Claretian Formation

IV.General Chapters339

1. VIII General Chapter, Vich 1899 340

1.1. Regime of the Noviciate

The favourable time has not yet come, the Chapter says, for the Provinces to establish their own noviciate. The present one should continue under the jurisdiction of the General Government,341 although the Provincial Superiors should have something to say in the appointment of the Novicemasters and in the admission of novices to the Profession. With a view to the future, the Provincial Superiors should begin to prepare whatever is necessary to establish the Noviciates as soon as the suitable circumstances are present.342

1.2. Revision of the Regulations for Postulants and of Studies

Bearing in mind the experiences of the last years, the Chapter asked the General Government to revise the current Regulations for Postulants and to make the necessary changes and amendments.343 It also left to the General Government’s discretion the chance to make some modifications to the Regulations of Studies.344

1.3. Local Ministers

The Ministers, in their capacity as persons-in-charge of the Brothers, should be for them “like true fathers;” should attend to them in their physical and moral needs, watch their behaviour and always deal with them in a dignified and charitable manner.345

1.4. The Manifestation of Conscience

In order to facilitate the keeping of the Constitutions346 regarding the manifestation of conscience to the Superior and the Confessor, the Chapter declared that the Superiors as well as the Ministers, Prefects and Novicemasters, are not authorised to reveal “to anyone anything they may have learned from their respective subjects only, purely and exclusively by means of the afore mentioned manifestation of conscience.”347

2. IX General Chapter. Selva del Campo 1904348

2.1. Organisation of the Centres

The Chapter approved the complete distribution of the Scholasticate, transferring it to the jurisdiction of the Provincial Superiors. It also created a Central Seminary, dependent on the General Government, for the priests who “have finished the courses of Moral Theology and Canon Law and for the priests who made their profession in the Noviciates.”349

2.2. Hygiene in the Seminaries

The Chapter was concerned about the health of some of our seminarians and the hygiene in our seminaries. Without health there can be no adequate formation or observance of the commitments of missionary life. For this reason, it was agreed in the first place to introduce in our Seminaries the necessary improvements to enhance their hygienic conditions. And, in the second place, it was deemed fitting to consult “with persons of acknowledged learning and experience,” in order to take stock towards adopting other measures that may seem necessary.350

2.3. Permanent Commission and Regulations for Prefects

The Chapter deliberated on several points related to the Plan of studies, the Regulations for Postulants and the convenience of drafting a book of special regulations for the Prefects of our Seminaries. Carefully taking into account the desires of the Cardinal Protector regarding the studies of our Missionaries, the Chapter decided to ask the General Government to create a Permanent Commission with the task, among others, of studying the prevailing statutes and regulations. The Chapter also acknowledged the convenience of having a Book of Regulations for Prefects and decreed that the drafting of the same be entrusted to the aforementioned Permanent Commission.351

2.4. Declarations on the Constitutions

Regarding the Constitutions, the Chapter made several declarations, some of them with an obvious formative content.352

1st. With regard to the novices, there is a distinction between their approval for profession, in which the provincial examiners intervene, and their admission to the same, which requires the vote of the Provincial Government.353 Every three months, the Novicemaster should give to the Provincial Superior a report on the
novices; this report should be also made known to all those who have a vote in the approval or admission of the novices.354 At the end of the noviciate year, and before their profession, the novices, by means of a public or private document, should dispose of the use, usufruct and administration of all their properties. It would be fitting that they also make a will.355

2nd. The students are forbidden to read, without the permission of the Superior, books or writings that are not permitted.356 As for the Sacred Scriptures, they should read those passages (not necessarily chapters) previously assigned by the Superior.357

The requirement for ordination that states that our students “should be truly exemplary,” implies the following requisites:

“1st. That they avoid deliberate faults, welcome admonitions and, through them, amend those that are indeliberate.

2nd. That they act in conformity with virtue in ordinary cases and offer guarantee to do so in extraordinary ones.

3rd. That both superiors and peers are satisfied with them and their behaviour.
358

3rd. The Novicemaster should explain to the novices number 56 of Part 1 of the Constitutions in this sense: As a general principle, brothers, after their profession, are not allowed to transfer to the category of students; and students who are ordained in sacris may not transfer to that of brothers in a definitive way. However, the General Government may, for a serious cause, definitively send students not yet ordained in sacris to the category of brothers. Superiors in their respective levels may, and it is fitting that they occasionally do, send any priest or student to do the services proper of brothers, either to practice virtue, by way of trial, or also as penance for some fault.

3. XI General Chapter. Vich 1912359

The Chapter decided to introduce a set of changes regarding the postulancy, the noviciate and the religious profession, and requested from the Holy See the approval thereof.360 The reason for these changes was expressed in the motivation for the request. It was this: The period of aspirancy – which since the time of our Fr. Founder had been fifteen days – and the Noviciate year prescribed by the Constitutions as the period of probation before perpetual profession, were insufficient, especially for the brothers.361 The experience of religious life was demonstrating that a more mature age and a longer period of personal maturation was needed before the young religious could enter into a definitive commitment.362

3.1. Noviciate363

1st. Preparation for Noviciate. Regarding those who entered directly into the Noviciate without a previous period of acceptance like that of minor seminarians, the Chapter asked from the Holy See that, instead of fifteen days, the duration of Aspirancy be one year as a rule, with the possibility of being reduced in special cases.

2nd. Duration. The duration of the Noviciate would be of one year for all, to be counted from the taking of the habit.

3.2. Profession364

1st. Temporal. After the Noviciate, a temporal profession would be made, not the definitive. The novice would make the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience for one year and would renew them yearly for a period of three years.

2nd. Perpetual. No one would be admitted to perpetual profession before the age of 21. If, at the end of the three-year period, the students should not have reached that age, they would make their profession for the period that was lacking to reach it. Brothers, however, should renew their profession for another period of three continuous years. At the end of the period of temporal vows according to the aforementioned different modalities, the professed person, if deemed worthy, would be admitted to perpetual profession; otherwise, he should be dismissed.

The Chapter also dealt with other matters related to formation, such as the foundation of Postulancy and Noviciate houses in Quasi-Provinces,365 the role of provincial examiners in the approval of Postulants for admission in the Noviciate and of Novices for profession.366 They also touched on the criteria for reading newspapers and magazines in our Communities and in Scholasticate and Noviciate houses.367