The day started with a presentation of the Emerging Fraternities:
During this period, following the necessary fraternal and pastoral Visits, in accordance with art. 65.2 of the General Constitutions, at its meeting of April 2005 the Presidency approved the establishment of the National Fraternities of: Indonesia and Sweden.

Criteria for establishing national fraternities.
In order to pass from an emergent to an established fraternity:

• a constituted national fraternity, or an international Councillor, must be designated to accompany the emergent Fraternity in its first phase (Art. 46.3 of the Constitutions);
• The fraternal and pastoral visits must be conducted.

• The existence of (at least) five local fraternities, canonically established and situated in at least three different locations.
• No fewer than 200 members (except for very small countries or where Catholics represent a tiny minority).
• a provisional National Council, approved by the CiSFO Presidency, which is up and running and able to assume responsibility for the "animation and guidance" and "linking and co-ordination" of the Fraternities.
• the draft of a National Statute

At the present time there are 40 emergent Fraternities.
Of these,

1. 8 have a provisional National Council approved by the Presidency, until the formation is consolidated and all the other stated requirements are in place. In all cases the establishment process is well advanced.
2. 9, which is a considerable number, have some local fraternities, but they are in great need of formation. They do not yet meet some important requirements established by the Presidency.
3. 3 Regional Fraternities have been established and are monitored by the Presidency.
4. 18 are just beginning to exist, or their presence is weak and they need more time and better accompaniment.
5. 1 entity in French- and German-speaking Switzerzland, which is difficult to place. The Italian-speaking fraternity is incorporated into the National Fraternity of Italy.
6. 1 local Fraterenity, canonically established and directly supervised by the Presidency (Papette, in Tahití)

The economy

"The Capitulars were unanimous that the economic contributions of the National Fraternities to the International Fraternity are not simply a form of taxation, but on the contrary are an expression of life-giving communion, which can only arise from a genuine sense of spiritual belonging."

This is what the Chapter declared. However, the reality has been very different, as we all know. At the present time the CISFO Presidency has an annual deficit in its ordinary administration of some 15,000 Euros, caused by:

• Insufficiency of resources, possibly as a result of the chapter decision of Madrid 1999 with a per capita quota of between 0.05 and 0.50 $US, when the majority of the larger SFO fraternities are present in countries with scarce economic resources and a considerable shortage of personnel. On the other hand, many fraternities in the "developed world" are unable to exceed the "minimum" laid down for the expression of a "communion of resources", and some do not even send the full amount of their designated quota.
• Lack of coherence between the ever growing desire to have the CISFO Presidency -- and most often the Minister General -- present to conduct visitations, preside at chapters, attend congresses and seminars and conduct mediation, and the need for the National Fraternities themselves to take their responsibility for the financial support of the Order. This almost always means that those who enjoy such visits are those able to "afford" them, while the more disadvantaged fraternities cannot. Since the Presidency tries to serve all fraternities with equal diligence, this is what produces the financial deficit.
• Frustration that in these first three years we have not managed to set up a really functioning economic Commission which could have exercised greater control over the contributions and ensured greater efficiency of organization and administration (I am not referring here to book-keeping). In addition, there was the change in the General Bursar’s office following the sudden death of Italo Lunetta, which meant that we practically had to start again from scratch, since the current treasurer had difficulty undrerstanding the situation he inherited and was only able to offer his services as accountant. This is an ongoing matter and we are committed to increased efforts in this area.