On this day, November 29, 2018, the Feast of All Franciscan Saints and the anniversary of the solemn approval of the Rule of St. Francis, November 29, 1223, the Prefect of the Congregation of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, João Cardinal Braz DE AVIZ, has issued the decree approving the revised text of the Constitutions of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual.

In a letter accompanying the Decree, the Secretary of the Congregation for Religious wrote, “The text presented is of great value. The commitment in elaborating the normative formulations is evident. It is enriched by appropriate references to foundational and magisterial texts, which harmonize well with the juridical elements.”

The revised Constitutions will be published as soon as possible.

The General Secretariate
photo: Friar Julian EVA

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DECREE

The 201st Extraordinary General Chapter of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual, as a result of an in-depth study, conducted with a view to greater adherence to the founding charism and the Magisterium of the Church, has revised the Constitutional Text approved by the Holy See on October 2, 1984.
In his letter dated September 25, 2018, the Minister General then submitted a request for the approval of the revised text of the Constitutions, voted on by the Capitular Assembly, celebrated from July 24 to August 25, 2018.
This Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, after a careful examination of the document, to which some corrections have been made, by virtue of this Decree, does hereby approve the new Constitutions, according to the example drawn up in Italian which is kept in its archives.
It is greatly hoped that, in fidelity to the founding charism and with the help of the Constitutions, the Friars Minor Conventual, devoted followers of the “glorious and most blessed Mother Mary, Virgin made Church”, shall always seek the presence of the “Most High, all-powerful, good Lord” to “live and witness the Holy Gospel in fraternal communion, minority, obedience, without anything of one’s own and in chastity,” according to the mandate they received from the Seraphic Father Founder, St. Francis of Assisi.

Notwithstanding any contrary provision.

From the Vatican, November 29, 2018
Feast of all Saints of the Seraphic Order
João Cardinal Braz DE AVIZ, Prefect
José Rodriguez CARBALLO, O.F.M., Archbishop Secretary.
[Prot. No. C. 86/2018]

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ACCOMPANYING LETTER

Reverend Father,
This letter is in response to your very important letter dated September 25, by which you forwarded, through your Procurator General, a request for the approval of the revised text of your Constitutions, voted on by the Extraordinary General Chapter of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual. 
The text presented is of great value. The commitment in elaborating its normative formulations is evident. It is enriched by appropriate references to foundational and magisterial texts, which harmonize well with the juridical elements.
Therefore, after careful study, this Dicastery grants the request and attaches to this letter the Decree approving the new Constitutional Text.
However, the following corrections are to be made: Article 34 §2: replace “voto deliberativo” with “consenso”; Article 191 § 1: replace [paragraph] “3” with “4”; Article 221 §3: replace “propria” with “vicaria”.
After publication, we kindly ask you to send two copies of the Constitutional Text so that one may be kept in the Archive and the other in the Library of this Dicastery.

I hereby take this opportunity to convey to you my esteem in Christ,

Vatican City, November 29, 2018
José Rodriguez CARBALLO, O.F.M., Archbishop Secretary
[Prot. n. C. 86-1/2018]

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