Nine of the 22 proposals submitted by friars will be part of the agenda of the Province’s Chapter next month.
The process of compiling and reviewing chapter proposals, begun last May, concluded with the Nov. 29 fraternal gathering in St. Petersburg, the last in HNP’s fall series, and with the deliberations of the Chapter Planning Committee at its Dec. 2 meeting.
The agenda for the Jan. 3 to 7 Chapter, which more than 230 friars plan to attend, will include discussions about proposals on immigration, the number of Provincial Councilors, evangelization in general and the evangelization of young adults in particular, the extension of term limits for pastors, Chapter membership, restructuring Provincial directorates, financial stewardship and formation, said William Beaudin, OFM, chair of the HNP Chapter Planning Committee, which is distributing its fifth e-bulletin this week.
Information about the Province’s offices — including Communications, Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation, and Vocation — and HNP directorates and committees will be provided to the friars in the Chapter binder. Nearly a dozen reports have been received by the Provincial Office, according to Provincial Secretary Michael Harlan, OFM.
Fr. Fred Link, OFM, the Province’s General Visitor, has asked for the friars to pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit on the Provincial Chapter.
“I am directed to encourage communities to offer a Mass of the Holy Spirit sometime prior to chapter,” Fr. Fred said in a recent letter to HNP friars. “That may be hard to do, because of the rank of feasts during this holy time. I especially ask those who have been excused from attendance at chapter to keep the capitulars in prayer.
Provincial Minister John O’Connor, OFM, and Provincial Vicar Dominic Monti, OFM, who are concluding their terms of office next month, thanked their brothers in a Christmas letter mailed this week to all members of the Province.
“We want to take this opportunity to thank you for being brothers to us, for your cooperation and hard work in making our Province truly special,” they said. “But most of all, we thank you for being light amidst the darkness and for your compassionate ministry and generous service to the people of God entrusted to your care.”
Michael, whose staff is busy producing the ballots for the Chapter elections as well as assembling the binders, reminds friars to bring their habits to the gathering in Maryland since photos will be taken.
Information about the venue of the Chapter, whose theme is “Crossroads 2011: Where our deep longing meets the world’s great need,” as well as transportation is available on the HNP Extranet, the friars-only section of the HNP website.