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ACTS OF THE FIRST PROVINCIAL CHAPTER
of the
PROVINCE OF ST. PATRICK
of the
CONGREGATION OF THE MOST HOLY CROSS AND PASSION
OD JUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
held in.
ST. PAUL'S RETREAT, MOUNT ARGUS, DUBLIN.
JULY, 1989.

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J. A. P.
In compliance with the Convocatory Letter of the Very Rev. Mr. Sebastian of the Immaculate Conception, Provincial, dated May 9th. (Feast of the Ascension), and sent to all the Rectors and Superiors of the Province, the Capitular Rathers assembled in St. Paul's Retreat, Mount Argus, on July 8th. 1989, to assist at the Tridum in preparation for the Chapter.
FIRST SESSION.
At 9 o'clock on the morning of July 9th, the first meeting was held. All the Capitular Rathers were present. They were most gratified to have as their President the Most Rev. Mr. Leo of the Sacred Heart, (General).
After the Examine Chapter had been formally opened by the Most Rev. Mr. General and the customary prayers recited, the Mev. Mr. Honorius of the Immaculate Conception was appointed Custos, and the Very Rev. Mr. Kieran of the Seven Dollars elected Secretary to the Chapter. The oath "de secreto servando" was administered to the Custos.
The Most Mev. Mr. President, in a brief address to the Capitulars, referred in touching words to the solemnity of the First Chapter of the Passionist Congregation in the "Island of Saints", and predicted that the Congregation would bring forth still more saints in this holy land. He explained that one of the motives prompting the Roman Curia to approve of the separation of the Province of St. Patrick from that of St. Joseph was that the monastic side of the Passionist life might be more faithfully attended to.
The Litterae Patentes, Certificates of the due celebration of Masses, the keeping of the Archives, and the Inventories were then handed in. The financial Statements of the various Retreats were read by their respective Rectors. The Very Rev. Mr. Provincial read a financial Statement of the Province, as well as the Financial Statement of St. Patrick's Retreat, Belfast. The Very Rev. Mr. Boniface and Gerald (Consultors) were appointed to examine and report on the financial Statements

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as well as on the various Certificates.
An agenda for the discussions of the Chapter was drawn up, and some points discussed. EF. Basil and Gronan were appointed to examine the sermons of our Young Priests during the coming three years. The Venerable Chapter expressed itself pleased at the prospect of the ultimate success of the Cause of Father Charles, and decided that the various Retreats should pay the levy heretofore agreed upon towards its expenses.
SECOND SESSION.
The Capitulars assembled in the Chapter Room at 3.30 p.m. During this session the Fathers were engaged in discussing items on the agenda. It was decided that a sufficient sum should be sent to Rome to defray the expenses of a Provincial Lamp before the Tomb of our Holy Founder. It was also decided that the Retreats of St. Mungo and Holy Cross should continue to pay the usual sums towards the maintenance of the Students and the other needs of the Province. The sum of 25 per quarter for each Lay Postulant and each Lay Novice while in the Novitate was agreed upon. At this session the possibility of a foundation in Scotland was discussed. The Capitulars were particularly pleased to learn from Mr. General that the Provincial Chapter of the Province of St. Joseph had wished them every success in their efforts to spread still further devotion to our Lord's Passion in this latter country by establishing there, if possible, a new foundation. The Very Rev. EF. Boniface, Gerald and Adrian were appointed to examine former decrees of the Anglo-Hibernian Province, and to make a selection to be submitted to the Ven. Chapter for consideration with regard to their adoption in the 2d Province of St. Patrick.
The following letter from Mr. J. Leary, Archbishop of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, offering a foundation in his diocese, was read :-

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Archbishop's Residence,
10044, 118th Street,
Edmonton, ALBERTA.
May 31st. 1929.
Very Rev. Fr. Provincial,
st. Paul's Retreat,
Mount Argus,
Dublin, IRELAND.
Very Rev and Dear Father Provincial,
I have just received a letter from Rev. A. McDonnell, informing me of the possibility of your coming to Alberta. I am very anxious to have you come to my Archdiocese. I have requested both the New York and the Chicago houses on several occasions to come here, but they have always refused. If you can come I shall be glad to have you send some one to Edmonton and we can go into the matter in detail.
With sentiments of esteem and praying God to influence you to come,
I am,
Yours faithfully in Christo,
+ HENRY J. O'LEARY,
Archbishop of Edmonton.
After nature consideration of the Archbishop's offer, the Venerable Chapter decided that the time was premature, as the men required for such an undertaking could not be spared. The Very Rev. Fr. Provincial was directed to write to his Grace thankin thanking him for his offer and regretting the inability of the Chapter to meet his wishes; but at the same time holding out the hope that, if our numbers continue to increase in the next three years as they have increased within the past two years, the Superiors of the Province may find themselves in a position to accept his offer.

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4.
THIRD SESSION
The Fathers assembled at 9 o'clock on the morning of July 10th. After the session had opened with the usual prayers, the Very Rev. Fr. Boniface and Gerald read their report on the financial statements and Certificates. These they declared that they found to be correct, with the exception of a few unimportant items which were subsequently examined in detail. The remaining part of this session was occupied with the "Discussio Meritorum", which lasted until 12 o'clock noon.
At 3 o'clock p.m. all the Capitulars assembled in Choir with the Community for Vespers. After Vespers the Very Rev. Fr. Aieran delivered a discourse on the qualifications of a Superior. The principal virtues and qualifications of a worthy Superior he enumerated under four heads. First: Personal holiness of life; secondly: Aindness and gentleness united with firmness and constancy; thirdly: Humility, or absence of all unworthy ambition; fourthly: Practical commonsense. The holiest religious, he went on to say, might not make the most capable superior. The shrewdest administrator in the Community might not make the most capable Superior. But the capable Superior should have something of both these qualifications and a certain indefinable something else besides. He should be a man of God with personal holiness of life; he should have a reasonable amount of administrative capacity; and he should have a large amount of practical commonsense.
FOURTH SESSION.
The Capitulars again assembled in the Chapter/room at 5 o'clock p.m. During this session a selection from former Decrees of Chapters was handed in by the Committee appointed for this purpose, and was examined and discussed in detail. It was decided that the following decrees of former Chapters of the united Anglo-Hibernian Province should be adopted by the Province of St. Patrick and added to the already existing Compendium of 1933 :-
From XXIVth Chapter ..... Decrees 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 10.
From XXIIIrd Chapter ..... Decree 9.
From XXIInd Chapter ..... Decrees 1, 4, and 7.
From XVIth Chapter ..... Decree 6

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From XIVth. Chapter ..... Decree 8.
It was also decided that Decrees XIX, XX, and XXI in the already existing Compendium should be eliminated, and a more definite Decree promulgated in their stead, and that Decree XXIX be left out in the New Edition as not being particularly applicable to the Province of St. Patrick.
On the morning of Thursday, July 11th. Solemn High Mass was celebrated by the Most Rev. Fr. General at 8 o'clock, F. Sebastian and Boniface acting as Deacon and Subdeacon respectively, and Fr. Gerald as Master of Ceremonies. The duties of Phurifer, Acolytes, &c., were distributed amongst the other Capitulars.
FIFTH SESSION.
At 9.30 the Capitular Fathers and all the Religious of the Retreat assembled in the Choir. The Most Rev. Fr. President, vested in surplice and white stole and bearing the crucifix, having intoned the "Vexilla Regis", it was taken up by all the religious, who then walked in processional order to the Chapter Room. All having arrived there and the Hymn having been concluded, the usual versicles and prayers were sung by the President, who then dismissed in the prescribed form, those having no active voice while the Capitulars remained. The Most Rev. Fr. President then gave a practical and fervent address to the Capitulars. He reminded them of the importance of the work in which they were about to engage, and asked them to imagine our Holy Founder in the position in which they were, and to cast their votes as they considered he himself would do.
The names of the Capitulars were then called by the Secretary of the Chapter, each answering "Adsum" :-
Most Rev. Fr. Leo of the Sacred Heart of Vesus, General.Very Rev. Fr. Sebastian of the Immaculate Conception, ProvincialVery Rev. Fr. Boniface of St. Joseph, 1st. Consultor.Very Rev. Fr. Gerald of the Sacred Heart, 2nd. Consultor.Very Rev. Fr. Francis of the Seven Dolours, Rector, St. Paul's.Very Rev. Fr. Bernard of the Immac. Concept. do. St. Rungo's.Very Rev. Fr. Thomas of St. Joseph, do. Holy Cross.Very Rev. Fr. Aleran of the Seven Dolours, do. S. Gabriel's.Very Rev. Fr. Adrian of the Seven Dolours, Master of Novices.The Most Rev. Fr. President then intoned the "Veni Creator",

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which was followed by the versicles and prayers. The usual acts of humility were then performed and the Seals of Office were handed in. The Most Rev. Fr. President imparted the "Absolutio ad Cautelam" to all, he himself afterwards receiving it from the Very Rev. Fr. Sebastian, (Provincial). After this the Very Rev. Fr. Thomas and Adrian were elected Scrutators, and the first Scrutator, Fr. Thomas, received from the President the faculty of publishing the scrutinies and of framing and publishing the Decrees of Election, which being done, the President and Scrutators took the oath "de secreto servando".
All the Capitulars took the following oath :- "Testor Christum Dominum, qui me judicaturus esty me electurum quem, secundum Deum, judico eligi debere." After the administration of the oath the election of the Provincial was proceeded with. At the first scrutiny the Very Rev. Fr. Sebastian was elected. The election was framed and published in the prescribed form by the first scrutator. The newly-elected, who was evidently deeply moved, returned thanks to the Capitulars for the confidence they reposed in him, and signified his acceptance. Immediately afterwards the Capitulars proceeded to the other elections, and the following were elected: the election in each case being framed and published in the usual way:-
V. Rev. Fr. Francis of the Seven Dolours, 1st. Consultor, at 1st. scrutiny.V. Rev. Fr. Bernard of the Imm. Concept., 2nd. Consultor, at 6th. scrutiny.V. Rev. Fr. Gerald of the S. Heart, Master of Novices, at 4th. scrutiny.
The above-named newly-elected signified their acceptance.
At this point the Community was summoned to the Chapter Room, and they most heartily offered the newly-elected Provincial their obedience and also their congratulations. After half an hour's interval, the Capitulars and Community repaired to the Church, where Solemn Benediction was given and a "Te Deum" sung in thanksgiving.
SIXTH SESSION.
The Capitulars returned to the Chapter Room at 4 o'clock p.m. on Thursday, July 1th. and immediately proceeded to the other elections. The following were elected, the election in each case being framed and

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published in the Rescribed form :-
V. Rev. Mr. Adrian of the Seven Dolours, Rector, St. Paul's Retreat,
Mount Argus, Dublin, at the 4th. scrutiny.
V. Rev. Mr. Colman of the Seven Dolours, Rector, St. Mungo's Retreat,
Glasgow, at the 2nd. scrutiny.
V. Rev. Mr. Thomas of St. Joseph, Rector, Holy Cross, Belfast, at
the 2nd. scrutiny.
V. Rev. Mr. Mieran of the Seven Dolours, Rector, St. Cabriel's Retreat,
Inniskielen, at the 1st. scrutiny.
All the above newly-elected signified their acceptance.
A telegram was sent to Mr. Colman asking his acceptance of
the Rectorship of St. Mungo's.
A further discussion followed of items on the agenda, after
which the Community was summoned to the Chapter Room and the result of
the elections was published by the Secretary. The Community having
withdrawn, the Secretary read the Acts and Decrees of the Chapter, which
were amended. This brought the session to a close.
SEVENTH SESSION.
At 9.30 on the morning of Friday, July 18th. the Venerable
Chapter again assembled. A telegram was read from Mr. Colman signify-
ing his acceptance of the Rectorship of St. Mungo's.
A further discussion of an important item on the agenda foll-
owed. After this the Acts of the Chapter were again read and amended.
The Most Rev. Mr. President then enquired if there were any other matt-
ers to be discussed, and being answered in the negative, he put the
further question if the Chapter could now be canonically closed. To
this question all the Capitulars answered in the affirmative.
The Most Rev. Mr. General then expressed his great satis-
faction at the happy and successful termination of the Chapter, and
his great happiness at being amongst his brethren of St. Patrick's Pro-
vince. He exhorted the newly-elected to carry on the ideals of St.
Paul of the Cross and reminded them of the qualifications of a worthy
superior, as enumerated in Chapters XXX and XXXI of the Holy Rule.

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The Most Rev. Fr. President ended by assuring the newly-elected Superiors that he would continue to give them at all times what he could of advice and assistance.
The Very Rev. Fr. Provincial, in asking the Most Rev. Fr. General to accept the sincere thanks of the Capitulars for his invaluable counsel and help, said that his presence at this most important Chapter gave heart to the young Province. When, some months ago, the Provincial went on to say, news came from Rome of the illness of the Father General, the fear that he might not be able to attend at the Chapter cast a gloom over the entire Province. No one could supply the place of the Father General, especially at this the first Chapter. His Paternity had stated that one of the reasons prompting the Roman Curie to separate the Province of St. Patrick from that of St. El Joseph was that the monastic side of the Passionist life might be more faithfully attended to. He (the Provincial) now assured His Paternity on half of the Superiors and on behalf of all the Meligious of the Province that the Rule of St. Paul of the Cross would be carried out in its entirety. The Superiors would lead not drive. They would give a high example that all might follow. In conclusion he tendered again to His Paternity his most sincere thanks and the thanks of each of the Capitulars.
The session then closed.

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DIGREES OF THE FIRST PROVINCIAL CHAPTER
of the
PROVINCE OF ST. PATRICK
of the
CONGREGATION OF THE MOST HOLY CROSS AND PASSION
OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
held in
ST. Paul's RETREAT, MOUNT ARGUS, DUBLIN.
JULY, 1929.

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9.
Decree P.
Decrees of the First Provincial Chapter of St. Patrick's Province.
DECREE I
The Ven. Chapter, as a safeguard against abuses in intoxicating drinks :
1) Prohibits under Holy Obedience: (a) The use of such drinks before dinner outside the Retreat on whatsoever occasion, any permission given or taken without grave reasons being hereby declared invalid.
(b) To take said drinks at home outside meals without the explicit permission of the Superior; any habitual permission, if not given in writing by the Provincial, being hereby declared invalid. (c) bringing or having brought into the Retreat said drinks for one's own or another's private use without the express permission of the Superior.
2) Decrees that, in the event of any of our Religious taking intoxicating drinks to evident excess, suitable and preventative penances be imposed by the Superior, as for instance, prohibiting him the use of all such drinks, forbidding him to leave the precincts of the Retreat, having access to the public church or intercourse with seculars, the duration of said penances being left to the prudent judgement of the Superior who, in case of relapses, must prolong or make them permanent if necessary.
DECREE II
In partial fulfilment of Canon 509, sec. 2, the Ven. Chapter decrees that the Rectors and Superiors are to provide our lay brothers with suitable books of Religious Instruction. The selection of such books is to be made by the Provincial Curia.
DECREE III
The Venerable Chapter decrees that "wireless" in the cells of the Religious is strictly forbidden. The same prohibition is extended to "wireless" in any part of the Retreat without the permission of the Provincial.

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10.
HIGH DISSION.
At 9.30 on the morning of Saturday, July 13th, the Venerable Chapter assembled for its final session. The Secretary again read the entire Acts of the Chapter. At the request of the newly-elected Superiors the Most Rev. Mr. President confirmed the elections, which confirmation is herewith attached:-
Auctoritate qua in Domino Tungimur libenter utentes Acta et Decreta bujus Capituli rata habemus et electiones Rectorum Magistrique Novitorum confirmamus.
DUBLIN, 13 Julii, 1929.
Leo a S.C.J.
Praep. Gen.
The Most Rev. Mr. President then declared the Chapter closed, and invited the Capitulars to sign the Acts, &c.
(signed) Leo of the S.Heart, President.
Separtian of the Immac. Concept. Provincial.
Confirace of St. Joseph, 1st. Consultor.
Servile of the S.Heart, 2nd. Consultor.
Francis of the VII Dolours, Rector.
St. Paul's Retreat, Mt. Argus.
Bernard of the Imm. Concept. Rector,
St. Mungo's, Glasgow.
Thomas of St. Joseph, Rector,
Holy Cross, Belfast.
Aleran of the VII Dolours, Rector,
St. Gabriel's, Enniskillen.
Adrian of the VII Dolours,
Master of Novices.
St. Paul's Retreat, DUBLIN.
13th. July, 1929
Aleran of the VII Dolours,
Secretary.
Concordant cum originalibus.
Selection of the Immac. Concept.