Provincial Chapter 1932 — Convocatory Letter

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SEBASTIAN OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Provincial of St. Patrick's Province. 6/1/21 To the Very Rev. Fathers-Consultors, Rectors, Master of Novices, and to all the Priests, Students, and Lay-brothers of the said Province of the Congregation of the Most Holy Cross and Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ Peace and Blessing in the Lord. According to the prescriptions of our Holy Rules the Second Provincial Chapter of this Province is due this year. With the approbation of the Most Rev. Father General it will be held in St. Paul's Retreat, Mount Argus, Dublin, beginning on 23rd. May, on which date all the Capitular Fathers shall assemble to take part in the Tridum and the preliminary meetings of the Chapter. You will no doubt be corry to learn that our Father General will be unable to come for our Chapter, altho' we had hoped that he would preside. In his paternal considerateness he has appointed V. Rev. Mr. Bonaventure, First General Consultor to supply his place, and to help in the Chapter's deliberations and elections. We have much to be grateful to God for His Paternal Providence in regard to our Province during the past three years. We have secured a new foundation in the Archdiocese of St. Andrew's and Edinburgh, and this too with the good-will of the Archbishop and the Canons. The property thus secured is in every way suite to our life of full opportunity; and as far as can be judged, by this foundation a fruitful field of work for God and souls has been opened to us. Much-needed alterations and additions have been elected at St. Carriel's Retreat. The Retreat of Holy Cross, Ardoyne, has been completed as was originally intended, a work which could not be accomplished until now through lack of funds. We all realise the importance and far-reaching effects of a Provincial Chapter. In regard to our own Province, which is still in its infancy, these effects could hardly be exaggerated. Much, if not all for the future depends upon those nonselected for laying the foundations, viz. on those elected as Superiors. They should be Religious imbued with the spirit of our Holy founder, which spirit he often explained, especially when dying, saying that: "our spirit is a spirit of prayer, of solitude and of poverty, without which the Congregation will neither prosper nor endure." Religious fully conscious that this spirit can be preserved and narrowed only by an exact and faithful observance of our Holy Rule will not betray the trust reposed in them by our Holy Mother, the Congregation. They will not permit it to be made subservient to other things, but rather will make all other things subservient to it. Such Religious will be fortified with the knowledge and belief that our Holy Rule is the manifestation of God's Will to us; and that it is only by keeping and doing God's Will - Faithfully observing our Holy Rule - that we shall attain to that holiness of life required of us, and shall accomplish the special work assigned to the Congregation in God's Church.…