C I O F S LIST

Convocation of the SFO General Chapter

To the SFO International Councillors
cc. to The SFO National Councils

Rome, May 13, 1999

Re : Convocation of the SFO General Chapter

1. According to Art. 70.3 of the SFO General Constitutions and to Art. 8.3,g of the FIOFS Statute, the members of the Consilium Internationale Ordinis Franciscani Saecularis are convoked for the General Chapter to be held in Madrid (Spain) from the afternoon of Saturday, October 23, to the morning of Sunday, October 31, 1999.

2. At the Chapter we shall proceed in revising the General Constitutions, approved ad experimentum on September 8, 1990 by the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. The emended text of the General Constitutions, which shall be voted on by the General Chapter, will be presented to the Congregation for definite approval. The work of the Chapter on the General Constitutions shall be carried out on the basis of the material which was transmitted to the National Councils and to the International Councillors with the circular letter prot. 9/96-02 dated October 4, 1998, material that the National Councils should have already examined and discussed during the preparatory work indicated in the relative "General Introduction". The chapter members may still present new proposals for amendments (or re-propose amendments which have not been contemplated in the material elaborated by the CIOFS Presidency) observing the procedure established by the Regulations of the Chapter. At the General Chapter the CIOFS Presidency shall present also a panorama of the world-wide situation of the SFO, the report of the activity of the Presidency CIOFS in the triennium 1996/99 together with the economic report. (cf. Statute FIOFS, Art. 14.15). Finally, during the Chapter the celebrations, regarding the approval of the Renewed Rule twenty years ago, shall be concluded with liturgical celebrations and moments of meditation.

3. The seat of the Chapter shall be :

Casa de ejercicios "Cristo Rey"
Cañada de las Carreras s/n (M - 40, exit "M - 513" - Boadilla)
28223 POZUELO DE ALARCON (Madrid)
Tel : 0034-91-3520968
Fax : 0034-91-3523257

4. As to the expenses of participation, the Presidency has considered the problem of making them correspond to the real possibilities of the National Fraternities formally established and of the groups of National Fraternities. Efforts were made to improve the system of equal quotas adopted at the General Chapter of 1996 which was disadvantageous for the National Fraternities with few members. Therefore it was decided to subdivide the National Fraternities into three categories, differentiating the quotas of participation : first category : up to 500 members quota USA $ 200; second category: from 501 to 2000 members quota USA $ 1500; third category: over 2000 members quota USA $ 2500.

The quota for participating includes food and lodging from dinner on Saturday, October 23, to lunch on Sunday, October 31, and it also includes general and secretarial expenses. It also includes travelling expenses. The travel rates for each single capitular shall be regulated on the basis of the rates applied by the various Airlines and travel agents : if the rate is lower than the quota, the participant will have to pay the difference between the two amounts; if the rate is higher than the quota, the difference shall be reimbursed. The quota for participation is indivisible and therefore shall be paid in its entirety even by those who do not partake of some meal or lodging. We believe that under the new system all National Fraternities shall be able, with a minimum of organisation and good will, to cover the cost of participation, and therefore it will not be possible to draw on the Solidarity Fund of the CIOFS. The capitulars who, because of flight schedules, should arrive before or leave a few days later should communicate this directly to the Casa de Ejercicios "Cristo Rey", to whom they will have to pay 3600 pesetas per day; this major cost is to be paid entirely by the capitular concerned. It would be advisable to stipulate an international insurance covering risks of illness and accidents in order to guarantee for expenses in case of an emergency.

5. Attached is the Registration Form which should be sent back to the CIOFS Secretariat before July 31, 1999, duly filled in, together with a down payment of 50% of the participation fee. For payment please use the CIOFS account at the Istituto per le Opere di Religione, Vatican City, contacting the Banks indicated.

With a further Circular letter we shall send you the Regulations and the Program of the Chapter which will have to be approved at the opening of the Chapter. We shall then give you also practical indications on how to reach the meeting place and any further useful information.

Fraternal greetings to you all,

Emanuela De Nunzio
General Minister SFO