Declarations

291.

Declaration on the title of LCO

We declare and ordain that the title of the book of our constitutions is the Book of the Constitutions and Ordinations of the Friars of the Order of Preachers.

292.

Declaration on LCO 88 § II

In accordance with the mind of LCO n. 88 § II we declare, that the conventual prior or the superior of the house can be elected the conventual lector.

293.

Declaration on LCO 409-bis

In accordance with the mind of LCO n. 409-bis we declare, that the method of electing the delegate for the General Chapter be accurately determined in the statute of the province. If there are two or more vicariates of the same province, for the election of the vicar going to the General Chapter of provincials the test of this constitution offers many possibilities. It pertains to the Provincial Chapter to determine in the statute the method of election.

Appreciation

294.

The General Chapter of the Prior Provincials of Bologna expresses its gratitude to all the institutes and everyone who helped to prepare and contribute to its successful outcome, particularly:

- to the Province of St. Dominic in Italy for the gracious hospitality and for the appropriate and ordered arrangements;

- to the community of the patriarchal convent of Bologna who welcomed the Chapter fraternally;

- to the brothers and sisters who gave their services to the Chapter as members of the secretariat, interpreters, translators, liturgists, compilers of the verbal process and all others who according to their different functions generously helped the Chapter.

Place of the next General Chapter

295.

The next elective General Chapter will be held in the Convent of St. Thomas Aquinas (Providence Rhode Island), of the Province of St. Joseph in the USA, at a time, to be specified later, between the beginning of July and the feast of our Holy Father, St. Dominic, in the year 2001.

Suffrages for the living

296.

• For Pope John Paul II, supreme pastor of the whole Church and benevolent benefactor of our Order, each Province shall celebrate one Mass.
• For Brother Timothy Radcliffe, Master of the Order, each province shall celebrate one Mass.
• For the entire order of bishops, for the assistants of the Master of the Order, for the procurator general of the Order, for our benefactors and for the welfare of the whole Order of Preachers, each province shall celebrate one Mass.

Suffrages for the Deceased

297.

• For the souls of Pope Paul VI and John Paul I, the most recently deceased popes, each province shall celebrate one Mass.
• For the soul of Brother Damian Byrne, the most recently deceased Master of the Order; for the souls of the brothers and sisters of the Order who have died since the last General Chapter, for this time only, each province will say one requiem Mass for all these together.

When these prescribed suffrages for either the living or the dead are to be fulfilled, they should be announced publicly and in sufficient time, so that the brethren of the convent where the suffrages are to be fulfilled can participate in the Mass celebrated for this intention.

These are the Acts of the General Chapter of Prior Provincials, celebrated in the patriarchal convent of the Province of St. Dominic in Italy from the 12 July to the 4 August, 1998. The same validity should be given to copies printed and signed with the seal of the Master of the Order as to the original text.

We command each and every superior of the provinces, convents and houses that the same acts be read and published as soon as possible in every convent and house subject to them, and that they take care that they are carefully observed by all.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Given at Bologna, in the patriarchal convent of Our Holy Father, St. Dominic, on the 4th day of August, in the year of Our Lord 1998.

L + S

Fr. Timothy Radcliffe op

Master of the Order

fr. Michel Van Aerde op

Prior Provincial of the Province of Toulouse

fr. Miguel Concha Malo op

Prior Provincial of the Province of St. James in Mexico

fr. Laurence Collins op

Prior Provincial of the Province of Ireland

fr. Bernardino Eugenio Prella op

secretary general of the chapter

fr. Raffaele Rizzello op

secretary

fr. Roberto Giorgis op

secretary