For Communion and Evidence

Organization

for communion and evidence

The Fraternity, in the spirit of Father Louis M. Palazzolo, organizes itself in a simple and essential way trying to foster the way of individuals and groups, the communion of the different local realities among them and with the Congregation (Art. 32 of the Statute).

In order to create that friendly atmosphere so dear to Palazzolo and so important even today, every member of the Fraternity accepts with willingness the several tasks, necessary to the growth and to the consolidation of the Association itself, according to the indication of the Magisterium:

“For the communion to be able really to mother a community of disciples of the Lord, it is necessary to foster a whole of convictions, attitudes, interpersonal relations that encourage a true culture of communion. It solicits some human values, such as the aptitude to think together, to the sharing of the engagement, to the community elaboration of the pastoral plans, to the correct formulation of common judgements about the reality of the environment, to the adoption of forms of intervention in which the Christian soul of the whole concerned community express itself. The communion involves as well the education to the reading of the signs of time and to the exercise of that critic and promotional function that agrees with an intelligent, active and responsible presence…” (from Communion and Community, n° 63).

The members of the Association meet in “Local Groups”. The formal constitution of a local group lies with the National Council, that appraises the importance of the group and the context.

Each group chooses among its members a Group Leader who, upon a positive opinion of the National Council, carries out this service for three years.

This service is renewable according to the modalities provided for by the National Regulations (Art. 33 of the Statute).

The Group Leader has the task of organizing some meetings of formation, of spirituality and other initiatives of fraternal communion for his group, in collaboration with the Sister in charge. He keeps in contact with the National Person in charge, to whom he sends a periodic relation about the way of the group.

Other modalities of organization can be defined in the National Regulations (Art. 34 of the Statute).

With expiration and modalities provided for by the respective Regulations, the members meet in a General Assembly, and also the Sisters in charge for the Fraternity participate in them, voteless in the Executive Assemblies (Art. 35 of the Statute).

The National Assembly has the task of:

a) organizing and supporting the communion and the formation of members;

b) checking and proposing the way of the Association;

c) preparing the National Regulation and approving some possible amendments;

d) electing the National Person in charge and the Secretary. (Art. 36 of the Statute)

The National Person in charge is a member who has joined the Fraternity at least three years before his election.

He is a person of faith and of a true Christian life, knows and shares the Charism of Palazzolo, lives the belonging and the sense of service to the Fraternity and the communion with the Congregation of Poverelle Sisters, has a good ability to animate and to get in touch with the others, has a proportionate time for this service.

He is elected for three years and his mandate can be renewed for a second period of three years (Art. 37 of the Statute).

The National Person in charge:

follows and animates the Association, in collaboration with the Sister in charge at national level,
frequently keeps in contact with the Group Leader,
fosters friendships among all the members,
takes care of the information and of the communion among all the members by means of circulars, bulletins, and other timely initiatives,
periodically convenes the Council,
convokes, chairs and coordinates the works of the National Assembly and, in such a circle, presents a report of checking and proposals,
participates in the international meetings. (Art. 38 of the Statute)

The National Secretary is a member who has joined the Association at least three years before his election, draws up the minutes of the Councils and of the Assemblies, he takes care of the records of the Fraternity and of its chronicle, he updates the file of the members (Art. 39 of the Statute).

The National Person in charge and the National Secretary, the Group leaders and the Sister in charge at national level, (or some Sisters, according to what the National Regulations say about that) constitute the National Council of the Fraternity (Art. 40 of the Statute).

The National Council has the task of:

accepting the applications or the requests to take leave, according to the modalities provided for by the National Regulations;
organizing and checking the way of the Association;
preparing the National Assembly;
approving the formation of new local Groups. (Art. 41 of the Statute)

The National Persons in charge, after listening to the opinion of the respective Councils and of the Congregation, appoint an International Coordinator every four years (Art. 42 of the Statute).

The International Coordinator has been an active member of the Fraternity at least for 5 years, loves and lives the Palazzolian Charism, is sensitive and able to foster the communion among the several realities of the Association, has some relations of sincere collaboration with the Congregation of Poverelle Sisters (Art. 43 of the Statute).

The Coordinator has the task of:

taking care of the fidelity of the Association to its identity and to its aim;
keeping in contact with the National Persons in charge and with the Sister in charge at international level;
fostering the mutual acquaintance, the communion and support among the several realities that compose the Association;
proposing and organizing some periodical international meetings of the Association, in accordance with the Persons in charge of the different levels;
planning and realizing periodical moments of communication, comparison, checking on the way of the Association with the Persons in charge of the Congregation of Poverelle Sisters. (Art. 44 of the Statute).

“Nobody can ignore that the variety of the gifts points out their complementarity by implication. Everyone, taking note of one’s limit, but also being aware of the received gift, has to be on hand to that integration that makes the Body of the Lord, that is the Church, complete in his several manifestations” (from Communion and Community, n° 65).