C I O F S LIST

STATUTES OF THE INTERNATIONAL FRATERNITY OF THE SECULAR FRANCISCAN ORDER

The general chapter of the SFO

The presidency of the international council of the SFO

Article 8

1. The International Council, meeting in Assembly, constitutes the General Chapter of the Order (see Const. 70.3).
2. The International Councillors indicated in Art. 3 of the present Statutes are members of the General Chapter with full rights.
   In the case of an elective chapter, both the outgoing and the incoming Presidency are members.
3. The General Chapter:
   1. has legislative, deliberative and elective powers (see Const. 70.3) exercised in the form and within the limits of the Rule, Constitutions and the present Statutes;
   2. issues dispositions and orientations for the development of the life of the SFO;
   3. has the competency to give a practical interpretation of the General Constitutions (Const. 5.2);
   4. clarifies and resolves the questions and/or problems that are submitted to it;
   5. fixes the "- pro capite -" quota for the annual financial contribution. By way of exception, the Presidency can admit exemptions, resulting in a proportional reduction of the quota to be paid;
   6. when it is elective, elects the Minister General and the secular members of the Presidency of the International Council of the SFO;
   7. is convoked by the Minister General, with the consent of the members of the Presidency. The convocation is made preferably with six months' notice and, in any case, not less than three months beforehand and by means of communication in the official languages of the International Council (see Const. 74.2.b; Statutes FIOFS 1.5);
   8. meets in plenary session at least once every three years;
   9. meets as an elective Chapter every six years (see Const. 70.4).
4. Experts with a consultative function may be invited to the General Chapter, at the discretion of the Presidency.
5. The General Chapter will be carried out in conformity with its own Regulations of Procedure.

Article 9

1. The deliberations (agreements, decisions) made by the General Chapter must be approved by the absolute majority of those present (see CIC 119.2).
2. The proposals voted as suggestions or "- desiderata -", that require further reflection by the Presidency or by appropriate study Commissions appointed by the Presidency, have only an indicative character.

Article 10

Article 11

Article 12

1. The duties of the Presidency of the International Council of the SFO are:
2. to co-ordinate, animate and guide the SFO at the international level (see Const. 73.a);
3. to commit itself with the National Councils and with the International Councillors to the attainment of the aims of the International Council of the SFO;
4. to identify the criteria for achieving the adequate formation and preparation of the leaders, formators and spiritual assistants;
5. to clarify specific points of the General Constitutions with validity until the next General Chapter (see Const. 5.2-3);
6. to have recourse to a vote by mail in the case when the Presidency must consult the International Council for a question that exceeds its competencies and if the Chapter cannot be convoked. (For the validity of the vote, it is necessary to obtain the consent of the absolute majority of the replies that have been returned, always provided that more than half of those having the right to vote have replied. In these cases the Presidency must use the necessary means to guarantee the secret nature of the vote);
7. to favor and promote collaboration with other associations of the apostolate of the Church (see Const. 100.2);
8. to see that the proper rights of the International Fraternity are guaranteed in the civil forum;
9. to give consent to the Minister General for the convocation of the General Chapter (Const. 74.2.b);
10. to have the decisions of the General Chapter carried out (see Const. 73.b);
11. to concern itself with the emerging fraternities (see Const. 46.3), taking care of their implantation, growth and maturation, normally through the Councillor of the Presidency who is particularly concerned;
12. to approve the establishment of the new national Fraternities (see Const. 65.2);
13. to approve the national Statutes (see Const. 6.2);
14. to decide on the fraternal visit to the Councils of the National Fraternities, even if it is not requested, when the circumstances require it;
15. to make decisions in order to resolve urgent problems that arise relative to the greater good of the SFO and not foreseen by the General Constitutions and these Statutes, informing the National Council concerned and the next General Chapter of its action (see Const. 73.c);
16. to examine and decide upon all the disputes that may arise within the Fraternities at the various levels, always provided that they have been defined by the Councils of the lower levels. The decision on the matter treated may be contested only before the Holy See (see Const. 59 and 84.4);
17. to intervene and, if necessary, to make decisions in the resolution of serious and urgent problems of the Order, upon the request of the National Councils or on its own initiative when the Presidency considers it necessary;
18. to distribute the responsibilities of communication among the Councillors of the Presidency and the National Councillors who are included in the respective areas of responsibility;
19. to decide, in addition to the powers of the Minister General, on the concession of powers of legal representation, which it may consider to be opportune, to the Councillors of the Presidency;
20. to set up the commissions considered necessary for the achievement of the aims and objectives established by the General Chapter for the six-year period;
21. to guarantee and approve the adequate translation of the official documents of the SFO;
22. to request suitable and prepared General Assistants from the respective Ministers General of the First Order and the TOR, who have the competency to appoint them, having heard this same Presidency Council (see Const. 89.2 and 90; Statutes for Spiritual and Pastoral Assistance to the SFO 6.2 and 15);
23. to appoint the International Councillors of the Franciscan Youth according to the criteria contained in Art. 5;
24. to appoint the General Secretary, the Treasurer and the other officials necessary for carrying out the duties of the International Council;
25. to designate the Secretary and the other officials of the General Chapter.

Article 13

1. The Minister General of the SFO is:
2. the visible and effective sign of the unity and communion in the Secular Franciscan Order (Const. 74.2.c);
3. the sign of the life-giving reciprocity between the SFO and the Franciscan First Order and the TOR, as well as the other branches of the Franciscan Family (Const. 74.2.c);

Article 14

1. The duties of the Minister General are:
2. to represent the Secular Franciscan Order before each Minister General and before the Union of Ministers General of the First Order and the TOR (Const. 74.2.c);
3. to preserve the bond with the Conference of General Assistants (Const. 74.2.c):
4. to represent the SFO before the Holy See, excepting that which is foreseen in the General Constitutions, Art. 87.2;
5. to represent the SFO at the world level before ecclesiastical and civil authorities (Const. 74.2.d);
6. to convoke the meetings of the Presidency and to preside at its sessions (Const. 74.2.a);
7. to see that any tasks entrusted to the Councillors of the Presidency are carried out;
8. to convoke the meetings of the General Chapter with the consent of the Presidency and to preside at its sessions (Const. 74.2.b);
9. to make the fraternal visit to the National Councils, personally or through a delegate who is a secular member of the International Council of the SFO (Const. 74.2.e);
10. to preside at and confirm the elections of the National Councils, personally or through a delegate who is a secular member of the International Council of the SFO (Const. 74.2.f);
11. to request, with the consent of the Presidency, the pastoral visit from the Union of the Ministers General of the First Order and the TOR (Const. 74.2,g);
12. to intervene in urgent cases, informing the Presidency of the actions taken (Const. 74.2.h);
13. to sign the official documents of the International Fraternity of the SFO (Const. 4.2.i);
14. to exercise the rights of the International Fraternity in the civil forum, jointly with another Councillor of the Presidency designated by the same Presidency and with its consent (see Const. 74.2.j);
15. to entrust to the General Secretariat the powers necessary for carrying out the resolutions of the Presidency and of the General Chapter within the limits of the responsibilities proper to the Secretariat;
16. to present to the General Chapter a report of the situation of the Order at the world level, a report on the activity of the International Council of the SFO and of the Presidency and the state of the financial accounts.

Article 15

1. Duties of the Vice-Minister General are (see Const. 52.1):
2. to collaborate with the Minister in a fraternal spirit and support him or her in carrying out his or her service;
3. to exercise the functions that are entrusted to him or her by the Chapter and/or the Presidency;
4. to substitute for the Minister in his or her competencies and responsibilities in the case of absence or temporary impediment;
5. to assume the functions of the Minister when the office remains vacant, according to the dispositions of Art. 81.1 of the General Constitutions.

Article 16

1. Duties of the Councillors of the Presidency are:
   1. to share, in a spirit of collegiality, the responsibility of the Minister General in the tasks of animation and guidance of the entire Order (Const. 74.1);
   2. to participate in the meetings of the Presidency and in the General Chapter;
   3. to maintain continual communication with the International Councillors and with the National Councils of the area of his or her responsibility;
   4. to foster international contacts in the area of his or her responsibility;
   5. to exercise the functions that are entrusted to him or her by the Presidency.
2. The Presidency may entrust the task to help in the animation of the National Fraternities to the Councillor of the area, if necessary.
3. The Presidency may entrust to one of the Councillors of the Presidency the co-ordination of possible Congresses, meetings, etc., among the National Fraternities of the respective area, collaborating actively in their organisation.

Article 17

1. The Presidency meets at least once a year or when at least a third of the members requests it.
2. For the validity of the resolutions of the Presidency, the presence of at least two-thirds of its secular members and of one General Assistant is required.
3. International Councillors, consultants and observers may be invited to the meetings of the Presidency, for the purpose of consultation and providing information. They will leave the room during deliberations and voting.
4. The General Secretary and the Treasurer participate in the meetings of the Presidency, without a deliberative vote.