Provincial Chapter 1953 — Convocatory Letter

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6/1/92 Province of St. Patrick. JXP Convocation of the 9th Provincial Chapter, 1953. CRONAN OF THE SORROWFUL VIRGIN Provincial. To all the religious of the Province of St. Patrick Health and Peace in the Lord. Most Rev. Fr. General has intimated his intention to preside at our forthcoming Provincial Chapter and he has indicated 16th April, 1953 as the most suitable date. Wherefore in accordance with Chapter XXX of our Constitutions we summon the Capitular Fathers to our 9th Provincial Chapter to be held at St. Paul's Retreat, Dublin on the 16th April, 1953. The Fathers are requested to be present at St. Paul's Retreat not later than the evening of Wednesday, 15th April so that they may join in the Triduum which shall commence that evening. The year just passed marked the Silver Jubilee of the foundation of the Province of St. Patrick. The progress made during the past twenty-five years inspires us with the deepest gratitude to Almighty God. During that comparatively short period three new Retreats were founded and the work of Enclosed Retreats for the clergy and laity has been successfully undertaken at the very suitable property of Coodham adjacent to St. Michael's. During the same period the number of religious in the Province has more than doubled being now 199, the number of Missions and Retreats conducted by our Fathers has increased more than 100 per cent reaching a total of 341 per annum in the latest returns and, after having generously assisted the Italian Fathers during several critical years in Tanganyika, our Province has now undertaken the responsibility for a Foreign Mission field in Bechuanaland. Although ours is the most recently founded Province, in respect of numbers it ranks sixth among the eighteen Provinces of the Congregation. While giving humble thanks to God for this marvellous record of progress we discern in it an evidence of the apostolic zeal of our religious and of the high esteem in which they are held by the clergy and laity of Ireland and Scotland. We are not unmindful, however, dear brethren, that these extraordinary blessings bestowed on our Province by Almighty God impose their own special obligations. Our growth in numbers and the extension of our apostolic ministry should be accompanied by a growing enthusiasm for the cultivation of the truly Passionist spirit. We call to mind/