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7/3/24/1
4/3/24/1
CLASS.
PRIMARY
DATE
4/3/06-04-11
DATE
4/3/07-02-01
ADDITIONAL PRIMARY
PRIMARY
SERIES
SERIES
ITEM NO.
Conversatory Letter
of the
23rd. Provincial Chapter
from the
Very Rev. F. Malachy, of the V.N. Dolours.
Provincial
April 4th 1923.

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statute of the Seven Dolores Provincial of the Province of St Joseph to all the superiors and Religious of the Anglo-Sabine Province of the Congregation of the Most Stably Cross and Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ Peace and Blessing in the Lord.
It will be with feelings of gratitude that our Religious will learn that the Most Rev. Mr. General will again preside at our Prov. Chapter. No labour seems so great, and no country so remote when it is a question of forwarding the interests of our Congregation by his personal presence. Having several other Chapters to preside over his Cathedral has intimated that the most convenient date for the Chapter of our Province would be about 22nd of June, which day accordingly we appoint for the opening of the Chapter to be held at St. Joseph's Behead, Highgate London.
It would not be easy, dear Brethren, to exaggerate the importance of a Prov. Chapter for the Religious of the Province. The principal function of the Chapter is to steel superiors for the 3rd thickening years and experience has not how far the happiness of the Religious, and the prosperity of the Province depends upon the wise selection of Superiors. Not always the most bulliant men are the wisest or best Superiors. To govern his Community well a Superior requires many qualifications. He must have a great love for the Congregation, which will manifest itself in his geal for the preservation of the Saves and Bustons of the Order, Charity and firmness must temper each other. No privilege of his position must pander to self love, but

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motived he must sacrifice self and be an example of regularity to his community. The our overgoing conditions of life call for predence and foresight, so it is while adapting ourselves, sofar as may be, to our investments, our superiors may always guard the essential characteristics of our long. - The spirit of poverty and detachment from the world and the ardent love of Christ brucified in our private lines and in our public ministery for others. Too with work that belongs rather to the secular clargy, claiming so much of our attention there will be always the danger of relinquishing the practices of community life, and aiming at success rather as parochial priests than as members of a great Missionary Order founded for preaching Christ and Him brucified. That parochial work is not incompatible with the missionary spirit has been abundantly proved in the history of our Province, and never more conclusively than in recent years. The flourishing Confraternities of the Passion attached to our church's gine scope for the propagation of this devotion; and the readiness of our priests, occupied in parochial work, so accept appointments to missions & reheats, goes to prove that interest in the working of a parish need not diminish our geal for missionary work. Still it must be admitted that the constant claims of parochial cults will always fervish a plausible space for dispensations from the Rule and bustons of our Order, and transfer our interest from work that is peculiarly passionist to a sphere of labour more suited to the secular presthood. Of course we have no option as regards the undertaking of parochial work. Too the most part it was hitherto an unanniable condition for the establishment

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of Reliefs in these countries, and while we are responsible for parishes, it would be criminal to neglect them, or work less carefully than scatter priests in promoting the welfare of our parishioners. That this can be done without essentially modifying our Rules and Bustons has been clearly proved, but it is in turtle a hard life and makes more pressing demands upon our store of personal housess and zeal, than the purely monastic and missionary life contemplated in our Rule. Here there is the danger against which our Superiors must provide and one of the great responsibilities of the Chapter will be to select men, who while accepting the situation as it stands, and devoting the necessary attention to parochial work will never forget nor allow their Communities to forget that fidelity to our Rules and zeal for devotion to Christ brucified must come before everything else. Otherwise we should soon loose the spirit of our Order and become merely a locus of secular priests living in Community. There are other qualities required for Superiors. They ought to be good temporal administrators neither stingy nor lawish. They should not be dictatorial or impatient, but humble and conciliatory and they ought not to manifest invidious preference for individuals, but treat all alike as members of one family. Above all we require men who by precept and example will set up a barrier against the spirit of worldliness and Christ Community life. We need only to be true to the traditions of our Order and the great field of missionary work will remain always open to us.
Thank God there is no scarcity of promising subjects and our financial burdens are not nearly so pressing as formerly. If we hold faithfully to our Rules and remember above all things that we are Passionists, our long will develope, our ministerions will be sought after and God's blessing will be on our work. The fortunate selection of Superiors to govern the Province for the coming 3 years must be an exent of absorbing interest to all the Religious. It will guard more than anything else over true spirit and

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determine our progress at a time when good and departed men are not so honest due between us earnestly effort you do beseed our lord, Nov 18. Certain of our Lady and of our Chief Parison that the forthcoming Chapter is to be sent by Allmigary Lord.
Concedingly we order that from the recent office letter until June 21st the Religious shall receive during the wining meditation or appoint office with the same Pater, And a Christian in honour of each of our Lady Parison & St Gabriel. St Joseph, St Paul of the Cross & St Gabriel with the respect with him and prayer. Therefore for the 9 days before the Chapter the "one breast" with versals and prayer, the listing of the B.V. & with the antiphon and prayer, "lowered" are to be received and during the first three days of the Chapter the Trident is sent by the St. Rule to be made in the manner presented by our Chief.
The Capitulating shall be seemable at St Joseph's Relieval next later than the wining of June 21st, and the Rectors shall bring with them to be so their "Little Patents" and "Seals of Office" the following documents to be confirmed of the faithful celebration of it as so signed by all the Criests of the Relieval except the Rector or Superior.
1. Certificate of the faithful keeping of the Archieves signed by Rector & Vicar2. Lowering of house church & sacrifice furniture3. Concert Financial Statement signed by Rector & Vicar with detailed items of Balance in Bank at last Chapter. Total Income & Typenditure since last Chapter. Balance in hand at present Chapter each & in bank.4. Houses in deposit with interest receivable; Handing debt with interpayable5. Amount of money in token & salaries, rents etc.6. A statement of current debts with amount due to each creditor; this statement should be copied into the Administration Book.7. Tom giving spiritual stale of the congregation's undersourcharges.