Chapter I. - Central administration

CHAPTER I. Central administration

1. The superior general (C 101-107)

S.51.--Besides the faculties granted him by universal law or by special concession, it is the func-tion of the superior general: 1E to exercise for vice-provinces the same powers which he has for provinces; 2E without prejudice to his right to make a canonical visitation whenever one is needed, to visit the provinces and vice-provinces at least once dur-ing his time of office, either personally or by a delegate, in order to animate them and be informed about how their members are doing; 3E having heard those concerned, and with the consent of his council, to accept missions offered to the Congregation by the Holy See, and to give up missions entrusted to the Congregation; 4E to grant to provincials the faculty of accepting or giving up missions given them by local ordinaries outside the territory of any province of the Con-gregation; 5E at an opportune time before holding a General Assembly, having heard the provincials and the vice-provincials, and with the consent of his coun-cil, to appoint a preparatory commission; 6E to promulgate as soon as possible all the enact-ments of the General Assembly; 7E with the consent of his council, to enter into contracts of major importance, observing the norms of law; 8E for a serious reason, having heard the provin-cial, the consultors and, if time allows, as many members of the province as possible, and with the consent of his council, to take over for a brief time the government of a particular province; this is to be exercised through an administrator with faculties delegated by the superior general himself; 9E having heard the interested provincials and members, and with the consent of his council, to transfer members from one province to another; 10E to grant members who have been legitimately separated from the Congregation those suffrages that are customary for our deceased members; 11E in particular cases, for a just reason, and with the consent of his council, to dispense from the Statutes and Decrees of the General Assembly; 12E having consulted the interested provincials, and with the consent of his council, to appoint pro-vincial directors of the Daughters of Charity; (Note: The superior general exercises in regard to the Daughters of Charity that authority which has been granted to him by the Holy See and which is ex-plained in their Constitutions.) 13E to grant affiliation to benefactors and friends of the Congregation, informing them of the spiritual benefits they receive. 14E The Superior General and his Council can compel the Provinces to participate in international missionary responsibilities (works, engagements).

S.52.--The superior general has his domicile in Rome. He should not change it without the consent of the General Assembly and without having con-sulted the Holy See.

S.53.--General ordinances enacted by the superior general remain in force until the following General Assembly, unless the superior general himself or his successor provides otherwise.

S.54.--For the sake of good order, superiors, provincials, and other officers of the Congregation, as well as provincial directors of the Daughters of Charity, when the time of their assignment has been completed, continue in office until they are replaced by their successors.

2. The vicar general (C 108-114)

S.55.--'1.--The vicar general ceases to hold of-fice: 1E by his successor's acceptance of office; 2E by resignation accepted by the General Assembly or by the Holy See; 3E by deposition decreed by the Holy See. '2.--If the vicar general becomes manifestly unworthy or incapable of discharging his office, the superior general should, with his council but ex-cluding the vicar general, judge the matter, inform the Holy See, and follow its directives.

S.56.--A vicar general who has taken over the government of the Congregation as superior general can immediately, at the end of the six year term, be elected superior general, and he can be reelected.

3. Assistants general (C 115-118)

S.57.--One of the assistants general has special responsibility for the foreign missions.

S.58.--The assistants must reside in the same house as the superior general. In order to constitute a quorum in the general council, besides the superior general or the vicar general, there must be present at least two of the assistants.

S.59.--When, however, the number of assistants absent for a just reason is such that there are not enough to constitute a quorum for council, the superior general can call into council, with the right of voting, one of the officers of the general curia in this order: the secretary general, the treasurer general, or the procurator general at the Holy See.

S.60.--The assistants general cease to hold office: 1E by their successors' acceptance of office; 2E by resignation accepted either by the superior general with the consent of the other assistants or by the General Assembly;

3E by deposition decreed by the superior general with the consent of the other assistants, and with approval of the Holy See.

4. Officers of the general curia (C 119)

S.61.--'1.--The secretary general: 1E assists the superior general in those things which are to be written for the whole Congregation; 2E attends the general council meetings by reason of his office in order to take minutes, but without a vote; 3E can propose for appointment by the superior general the names of confreres, according to the norm of our own law, as co-workers under his own direction to manage the archives, edit publications, and write letters. '2.--If the secretary general is impeded from fulfilling his duties, the superior general can tem-porarily appoint in his place one of the assistants or officers or co-workers.

S.62.--'1.--The treasurer general, by reason of his office and under the guidance of the superior general with his council, administers the goods of the Congregation and other goods entrusted to the general curia, according to the norm of universal law and our own law. '2.--With the approval of the superior general, he visits provincial treasurers and, in particular cir-cumstances, even local treasurers or administrators of works of major importance.

S.63.--'1.--It is the function of the procurator general at the Holy See: 1E to take care of requests for ordinary faculties from the Holy See; 2E with the consent of the superior general, and having heard the interested provincials, to take up with the Holy See the business of the Congregation, provinces, houses, and members. '2.--The procurator general at the Holy See, by written mandate of the superior general, can exer-cise in the Roman curia the office of postulator general of the Congregation, according to the norm of law.