encourage them to keep alive in their souls the spirit of St. Paul

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of the Cross. The coming Chapter will, therefore, be a time of great anxiety for those on whom will devote so much serious work. They will need special help from on High to enable them to discharge their responsible duties in a manner calculated to contribute to the glory of God and the honour of the congregation. In addition, then, to the fervent petitions which every Religious of Our Province will send up before the throne of the Most High, at this time, for the success of the Chapter, we prescribe that, from the reception of this letter there be recited in prayer; the Litany of the Blessed Virgin with prayer Concede, three Paters, Aves and Glorias in honour of St. Michael, St. Joseph, and St. Paul of the Cross with their respective antiphons and prayers. During the triduum, as well as on the day of the opening of the Chapter, all the Students, Lay Brothers, and Novices shall receive Holy Communion. We remind the Fr. Rectors to bring with them their Littera Patentes and their seals of office, and, likewise, the following :—
I. Certificate of the faithful celebration of the Masses celebrated during the past three years, signed by all the priests of the Community, except the Rector.II. Certificate of the exact keeping of the Archives, signed by the Rector and Vice-Rector.III. An inventory of all the goods of the House, Church, and Sacristy.IV. A correct financial statement of the Retreat giving an abstract of the Income and Expenditure during the three years of Administration, and stating at the same time the amount of money in Bank or House.V. A faithful statement of the standing debts of the House and current bills due up to the more of giving up office, mentioning the amount due to each inserted in the Administration book, and signed by Rector and Vice-Rector.
In conclusion we beg to remind the Capitular Fathers to be at the Retreat of St. Paul of the Cross not later than the evening of the 26th June, to take part in the solemn triduum of prayer, previous to the opening of the Chapter.
By a rescript obtained by the Most Rev. Fr. General, the Superiors of St. Joseph's, Paris; Holy Cross, Belfast; and St. Mungo's, Glasgow, will enjoy the right of active voice at the Chapter. We are also instructed to state that it will not be necessary for the Superiors of St. Michael's, Wareham; of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Herne Bay; and St. Mary's, Carmarthen, to come to the Chapter.
We beg, however, to remind them to forward to the Provincial the documents already mentioned as necessary for the Chapter. If they have any observations to make regarding their respective houses, let them be addressed to the President of the Chapter.
Wishing you and the community every blessing.
Given at St. JOSEPH'S RETREAT, HIGHGATE, LONDON,
May 21st, 1896.

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CALL NO
ITEM NO ↓
1896.05.21
YEAR, MONTH, DAY
001
CLASS.
NUMBER.
ENTRY DATE
1936.04.
ARCHIVES
MOUNT ARCUS, DUBLIN, 6.
SERIAL
191