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No 5.
7/3/17/1
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Jesu Christi Passio.
The Philips of the Immaculate Conception
Provincial of the Anglo-Hibernian Province
of St Joseph.
To the Very Revd F. F. Consultors, Rectors,
Master of Novices, Superiors, and to all the
Priests, Students and Lay-Brothers of the
Anglo-Hibernian Province of the Most Holy
Cross and Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Health and Peace in the Lord.
Having obtained the requisite permission of the
Most Revd Fr General I have now to announce
to you the Convocation of the Sixteenth Provin-
cial Chapter of our Province.
We appoint the 13th day of June next
as the day of the opening of the Chapter
and St Paul's Retreat Mount Argus, Dublin
as the place for holding the Said Chapter.
The holding of the Provincial Chapter
is an event of great importance in the life
of each Province, and this chiefly because

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therein are elected the Superiors on whom the well-being of the Province in great measure depends. Experience shows that as the welfare of the Church at large depends on the character of her Pastors, so the welfare of religious Orders and Congregations depends on the character of the Superiors. It is for this reason that Holy Scripture holds out such a high ideal of the character of those who alone ought to be chosen to govern the Church of God, and that the Fathers require so much virtue in those who are to be selected to bear the burthen of Superiorship in monastic and other religious situations. We know that there will be always found pious souls who will do their duty independently of the character of those who are set over them, but all have not this virtue; and it may be said that the religious life of a Community as a whole will seldom rise above the level of the religious life of those who bear the rule over it. That saying of the Holy Ghost which has passed into a proverb "Like people, like priest", has also its particular as well as its general application. The

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Superior then should be one to whom the religion
may look as to a model of every virtue, and St
Gregory the Great does not hesitate to say that the
Superior should as much excel his subjects as
the Shepherd does the Sheep which he feeds &
tends. I speak thus, my dear brethren, because
knowing how you love the Congregation I would
exhort you to poor forth your prayers without
ceasing to God that He may give our Province
Superiors after this own heart. It may be that
some are unwilling to pray for objects which
can only be realised through the instrumentality
of the free will of man, but those who are thus
minded have a false idea of the scope of God's
all-embracing Providence and of the sovereignty
which He exercises over the wills of men. We
are told that not a sparrow falls to the ground
without the knowledge of our Heavenly Father,
and that the Hearts of men are in this hand
to turn them whither so ever He will. And if
at any time in the past Superiors have been
elected who proved unworthy of the trust reposed
in them, ought we not to regard this as a judgment
of God upon us for our own infidelity, rather

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been enabled to part with our home at Worchester the support of which pressed so heavily on the Province in part years. Our home at Earnstreet has been enlarged and all expenses incurred thereby have been fully paid off, and it is now ready to receive the Portlands whom I hope to send there shortly after Easter. And lastly, through the energy & devotion of Very Rev. Dr Gregory Consultor and the Nealous Cooperation of the brethren, the financial condition of our Australian houses has improved to an extent one could not have dreamed of three years ago.
These continued proofs of the Divine love favour ought to draw us more closely to Jod, and should give us confidence in reserves with fervour in his holy service.
One of the most important matters which the Fathers assembled in Shapley will have to consider is the condition of the Australian portion of our Province. A great improvement has been already effected and steps should be taken to render this improvement permanent & heavily commend this object in advance to the earnest consideration of the Cipitular

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Fathers,
We live, dear brethren, in evil times, when the great majority of men, neglect God, & when so many persecute Him in his errorants. We then who have been the objects of the Divine Predilection ought to endeavour to make Coupel satisfaction to His offended Majesty for the infidelity of men. Let us ever remember that we are the children of the Cross & Passion, let us "always bear in our body the mortification of Jesus", let us like the great apothe glory in His Cross, and let us hold forth by our lives & breaching to a sinful and Apraved world the wonderful mystery of His Suffering & love. Let our sole thought be the advancement of His kingdom and the promotion of His glory, and let us perform all our actions through the Sole motive of pleasing Him. Then indeed all our actions, even the smallest, will be acceptable in His Sight & full of merit for ourselves.
We take this opportunity of announcing to you officially that the Very Rev To Cypria of the Precious Blood was on 2nd February, 1901

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elected Rector of St Mary's Rebreak Arborese to succeed the Very Rev Dr Michael of the Gard Heart of Mary who had resigned in order to take charge of our Davis Mission, and that the Very Rev Dr Mark of the Seven Dolores was on the 7th March of the same year elected to the Rectorship of St Anna's Rebreak, Sutton, rendered vacant by the resignation of his predecessor. Both elections took place at St Jean's Rebreak, NY Argus, Bublin.
We beg of you once more to pray fervently that the Holy Spirit may guide the Exclivations of the Chapter. For this and we order that it from the receipt of this letter until the 10th day of June the religious shall recite during the time of the evening meditation the following Prayers:
Three Paters, Owes and Glories, in honour of our Holy Patriots, St Michael, St Joseph, & our Holy Founder, St Jean of the Gross, with the respective authiphons and Prayers:
And furthermore from the 1st of June until the tenth of the same month the 'Very Creator' with the versicle and Prayer, and the Litany of the Delegated Virgin with the Authiphon and

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the prayer 'Concede' shall be received in addition
to the above prayers.
On the days of the Trindum preceding the
Chapter as well as on the day of the opening of
the same, the Clerks and Stay-brothers shall
receive Solly Communion.
We remind the Rectors to bring their 'Little
Patents' and Seals of office, and the Rectors and
Superiors to bring to the Chapter the following
documents:
1. Certificate of the faithful celebration of
Masses signed by all the priests of the House
except the Rector or Superior.
2. Certificate of the faithful keeping of
the Archives signed by the Rector or Superior
and the Vicar.
3. Inventory of House, Church, & Sacrifice
furniture.
4. A correct financial statement of the
Retreat, Ri: the Income & Expenditure since
the last Chapter.
5. A faithful statement of the debts of
the Retreat, showing the monies borrowed at
interest, the percentage payable, monies

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borrowed without interest, all outstanding debt and current bills to date, including rents, taxes &c. And finally the amount of the balance in hand or in Dank at the time of leaving Office.
The Capitular Fathers and the Superiors of our Paris and Glasgow houses are required to be at St Paul's Retreat. Mount Argus, Dublin not later than the evening of the 9th June, so as to assist at the Tridenning & preliminary meetings.
Praying that the Giver of every good fift may bestow upon you His choicest blessings.
I am your humble Servant & brother in X
Philip of the Lunar Craft Provincial
Given at St Joseph's Retreat Highgate Hill London, 26th February 1902.
To be read publicly to the Religious assembled in Choir or Refectory. —