Prot. N. 1860/08
Circ.
70/02-08
Feast of Saint James the Apostle
To the SFO National Councils
The SFO International Councillors
Subject: Guidelines for the celebration of SFO Fraternity chapters
Dear
Brothers and Sisters,
Peace and
Good!
As we all know, one of the governing
structures of our religious community life created to express and promote the
spiritual qualities of our charism, is the gathering of the components of the
community convoked to deal with issues regarding their professed form of life,
an assembly which is generally called Chapter.
In the present SFO legislation there
is a distinction between the various types of chapters according to the level
of the Fraternity celebrating them and their purpose. From the purpose point of
view, we can distinguish the deliberative Chapters from the elective ones; from
the point of view of level, we find the local Chapter (or Assembly) (G. C. art.49.2), the regional one (G. C. art. 64), the
national one (G. C. art. 68) and the General Chapter (G. C. art. 70.3 and 4).
The document we are sending you concerns
the celebration of the National Chapter which, suitably adapted, serves the regional
and local levels as well. Its purpose is to provide standard guidelines for celebrating
chapters in the life of the Fraternity.
With this in mind, the Juridical
Commission studied and prepared the attached document which has been approved
by the CIOFS Presidency. It is now at the disposal of all the National Councils
worldwide.
With fraternal regards,
Your
sister and Minister
Encl. 1: Guidelines for the celebration of SFO Fraternity Chapters