Acts of the Sixth Provincial Chapter
of the Province of St. Paul of the Cross
Held in the Retreat of St. Paul of the Cross, Pittsburg, PA.
From July 10th to 14th, 1878

PRELIMINARY.

Again have three years rolled down the stream of time, and the day has arrived for holding the sixth Provincial Chapter of our young American Province. After the labors undergone for the cause of their common Master, the capitular fathers assembled together from the different parts of this vast Republic, in fraternal union as the Apostles of old once clustered around their Divine Redeemer. It is with mingled feelings of joy and sorrow that they meet after a long separation. The cause of their joy, is the happy result of our late General Chapter which has given to the whole Congregation, prudent rulers, heirs of the spirit of our Founder and model, St. Paul of the Cross. And to this our distant Province, a representative in the General Curia, which wise provision will undoubtedly, in due time, prove very beneficial. Yet these happy prospects are overshadowed by the loss of two Fathers, formally members of others Chapters, snatched away by death on the very eve of the present one.

Thus with minds full of memories of past trials, struggles and victories the capitular fathers assembled to fulfill the arduous and responsible duty imposed on them by the Holy Rules, confident that God will bless their labors, if they will only endeavor to promote His honor and glory, by preserving, as far as in them lies, the spirit of our humble Congregation.

The sixth Provincial Chapter was convoked by a circular letter of the Very Rev. F. John Thomas of the Sacred Hearts, Provincial, dated from the Retreat of St. Michael, West Hoboken, N.J., April 2nd 1878, in which he appointed the 10th of July for its formal opening, requesting the FF. Rectors to have special prayers offered to God, for the happy issue of said Chapter. In the same circular letter the capitular fathers were ordered to repair to the Retreat of St. Paul of the Cross, Pittsburg, Pa., by the 7th of July, in order to take part in the preliminary conferences and be present at the usual solemn Triduum.

All the Fathers having arrived in due time, the first preliminary meeting was called on Sunday morning July 7th at 8:30. The Very Rev. F. J. Dominic of the Infant Jesus, Consultor General, after the customary prayers, produced an official letter of our Most Rev. F. General, appointing him President of our Chapter. This done, he nominated a Secretary pro tem., the Rectors exhibited the financial statement of their respective Retreats, gave up the credentials and seals of their office and presented the required certificates “de celebratione missarum” signed by the priests of their respective Communities. Then some letters addressed to the Ven. Chapter were read, and other matters were proposed to be attended to in the formal sessions.

In the afternoon of the same day, and on the following Monday and Tuesday the Fathers assembled again and having taken the formal oath de secreto servando, proceeded to examine the merits and qualities of all the religious of our Province, who, according to the prescript of our Rules, are eligible to the offices of the Congregation. First, those de gremio one by one left the Chapter Room, that the rest might be free to investigate their conduct and weigh their abilities; then the same scrutiny was practised towards the absent ones.

On Tuesday after Vespers Very Rev. F. Amadeus of the B.V. Mary, Master of Novices, delivered to the whole Community an earnest and edifying discourse on the qualities which are necessarily required in those who are to be Rulers, Fathers and patterns to religious Communities.

FIRST SESSION.

On Wednesday morning July 10th at 7 o’clock the Solemn High Mass de Spiritu Sancto was celebrated by the Very Rev. F. Provincial, assisted by the Consultors as sacred, and by the other capitular fathers as inferior ministers.

At 9 o’clock on the same morning the capitulars, as well as the entire religious Community, were summoned to the church, where the Very Rev. F. President headed the solemn procession carrying aloft the Sacred Image of our crucified Savior, and chanting the triumphal hymn of the Cross, Vexilla Regis. On reaching the Chapter Room he recited the concluding prayers and dismissed the religious Community; those only remaining who, according to our Rules, have the right of suffrage. The Very Rev. F. President then addressed the Fathers in a few and solemn words, intended to impress more and more upon their minds the importance of the duty incumbent on them. After this the Secretary pro tem., called the names of those entitled to vote in our Provincial Chapter, and the following answered to their respective names:

Very Rev. F. J. Dominic of the Infant Jesus, Consultor General, President, and late Rector of St. Paul’s Retreat, Pittsburg, Pa.
Very Rev. F. J. Thomas of the Sacred Hearts, Provincial.
Very Rev. F. Victor of the Mother of God, first Consultor.
Very Rev. F. Charles of Holy Mary, second Consultor.
Very Rev. F. Alphonsus of St. Liberatus, Rector of St. Mary’s Retreat, Dunkirk, N. Y.,in place of Very Rev. F. Basil of St. John the Evangelist, lately deceased.
Very Rev. F. Nilus of the Assumption. Rector of St. Michael’s Retreat, West Hoboken, N. J.
Very Rev. F. John Baptist of the Nativity of the B. V. Mary, Rector of St. Joseph’s Retreat, Baltimore, Md.
Very Rev. F. Guido of St. Joseph, Rector of Holy Cross Retreat, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Very Rev. F. Amadeus of the B. V. Mary, Master of Novices.

The Veni Creator was now chanted and the usual prayers recited, and the question was asked, by the Very Rev. F. President, whether the Fathers considered the Chapter canonically assembled, to which all answered in the affirmative. The customary acts of humility being performed, the absolution ad cautelam given, and protest made of not admitting the unworthy, and of not excluding the worthy, and the decree of the Holy Office was read. A Secretary was now elected in the person of the Very Rev. F. Guido of St. Joseph. Two Scrutineers were likewise chosen, the first being the Very Rev. F. Nilus of the Assumption, and the second Very Rev. F. Alphonsus of St. Liberatus. Before proceeding to the work of balloting, the Very Rev. F. President declared to the capitulars that it was the wish of the Most Rev. F. General that the Very Rev. F. Amadeus, Master of Novices, should not be elected to any office, as he was reserved for some special purpose. Nothing now remained but to proceed at once to the balloting, as the Fathers were notified by the Very Rev. F. President. The balloting was begun, and at the sixth scrutiny the Very Rev. F. Victor of the Mother of God, had a sufficient number of votes for a canonical election. He fell on his knees and protested against his election, alleging reasons which the Fathers considered insufficient for exempting him from the dignity conferred upon him, and exhorted by the Very Rev. F. President to resign himself to the Will of God, he finally submitted. The Secretary accordingly framed and read the decree of election in the usual form as follows: “Ego Guido a S. Joseph, nomine meo, et omnium eligentium mihi consentientium, invocata gratia Spiritus Sancti, eligo in Praepositum Provincialem nostrae Provinciae Sancti Pauli a Cruce, Septentrionalis Americae, Admodum Reverendum Patrem Victorem a Matre Dei, ac electum pronuntio, et coram vobis publico. In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.” The capitular fathers having performed the usual acts of homage to the newly elected Provincial, the signal of the bell called the religious Community to the Chapter Room to do likewise, and thence proceeding to the church, the great Ambrosian hymn of praise to God, was fervently chanted before the Blessed Sacrament, and Benediction given by the new Provincial.

SECOND SESSION.

Immediately after Benediction the Very Rev. F. President called the Fathers to the Chapter Room and opened the second session with the customary prayers. Then he requested the capitulars to proceed without delay to the election of the first Provincial Consultor, and at the very first scrutiny the required number of votes were found to favor the person of the Very Rev. F. J. Thomas of the SS. Hearts; the elected although humbly acknowledging his not deserving the office, gracefully thanked the capitular fathers for the honor bestowed on him; then the Secretary as usual published the decree of his election. The election of the second Provincial Consultor was now in order, and was proposed by the Very Rev. F. President; the balloting had continued for some time without any result, the hour of dinner having arrived, the session was closed with prayer.

THIRD SESSION.

At 3 P. M. of the same day the Fathers met again and having invoked the Divine assistance, continued the ballot for the election of the second Provincial Consultor. The whole time of this session was spent in the useless task of balloting without any result; in vain did the Very Rev. F. Nilus of the Assumption withdraw his name, saying that the state of his health did not permit him to take any office, the balloting went on, but as their was no prospect of agreement the Very Rev, F. President recited the usual prayers; and the third session was thus closed.

FOURTH SESSION.

The Fathers assembled in Chapter at 8 o’clock A.M. of the 11th inst. The first Scrutineer being unable to attend to the duty of his office, on account of ill health, the Very Rev. F. Charles of Holy Mary was substituted in his place. After this the balloting for the second Consultor was resumed, and after a number of scrutinies, the votes were finally found in sufficient number in favor of Very Rev. F. Charles of Holy Mary, and the decree of his election was accordingly published by the Secretary.

The Very Rev. F. President now called the attention of the Fathers to the election of a Master of Novices, which was effected at the second ballot, and the the person chosen for this office was the Rev. F. Constantine of the Seven Sorrows, actual Vice-Rector of this Retreat. He was sent for, and when the news was communicated to him by the F. President he was astonished, and endeavored to find some excuse to exonerate himself from so responsible an office, but convinced that the Fathers were not willing to accede to his request, he resigned himself to the Will of God.

A Rector was now to be chosen for each Retreat, that of St. Paul of the Cross, Pittsburg, Pa., being the oldest in the Province, was the first to be supplied, and the Rev. F. Liberatus of St. Francis was elected at the first ballot. The decree of his election was immediately published by the Secretary.

Next in order came the Retreat of St. Mary, Dunkirk, N. Y. which was also provided with a Rector at the first ballot, in the person of the Very Rev. F. John Baptist of the Nativity of the B. V. Mary. He emphatically declined the accepting of the charge, but as the Fathers unanimously refused to accept his resignation, he was constrained to yield. The Secretary hereupon published the decree of his election.

The Retreat of St. Michael West Hoboken came next. The work of balloting was begun, but as their was no sign of coming to any conclusion, and the session had been already sufficiently protracted, it was terminated with the usual prayers.

FIFTH SESSION.

This session was opened at 3 P.M. of the same day; and after the invocation of the Holy Ghost, the Very Rev. F. President proposed again the election of a Rector for St. Michael’s Retreat West Hoboken, N.J. It was resumed at once, and after considerable balloting, the choice fell upon the Rev. F. Timothy of Jesus, the decree of whose election was presently published.

Next followed the Retreat of St. Joseph, Baltimore Md., to which a Rector was given at the first ballot in the person of the Rev. F. Benedict of St. Francis, and the decree of his election was also published.

It now remained for the Fathers to provide with a Rector the Retreat of Holy Cross, Cincinnati, Ohio, which provision was soon made, as the fourth ballot was found to favor the Very Rev. F. Alphonsus of St. Liberatus. He hesitated for some time as to whether he would accept the charge, alleging as an excuse, his inexperience and unfitness, but upon being paternally encouraged by the Father President, he finally submitted; whereupon the Secretary published the decree of his election. Here the Very Rev. F. President confirmed the elections of the Rectors and Master of Novices, and the session was closed with prayers.

SIXTH SESSION.

On the morning of the 12th inst., at 8 o’clock the Fathers met to hold the sixth session. After the usual prayers, the Very Rev. F. President proposed the reading of the decrees of our late General Chapter, with a view to devise means best calculated to ensure the observance of those points which more immediately concern our American Province. Much time was spent in discussing the practicability of the faculty granted to the Provincial Chapter as to prolonging the time during which postulants are to remain in the Novitiate, prior to their vestition. The Fathers finally concluded to leave the matter entirely to the discretion of the Provincial and Master of Novices, at the same time reminding them that, in accepting postulants, they must see that they fully answer the requirements of the Rules, as to mental qualities, as well as to respectability of character. The Very Rev. F. Provincial and his Consultors were charged by the Venerable Chapter with the task of collecting the decrees of our Provincial Chapters to enable the Rectors to comply with what is prescribed by the second decree of the twelfth session of our late General Chapter. The hour for closing the session having arrived, after the usual prayers, the Fathers dispersed.

SEVENTH SESSION.

This session opened more solito at 3:30 P.M. of the same day. The adoption of a Manual for our missionaries, compiled by one of our most experienced Fathers, and which had been read in the preliminary meetings, was proposed and after some discussion, it was resolved that it should be revised by a committee of two, to be finally approved of at a meeting of the Rectors to be called for this purpose by the Very Rev. F. Provincial.

To prevent abuses against poverty, the Chapter reminds our religious, that when travelling, they are not only not permitted to incur unnecessary expenses, but they must likewise itemize the necessary ones, and the Rectors are required to exact such accounts from their religious when they return home. Moreover, when religious pass from one Retreat to another, the surplus money left after defraying travelling expenses, is to be returned to the Rector of the house from which they came, and these expenses are also to be itemized.

The conscience of the Rectors is charged with the obligation of seeing that their religious do not spend their time in the parlor with seculars uselessly, especially with their penitents, and the religious themselves should be mindful first, never to go to the parlor without express leave from the Superior, as ordered in our Regulations, and secondly, never to forget the words of St. Augustine, so familiar to our Holy Founder, “cum mulieribus sermo brevis et durus.” The session was closed, as customary with prayer.

EIGHTH SESSION.

On the morning of the 13th inst. the capitulars assembled at 11 o’clock to hear from the Secretary the Acts of the Chapter, which done, the attention of the Fathers was called to the fact that our religious engaged in parochial duties, in addition to the annual retreat made by us all require some spiritual help, whereupon the Fathers determined that one day in each month should be set aside for, and exclusively devoted to the making of a spiritual retreat. The respective Rectors will see to the observance of this ordinance. The hour for dinner having arrived the session was closed with prayers.

NINTH SESSION.

At 4 o’clock P.M. of the same day the ninth session was opened juxta morem. Different subjects were discussed including the observance of the second decree of the fifteenth session, of our late General Chapter which occupied the greater portion of this session. The Secretary then continued the reading of the Acts of the Chapter, and some alterations were made concerning some measures already agreed upon.

As the Chapter was drawing to a close, and the Fathers being on the eve of loosing their much esteemed former Provincial Superior, and actual President of the Chapter, the Fathers unanimously expressed their regret at having so soon to part with one who has been identified with the Province for nearly a quarter of a century, has been an indefatigable laborer, and to us all a wise counselor and a kind father. With this the session was closed as usual.

TENTH AND LAST SESSION.

On Sunday morning July 14th at 9 o’clock the tenth and last session was convoked. The Very Rev. F. President after opening it with prayers, remarked that as the Holy Rule, chap. XIII, requires that if collections should be made within, or outside of the diocese, for money or articles not specified in said Chapter, permission should be asked of the F. Provincial. The Rectors therefore in future must not neglect to ask such leave every year during the canonical Visitation.

The Acts of the Chapter were now read by the Secretary. The Very Rev. F. President then asked the capitular fathers, if any of them had anything else to propose, to which question they answered in the negative.

The Fathers believe that the most fitting conclusion to their labors is to endorse what was so frequently and so warmly inculcated by our late General Chapter, viz.: that we should all bear in mind that the spirit of our Institute is a spirit of prayer, of retirement and detachment from the world, that if we wish to become more and more pleasing to God, and acceptable to men, we must constantly nourish this spirit, so that it may influence us upon all occasions, and we may thus show to the world that we are what our name and our profession require: true children of St. Paul of the Cross.

Here the newly elected made their profession of faith, and giving thanks to God, for all the benefits bestowed upon us during these days, the Fathers sanctioned these Acts by their respective signatures.

Very Rev. F. J. Dominic of the Infant Jesus, Consultor General, President, and late Rector of St. Paul’s Retreat. Pittsburg, Pa.
Very Rev. F. J. Thomas of the Sacred Hearts, Provincial.
Very Rev. F. Victor of the Mother of God, first Consultor.
Very Rev. F. Charles of Holy Mary, second Consultor.
Very Rev. F. Alphonsus of St. Liberatus, Rector of St. Mary’s Retreat, Dunkirk, N. Y. in place of Very Rev. F. Basil of St. John the Evangelist, lately deceased.
Very Rev. F. Nilus of the Assumption, Rector of St. Michael’s Retreat, West Hoboken. N. J.
Very Rev. F. John Baptist of the Nativity of the B. V. Mary, Rector of St. Joseph’s Retreat, Baltimore, Md.
Very Rev. F. Guido of St. Joseph, Rector of Holy Cross Retreat, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Very Rev. F. Amadeus of the B. V. Mary, Master of Novices.

Guido a S. Joseph,
Secretarius Capitularis.