General Statutes
of the Third Order Regular
of Saint Francis
Index
Part I
The Life and Mission of the Order
Title I
Our Identity
Chapter 1: The Charism of the Third Order Regular of Saint Francis
Chapter 2: Consecration to the Lord
Title II
Acceptance into this life
Chapter 1:The Increase of vocations (1-4)
Chapter 2:Formation in General (5-10)
Chapter 3:Formation of the Man (11-12)
Chapter 4:Formation in Religious Life
Chapter 5:Formation in the Charism of the Order
Chapter 6:Formation in Apostolic Life
Chapter 7:Ongoing Formation and Education (13-15)
Chapter 8:The Directors of Formation (16-17)
Chapter 9:The Stages of Formation
Chapter 10:Postulancy (18-22)
Chapter 11:Novitiate (23-32)
Chapter 12:Profession
§1. Temporary profession (33-37)
§2. Solemn profession (38-39)
Chapter 13:The Religious Habit and Clothing of the Friars (40)
Title III
Spirit of Prayer
Chapter 1:Union with God
Chapter 2:The Eucharist and Liturgy of the Hours (41-43)
Chapter 3:Growth in Prayer (44-51)
Chapter 4:The Life of Penance (52-55)
Title IV
The Life of Chastity for the Sake of the Kingdom
Title V
The Way to Serve and Work
Title VI
The life of Poverty
Title VII
Fraternal Love
Chapter 1:Fraternal Living (56-59)
Chapter 2:Charity to the Aged and Infirm Friars (60)
Chapter 3:Responsibility for our Friars, Relatives and Benefactors (61-67)
Chapter 4:Responsibility to Relatives, Benefactors and Employees (68)
Chapter 5:Conduct outside the Fraternity and Journeys (69-74)
Chapter 6:Hospitality (75-76)
Title VIII
The Obedience of Love
Title IX
Apostolic Life
Chapter 1:The Apostolic Life of the Friars (77-78)
Chapter 2:Means of Evangelization
§1. Ministry of Witness
§2. Ministry of the Word (79-81)
§3. Ministry of Sacraments (82-84)
Chapter 3:Organization of Evangelization
§1. Competency of the Ministers (85-87)
§2. Choice of Apostolates (88-90)
Chapter 4:Concrete Forms of Evangelization
§1. Ministry in Parishes (91-93)
§2. Ministry to the Sick and Abandoned (94-95)
§3. Ministry of Peace and Justice (96)
§4. Ministry of Renewal and Reconciliation (97-98)
§5. Ministry of Education (99-102)
Chapter 5:Missionary Evangelization (103-108)
Chapter 6:The Secular Franciscan Order (109-114)
Part II
The Constitutions of the Fraternity and the Service of its Government
Title I
The Constitutions of the Fraternity
Title II
The mission of the Minister
Title III
Office of the Order
Chapter 1:Distinction and Conferral of Offices
Chapter 2:Resignation and Removal from Offices and Positions (115-116)
Chapter 3: Norms to be observed in Votations
Title IV
The General Chapter
Chapter 1:Authority and Convocation of the General Chapter (117-120)
Chapter 2:Vocals at the Chapter (121-122)
Chapter 3:The Sessions of the Chapter
§1. Opening of the Chapter (123-127)
§2. Election of the President and Work of the Chapter (128-130)
§3. The Election of the Minister General and His Council (131-136)
§4. The Remaining Chapter Sessions and Its Conclusion (137-138)
Title V
The General Government
Chapter 1:The Minister General (139-140)
Chapter 2:The General Council or Definitory
Chapter 3:The Vicar General (141-142)
Chapter 4:The General Councilors (143-147)
Chapter 5:The Secretary General (148)
Chapter 6:The Offices of the Order
§1. The Procurator General (149-150)
§2. The Finance Council (151-152)
§3. The General Archivist (153-154)
§4. The Postulator General (155-157)
§5. The Director of Formation (158)
§6. The Secretary of the Missions (159)
§7. Other Offices (160)
Chapter 7:The Plenary Council of the Order
Chapter 8:The InterProvincial Conference
Title VI
The Government of the Provinces
Chapter 1:The Provincial Chapter (161-162)
§1. The timing of the Chapter and Elections (163-165)
§2. Chapter Procedures (166-169)
Chapter 2:The election of the Minister Provincial and Council (170-171)
§1. Direct Election
§2. Election in Chapter
§3. Election by a system determined by the Province
Chapter 3:The Provincial Congregation (172-173)
Chapter 4:The Minister Provincial and his collaborators in Government
§1. Minister Provincial (174-175)
§2. Vicar Provincial
§3. Provincial Council (176-179)
§4. Provincial Secretary (180)
§5. Plenary Council (181-183)
Title VII
Provinces, Vice Provinces and Commissariates
Chapter 1:Establishment and Suppression of Provinces
§1. Provinces (184-185)
§2.Vice Provinces (186-187)
§3. Commissariates (188-189)
Chapter 2:Government of Vice Provinces and Commissariates
§1.Vice Provinces (190-191)
§2. Commissariates (192-195)
Title VIII
The Canonical Visitation
(196-200)
Title IX
Government in Local Fraternities
Chapter 1:Local ministers (201-205)
Chapter 2Local Fraternity Council and Chapter
Chapter 3:Libraries and Archives (206-210)
Title X
Administration of Goods
(211-213)
Title XI
Fraternal Correction
(214-216)
Title XII
Transfer from One Province to Another
Title XIII
Leaving the Fraternity and Dismissal of a Friar from the Order
Chapter 1:Leaving the Fraternity (217-223)
Chapter 2:Dismissal from the Fraternity (224-226)
Chapter 3:Effects of Departure (227-228)
Title XIV
Observance of the Rule and Constitution
(229-232)
Part I
The Life and Mission of the Order
Title I
Our Identity
Chapter 1: The Charism of the Third Order Regular of Saint Francis
C 1-6
Chapter 2: Consecration to the Lord
C 7-10
Title II
Acceptance into this Life
Chapter 1: The Increase of Vocations
C 11
1. The offices established to cultivate vocations are to provide candidates considering the religious life the means to lead a Christian life, adapted to their age, always providing suitable contact with their families and society.
2. There should be fraternities that offer young people the opportunity of taking part in our life in order that they may know our fraternity better.
3.1) The Minister Provincial shall appoint a friar or a group of friars to promote vocations and give them the means to fulfill the task.
2) Those who have the task of admitting new candidates to the Order should be aware that it is through them that the Church examines the fitness of the candidates and admits them to the religious life even though the vocation to the religious life and the priesthood is a gift from God.
4. The vocation of those who are older is to be provided for in a fitting manner as personal and local situations demand so that candidates who are older can lead a life that is suited to their age and appropriate for their human, Christian and Franciscan development.
Chapter 2: Formation in General
C 12
5. The directors, ministers and teachers who are responsible for the formation of the friars should wisely use the psychological and pedagogical aids which human experience and scientific research have provided.
6. Each Province must take special care that its candidates are placed in fraternities of formation which are equipped with necessary and appropriate means to provide them with a solid formation.
Each Province, through competent authority and expert friars, should formulate a program of formation to accommodate the general norms of the Constitutions to the particular circumstances of persons and places according to the spirit of the Rule and of the Church's documents.
7. All the friars are to consider the fraternities of formation as the heart of the Province. It is their duty to willingly give all possible help in accord with their position and capabilities.
8. The Provinces or Vice Provinces that establish an inter-province program of formation shall do so by written agreement and consent of the respective Ministers Provincial and their Councils.
9. The candidates are to engage in intellectual and manual work in which they can provide for the needs of their community. This program should allow them to work with their brothers and sisters, offer them service and associate themselves with the redemptive work of Jesus Christ who conferred an eminent dignity on labor by working with His own hands at Nazareth.
10. During the time of formation the directors should see that the friars engage in appropriate manual labor, physical exercise, artistic and recreational activity in accord with the talent and inclinations of each one.
Chapter 3: The Formation of the Man
C 13-16
11. The friars who are not studying for Sacred Orders are to be introduced to other types of professional as well as technical work which are necessary for the good of the community.
By special courses they are to receive a theological and pastoral training adapted to contemporary needs that can permit them to cultivate more fruitfully the evangelical life in themselves and in others.
12. Taking into account the particular circumstances of the place and always observing the norms of the law, the Minister Provincial with the consultative vote of his Council can decide that a brother may be called to the office of the permanent diaconate.
Chapter 4: Formation in Religious Life
C 17-23
Chapter 5: Formation in the Charism of the Order
C 24-25
Chapter 6: Formation in Apostolic Life
C 26-28
Chapter 7: Ongoing Formation and Education
C 29
13. The Minister Provincial is to provide the necessary means for the friars to develop and keep up-to-date with the new demands of the times through ongoing formation needed to carry out their obligations.
Friars shall strive to fulfill this objective through attendance at periodic conventions, the use of sabbatical leaves devoted to self-improvement and by consulting with Directors of Ongoing Formation.
14.It is the responsibility of the Minister Provincial and the Provincial Council to study which means are most suitable for promoting ongoing formation and to incorporate these means in Provincial Statutes.
15. The Minister Provincial, with the consent of his Council, shall decide which friars are permitted to go to universities to obtain degrees after having considered the quality of the friar's lives, their capabilities, the needs of the Province and their faithfulness to the Order.
Chapter 8: The Directors and Educators
C 30-35
16. At the end of each school year, the Director is to send to the Minister Provincial a report on the fitness of each candidate in formation. This report should include the opinions of the members of the local fraternity. The Minister Provincial shall present this report to the Council.
17. In each Province of the Order there is to be appointed a Prefect of Education who is in charge of the study program of the Province.
It is his duty to see that in fraternities of formation the directions given by the Church and the Order in regard to studies are faithfully observed.
Where it is necessary, local prefects of education shall be appointed.
Chapter 9: The Stages of Formation
C 36
Chapter 10: Postulancy
C 37-38
18. During the postulancy the candidates shall be under the care of a Director appointed by the Minister Provincial after consultation with his Council.
19. It is desirable that the postulancy not be made in the novitiate. It can also be arranged that the postulancy be made, totally or in part, in the various fraternities of the Province.
20. The requisites for admission to the postulancy are the following:
1) a right intention, free will, as well as spiritual, moral, intellectual and social fitness;
2) average physical and mental health;
3) sufficient emotional maturity;
4) appropriate intellectual and professional training.
Let each Province establish other norms for admission.
21. The candidate to be admitted must declare in writing:
1) that he is not affected by a fatal or contagious disease or other serious recurrent illness, and that he is aware that his reception in our Order and subsequent religious profession are null if he has deceptively concealed such illness.
2) that by reason of his admission to a religious institute, he is prepared to fulfill without reservation any duty assigned to him by his ministers and that he cannot claim any recompense from the Order if, at any time, he wishes to leave the Order or is dismissed.
22. Particular provisions on admission to the postulancy, its length and organization shall be stated in the Provincial Statutes.
Chapter 11: Novitiate
C39-47
23. 1) Before they start the novitiate, the postulants shall make a retreat of at least five days.
2) Besides the certificates of Baptism and Confirmation, everything else that common law requires for licitly and validity must be fulfilled. (cfcn 645)
24. The novitiate starts with the handing over of the candidates to the Director of Novices and his acceptance of the novices for the purpose of beginning and completing the novitiate.
25. The Director of Novices is to be at least thirty years old and solemnly professed five years.
When there is need, the Director of Novices may be assisted by another friar who has the same qualifications. (cfcn 651,1-2)
26. All the duties and work which are entrusted to the novices are carried out under the guidance and watchfulness of the Director of Novices who can enlist the support of other qualified and suitable persons.
27. There should be a unity of mind and purpose among the Local Minister, the Director of Novices, the novices and the local fraternity. This accord, which is the fruit of an authentic dialogue and communion, is necessary for the formation of the novices.
28. Although the special nature and aim of the novitiate and the close bonds which should be found among the novices can be enhanced by a certain separation of the novices from other members of the Order, the novices may have contact with professed friars and other fraternities in accord with the judgment of the Director of Novices. (cfcn 650) It is up to the Director of Novices to determine what interaction the novices may have with professed religious and other friars.
29. A novice shall not be assigned to these formative activities unless he has completed at least three months in the novitiate. It must be arranged that the novice spends six continuous months in the novitiate as a minimum and returns to the novitiate at least one month before he makes his first profession of vows.
30. During the course of the novitiate, the Director shall be convinced that each novice, once he has made his profession of vows, will continually strengthen his formation and place himself totally at the service of the Church and the Order.
31. In the fourth, eighth and tenth months of the novitiate the Director is to present to the Fraternity Chapter a report on the conduct of each novice.
After opportune discussion, the friars who are solemnly professed, shall cast their secret vote. The Local Minister of the fraternity will send this consultative vote to the Minister Provincial, together with the written report of the Director of Novices.
If periods of apostolic formation mentioned in General Statute 29 are in effect, the previously mentioned reports with the respective votation are to take place at three different times determined by the Provincial Statutes.
32. Novices enjoy all the spiritual benefits of our Order.
Chapter 12: Profession
C 48-49
§1. Temporary Profession
C 50-55
33. The novice, before making his temporary profession, must make a retreat of at least five days.
34. The religious habit, as a sign of consecration, is given in the ceremony of first profession.
The Provincial Statutes shall determine whether the candidate shall receive the habit of initiation at the beginning of the novitiate.
35. Each time a friar makes a renewal of his profession of temporary vows, he must prepare himself under the guidance of the Director in a way determined by the Provincial Statutes.
Before the Minister Provincial accepts the profession, he must consider the fitness of the candidate.
36. The Minister Provincial, if he judges it opportune, can prolong the time of temporary profession according to the norms of article 53 of the Constitutions. A friar must be solemnly professed before receiving Sacred Orders.
37.1) The temporary profession is made for a period, determined by the Provincial Statutes, keeping in mind article 53 of the Constitutions and article 36 of these Statutes.
2) In some cases a friar can grow in maturity by remaining in temporary vows for a longer period of time. In other cases a longer period of temporary profession can be detrimental since such delay in making final profession can be a cause of continued indecision.
3) Therefore, ministers are to be aware of their responsibility in this matter and not put off until the last moment a decision to dismiss a friar from the Order when this decision could have taken place earlier.
§2. Solemn Profession
C 56-60
38. The length of the preparation for solemn profession is to be determined by the Provincial Statutes.
39. When solemn profession has taken place, the Minister Provincial promptly sends notice of this to the Minister General and to the pastor of the place of Baptism for the prescribed annotation. (cn 535,2)
Chapter 13: The Religious Habit and Clothing of the Friars
C 61
40. The religious habit of our Order is one of standardized style and color with the traditional elements of tunic, capuce and cord.
The Provincial Statutes shall determine the use of the religious habit as well as legitimate adaptations in accord with local circumstances.
Title III
Spirit of Prayer
Chapter 1: Union With God
C 62-63
Chapter 2: The Eucharist and Liturgy of the Hours
C 64-70
41. The church or the fraternity chapel is a more suitable place for the common prayer of the friars.
42. In certain cases, other forms of prayer can be substituted for the Liturgy of the Hours when, for a serious reason, a friar is legitimately impeded.
43. For the Eucharistic celebration and the recitation of the Liturgy of the Hours, it is preferred that the friars follow the Franciscan calendar. For pastoral reasons, however, the friars are permitted to use the calendar and missal of the diocese.
Chapter 3: Growth in Prayer
C 71-73
44. The friars are held to make at least a half hour of mental prayer each day. They are to be instructed in the theory and practice of mental prayer taking into consideration diverse cultural and theological traditions. Each friar may select the method he finds most suitable.
45. The friars are not to absent themselves from daily religious exercises without a serious reason because such action is destructive of common life and prayer.
46. The details of the monthly day of recollection and the annual retreat are to be in Provincial Statutes. (cfcn 663,5)
47. Each Province is encouraged to formulate its own book of prayers based on local culture, Provincial customs and sound Franciscan tradition.
48. Devotions that are particularly rooted in our Franciscan tradition are encouraged, such as the Way of the Cross and the Franciscan Crown.
49. It is the responsibility of the Local Minister together with the local fraternity to establish the times, place and other circumstances for prayer.
50. The friars celebrate the solemnities of the Virgin Mary under the title of the Immaculate Conception because she is patroness of the Order. We also venerate liturgically our blessed Father Saint Francis, Saint Clare, Saint Louis the King, Saint Elizabeth of Hungary as well as the titular feast of each Province.