PART VIII: ¹HELPS TOWARD UNITING THE DISPERSED MEMBERS WITH THEIR HEAD AND AMONG THEMSELVES #

CHAPTER 1: ²AIDS TOWARD THE UNION OF HEARTS #

[655] #

1. ³The more difficult it is for the members of this congregation to be united with their head and among themselves, since they are so spread out in diverse parts of the world among believers and unbelievers See C-656, the more should means be sought for that union.⁴For the Society cannot be preserved or governed or, consequently, attain the aim it seeks for the greater glory of God unless its members are united among themselves and with their head. Therefore the present treatise will deal first with means towards the union of hearts, and then towards the union of persons in congregations or chapters.⁵With respect to the union of hearts, some things will be helpful on the side of the subjects, others on the side of the superiors, and others on both sides.

[656] #

A. ¹There are also other reasons, for example, the fact that they will ordinarily be learned men who enjoy the favor of princes or important persons, or of peoples, and so forth.

[657] #

2. ¹On the side of the subjects, it will be helpful not to admit a mob of persons to profession, and to retain only selected persons even to be formed coadjutors or scholastics See C-658.[^CFN_8,7,1] For a crowd of persons whose vices are not well mortified is incapable of order and likewise of unity, so necessary in Christ our Lord for preserving the Society’s well-being and proper functioning.

[658] #

B. ¹This is not to exclude even a large number of persons suitable for profession or admission as formed coadjutors or approved scholastics. Rather, the injunction is against too easily passing as suitable those persons who are not, especially for admission among the professed.²If what was stated in Parts I and V is properly observed, it will suffice; such persons, even if numerous, would be considered a select group, not a mob.

[659] #

**** **** 3. ¹Since this union is produced in great part by the bond of obedience, this virtue should always be maintained in its vigor; and those who are sent out from the houses to labor in the Lord’s field should as far as possible be persons practiced in this virtue See C-660.²Those who are more important in the Society should give a good example of obedience to the others, by being closely united to their own superior and by obeying him promptly, humbly, and devoutly.³Thus too one who has not given much evidence of this virtue ought at least to go in the company of someone who has, for in general a companion more advanced in obedience will help one who is less so, with the divine favor.⁴ **** And even apart from such a purpose, a person sent with some charge can be given a collateral associate See C-661if the superior thinks that he will thus better fulfill the task entrusted to him.⁵ **** The collateral and the one in charge will act towards each other in such a way that the obedience and reverence of the others is not weakened, and that the one in authority has in his collateral a true and faithful help and relief, for his own person and for the others who are under his charge.¹

[660] #

C. ¹When experience reveals that some of those sent are not proceeding correctly in regard to obedience, either they ought to be recalled or a companion who is advanced in it ought to be sent to them, even though one was not sent in the beginning.

[661] #

D. ¹Even though the collateral associate is not under obedience to the superior or person to whom he is given, he ought to have interior and exterior reverence for him and to give an example in this to the others who are under his obedience.²Similarly he should with all possible diligence assist the one in charge in all matters of his office on which his help is requested.³And even if not asked anything, when he sees that he ought to say something to the superior regarding his person or matters pertaining to his office, he ought to tell him faithfully and express his opinion with Christian freedom and modesty.⁴But once he has presented his thoughts and reasons, if the superior judges otherwise, the collateral ought to submit his personal judgment and conform himself to the superior, unless he sees with great clarity that he is wrong,⁵in which case he ought to inform the superior.⁶The collateral should also endeavor to bring the subjects to agree among themselves and with their immediate superior as far as this is possible, acting as an angel of peace among them and getting them to hold the proper esteem and love toward their superior, whom they have in the place of Christ our Lord.⁷The collateral should also report to his own superior, whether superior general or provincial superior, about whatever the latter enjoins on him, as well as about whatever may be enjoined on him by the one to whom he is assigned as collateral.⁸Furthermore, he ought also on his own initiative to supply for the one in charge, reporting when the latter fails to do so because of illness, occupations, or other reason.⁹On the other hand, the one in charge ought to observe certain things in regard to his collateral.¹⁰First, seeing that the collateral is assigned to him not as a subject but as one to assist him and lighten his burden, he ought to have and show special love and respect for him, conversing familiarly with him so that he in turn may have more courage and ease in expressing his opinion and may see more clearly the matters where he can render help.¹¹He should also strive to enhance the collateral’s credit and get him to be loved by those under his authority,¹²for he will thereby have in him a more valuable instrument in his dealings with them.¹³He would do well to discuss with the collateral matters in which he finds difficulty, asking his opinion and urging him to say what he thinks even unasked, and to call his attention to anything that may come up regarding his person or office.¹⁴Having heard what his collateral says, he will then be better able to make his own decision.¹⁵In what pertains to his carrying out his duty of governing those in his charge, he should employ the collateral as a faithful instrument in matters of greater importance, whether general ones concerning the houses or particular ones concerning the individual brethren.¹⁶He should likewise employ the collateral’s help in what pertains to the superior general and is owed to him; and in everything except his authority he should look and rely upon the collateral as another self, in unity of spirit in our Lord.¹⁷It should be noted that there are two principal cases where a collateral ought to be assigned.¹⁸The first is when considerably more help is desired for the person being sent with the principal charge because of his lack of practice or experience in such government or other reasons, even though he is a man of highly approved desires and life for the greater divine glory.¹⁹The second case occurs when one of those who will be accompanying the person in charge is looked upon as someone who would be more helpful to him as a companion than under his obedience, and who possesses the qualities needed for helping him.

[662] #

4. ¹To the virtue of obedience also pertains the properly observed subordination of some superiors to others and of subjects to superiors, in such wise that the individuals who dwell in a house or college have recourse to their local superior or rector and are governed by him in all things.²Those who are spread throughout the province refer to the provincial or another local superior who is closer, according to the orders they have received;³and all the local superiors or rectors should communicate often with the provincial and thus too be directed by him in everything; and the provincials in their turn will deal in the same way with the general. This subordination, when thus observed See C-663, will uphold union, which to a very great extent consists therein, with the grace of God our Lord.

[663] #

E. ¹When in particular cases the provincial superior thinks it more expedient for the divine service that someone dwelling in a house or college should be under direct obedience to himself, he may exempt him from obedience to the rector or local superior.²Similarly the general may make certain individuals and local superiors or rectors directly dependent on himself.³But ordinarily, the more fully the aforementioned subordination is observed, the better it is.

[664] #

5. ¹Anyone seen to be a cause of division among those who live together, estranging them either among themselves or from their head, ought with great diligence to be separated from that community, as a pestilence which can infect it seriously if a remedy is not quickly applied See C-665.

[665] #

F. ¹To separate can mean either expelling the person from the Society altogether or transferring him to another place if this seems sufficient and more expedient for the divine service and the common good in the judgment of the one responsible for it.

[666] #

6. ¹On the side of the superior general, what will aid toward this union of hearts are the qualities of his person See C-667, to be treated in Part IX, with which he will perform his office,²which is to be for all the members a head from which the influence required for the end sought by the Society ought to descend to them all.³It is thus from the general as head that all authority of the provincials should flow, from the provincials that of the local superiors, and from the local superiors that of the individual members.⁴And from this same head, or at least by his commission and approval, should likewise come the appointing of missions. And the same should apply to communicating the graces of the Society.⁵For the more the subjects are dependent upon their superiors, the better will the love, obedience, and union among them be preserved.

[667] #

G. ¹Very especially helpful, among other qualities, will be his credit and prestige among his subjects, as well as his having and showing love and concern for them, in such a way that the subjects hold the opinion that their superior has the knowledge, desire, and ability to rule them well in our Lord.²For this and many other matters he will find it useful to have with him persons able to give good counsel (as will be stated in Part IX), whose help he can employ in what he needs to ordain for the Society’s good proceeding in various different regions for the divine glory.³It will further help if his commanding is well thought out and ordered; he should endeavor to keep up obedience among the subjects in such wise that the superior on his part employs all possible love, modesty, and charity in our Lord⁴so that the subjects may be disposed always to have greater love than fear for their superiors, though at times both are useful.⁵He should also leave some matters up to them when it appears likely they will be helped by this;⁶and at other times he should go along with them in part and sympathize with them when this might seem best.

[668] #

7. ¹That the location may be favorable for communication between the head and his members, it can be a great help for the general to reside for the most part in Rome See C-669, where communications with all regions can more easily be maintained.²Similarly, for the greater part of the time the provincials should be in places where they can communicate with their subjects and with the superior general See C-670, as far as they find this possible in our Lord.

[669] #

H. ¹He may visit his subjects in other places, according to the circumstances and necessities which arise.²Likewise, he may at times live near Rome, in accordance with what is judged to be for the greater glory of God.

[670] #

I. ¹What has been said about the general will hold true of the provincial superior’s visits,² namely, that he may make such visits when he thinks that God our Lord will be better served thereby;²and it is something quite proper to his office.³But when he must reside in a place for a longer time, he should if possible choose a location where communication with his subjects and the general is possible.

[671] #

8. ¹On both sides, the chief bond to cement the union of the members among themselves and with their head is the love of God our Lord.²For when the superior and the subjects are closely united to his Divine and Supreme Goodness, they will very easily be united among themselves, through that same love which will descend from the Divine Goodness and spread to all other persons, and particularly to the body of the Society.³Thus charity will come to further this union between superiors and subjects, and in general all goodness and virtues through which one proceeds in conformity with the spirit.⁴Consequently there will be also total contempt of temporal things, in regard to which self-love, the chief enemy of this union and universal good, frequently induces disorder.⁵Still another great help can be found in uniformity, both interior uniformity of doctrine, judgments, and wills, as far as this is possible See C-672, and exterior uniformity in respect to clothing, ceremonies of the Mass, and other such matters, to the extent that the different qualities of persons, places, and the like permit.

[672] #

K. ¹In the case of those who have not studied, it is good to strive that all normally follow a single doctrine, that selected in the Society as the best and most suitable for its members.²A person who has already finished his studies should also take care to keep diversity from harming the union of charity, and to accommodate himself in what is possible to the doctrine that is more common in the Society.

[673] #

9. ¹Another very special help will be communication by letter³ between subjects and superiors See C-674, and their learning frequently about one another and hearing the news See C-675and reports See C-676which come from the various regions.²The superiors, especially the general and the provincials, will take charge of this, making arrangements so that each region can learn from the others whatever promotes mutual consolation and edification in our Lord.

[674] #

L. ¹The local superiors or rectors in a province, and those who are sent to bear fruit in the Lord’s field, should write to their provincial superior once a week if facilities for this exist.²The provincial and the others should likewise write to the general every week if he is near.³If they are in a different kingdom where such facilities are lacking, both the said persons who have been sent to bear fruit as well as the local superiors and rectors will, like the provincials, write once a month to the general.⁴The general will have a letter written to them ordinarily once a month, at least to the provincials; and the provincials once a month to the local superiors, rectors, and individuals where this is required; and more frequently from one side and the other as need for this may arise in our Lord.

[675] #

M. ¹So that news about the Society can be communicated to everyone, the following procedure should be followed.²At the beginning of every four-month period, those under a provincial who is over various houses or colleges should write a letter containing only matters of edification in the vernacular language of the province, as well as another of the same tenor in Latin.³They should send the provincial two copies of each, so that he can send one copy of the Latin and the vernacular to the general, along with a letter of his own stating anything noteworthy or edifying that was not mentioned by the individuals,⁴and can have the second recopied as often as is needed to inform the others of his own province.⁵In cases where much time would be lost by sending these letters to the provincial, local superiors and rectors may send their Latin and vernacular letters directly to the general, with a copy to the provincial.⁶Also, when the provincial thinks it advisable he may charge some of the local superiors with informing the others in his province by sending them copies of what they write to the provincial.⁷However, so that what pertains to one province may be known in another, the general will order that sufficient copies of the letters sent to him from the provinces should be made to provide for all the other provincials; and these provincials will likewise have copies made for the members of their own province.⁸When there is much interchange between one province and another, like that between Portugal and Castile or between Sicily and Naples, the provincial of the one province may send to the provincial of the other the copy of those letters which he sends to the general.

[676] #

N. ¹For fuller knowledge of everyone, every four months the provincial should be sent, from each house and college, a brief list in duplicate of all who are in that house, and of those who are now missing because of death or some other cause, from the time of the last list sent until the date of the present one, with a brief account of the qualities of these persons.²In the same manner, every four months the provincial will send to the general the copies of the lists from each house and college.³For in this way it will be possible to have more information about the persons and to govern the whole body of the Society better, for the glory of God our Lord.

CHAPTER 2: ¹THE OCCASIONS FOR HOLDING A GENERAL CONGREGATION⁴ #

[677] #

1. ²As we come to the union of persons which occurs in congregations of the Society, consideration must be given to the occasions on which they ought to assemble, which persons should assemble, who ought to assemble them,³the place, time, and manner of their assembling, and the specification of what should be treated in the congregation.⁴To begin with the explanation of the first point, namely, the occasions on which the general congregation and chapter should take place:⁵ It is presupposed that for the present it does not seem good in our Lord that such a congregation should be held at definite intervals See C-678or very frequently;⁵for the superior general, through the communication which he has with the whole Society See C-679and through the help he gets from those near him, will spare the Society as a whole from that work and distraction as far as possible.⁶Yet on some occasions a general congregation will be necessary; for example, for the election of a general, whether because of the death of the preceding general or because of any of the reasons for which a general may relinquish that office and which will be treated further on.

[678] #

A. ¹An example would be: every three or six years, or more or less.

[679] #

B. ¹This communication is maintained through letters and through the persons who should come from the provinces, at least one every three years from each province⁶and {every four years from the Indies},⁷having been elected by the votes of the professed and rectors of the province, to inform the general about many things.²Through this communication it will also be possible to learn, when needed, the opinions of those throughout the Society whom the general will consider to have the soundest judgment.³And thus, with those he has close to himself for purposes of consultation, he will be able to decide many matters without assembling the whole Society.⁴For to a great extent the congregation is an aid toward making good decisions, either through the greater information which it possesses or through some more distinguished persons who express their opinion. In many cases it will be possible to accomplish all this without a general congregation, as has been stated.

[680] #

2. ¹The second occasion arises when it is necessary to deal with long- lasting and important matters See C,{as would be the suppression or transference of houses or colleges};⁸or with other very difficult matters pertaining to the whole body of the Society or its manner of proceeding, for greater service to God our Lord.

[681] #

C. ¹Long-lasting matters of any sort do not suffice for holding a general congregation unless they are also important.²However, some matters of importance, even if not long-lasting, could suffice. The decision about importance will be left to the superior general.³But when matters arise which are urgent and of great importance, so that the assistants to the general, the provincials, and the local superiors judge by a majority of votes that a general congregation should be held,⁹ as is treated in Part IX, it ought to be convoked;⁴and the general should acquiesce and order the congregation to be held with great diligence.

CHAPTER 3: ¹THOSE WHO SHOULD ASSEMBLE #

[682] #

² **** Those who should assemble in a general congregation are not all the subjects under obedience to the Society, nor even the approved scholastics, **** **** and even from among all these, those who can come conveniently. **** **** ³ **** but the professed See C, and some coadjutors if it seems opportune in our Lord to summon them;¹⁰⁴Thus it is clear that those who are physically ill are not included, nor those who are in places very distant, for example, in the Indies, nor those who have in hand undertakings of major importance which cannot be forsaken without serious harm.⁵This matter will be left to the judgment of the superior general if he calls the congregation, or of those who assemble in a province to elect those who are to come.⁶By way of norm, three will come from each province¹¹ when the congregation is for electing a general or dealing with what pertain to him; namely, the provincial See C-684and two others chosen by the rest in a province congregation which will be held for this purpose prior to the general congregation.⁷In this province congregation the following will assemble and have a right to vote: all the professed¹² who are able to come, the superiors of houses, the rectors of colleges, and the procurators, or those they send in their place.⁸ **** When the congregation is held for other matters, the provincial may, without convoking a provincial congregation, select two members of his province, with the approval of the general;⁹ **** it will be up to the latter to determine according to the circumstances whether the provincial congregation should be held for the election of the two or whether the provincial superior should select them without a congregation, as shall seem good to him in the Lord.¹³¹⁰Those remaining will leave things to these three and to the general congregation See C-685.¹¹And if, in addition to these three, some individuals are named by the superior general, or if the provincial thinks that they ought to come, their status will be the same as that of the others.¹²However, if the provincial does name any in addition to the three, they should be no more than two, so that altogether they are five at the most.

[683] #

A. ¹When the one holding the principal charge of the Society summons the congregation, he will determine whether some of the professed of three vows or some coadjutors ought to come for discussion of matters to be treated in the congregation.¹⁴²For it seems that this could be useful at times, particularly in the case of rectors and procurators from the colleges and other officials, who will possess a great deal of information about what pertains to their offices.³In addition, those officials could hold active and likewise passive voice, except for positions of authority over the professed of four vows.⁴If the congregation is held for the election of a general, no one who is not professed of four vows will have active or passive voice in that election.¹⁵

[684] #

B. ¹That the provincial should come means if he is able. If he is unable, he will send someone else in his place whom he judges the most fit among three elected in that province congregation.

[685] #

C. ¹Although those who remain behind may not send their vote in writing, if the subject matter was communicated to them they may express their opinion in writing; and those who go will state that opinion in the general congregation.

[686] #

2. ¹Of the professed who take part in the congregation, each one will have a single vote, and the general two;²but if the number of votes is equal, the provincial will be preferred over the others. If there is a tie among the provincials, the side which is favored by the general (or if he is no longer alive, by his vicar) will prevail.³For, since they have greater need of the divine assistance because of the charge they hold, it is to be hoped that God our Lord will bestow it upon them more copiously for thinking and saying what will be for his service.

CHAPTER 4: ¹WHO SHOULD CONVOKE A GENERAL CONGREGATION #

[687] #

1. ²When the Society must convene to elect a superior general after the death of the former general, the duty of informing the other members will fall upon one of the professed whom the general before his death will have designated as his vicar in that respect See C-688.³Ordinarily this professed will be one of those who assist the general and reside with or near him. It will be his office to summon the Society for a specified place and date.

[688] #

A. ¹If none of the professed is present with the general and he designates one of those nearby, the same arrangement holds for him.²But if, overtaken by death or an equivalent illness, he does not name a vicar, the professed who are near him¹⁶ (even though not living in the same place as he but in a neighboring one) will elect a vicar by a majority of votes.³Whether the general has named someone absent but nearby or whether he has named no one, in either case he who holds the principal charge in the house where the general dies or, in case he dies outside a house of the Society, he who holds it in the nearest house¹⁷ will immediately send word informing the neighborhood professed that they that they should come,⁴either to appoint a vicar (as was stated) or to recognize him who clearly was named. This vicar should hold the place of the general until a new one is elected.

[689] #

2. ¹When the assembly is not held for the election of a general, in the other situations it is the general himself who should convoke it, except in the cases to be described in Part IX.²As has been stated, he shall not summon the Society frequently, but when necessity compels. Nevertheless, when the congregation does convene for the election of a general, it may, after electing him, deal with other matters which require consideration beyond that of the general and those who are with him.

CHAPTER 5: ¹THE PLACE, TIME, AND MANNER OF ASSEMBLING #

[690] #

1. ²The place to which the Society will be summoned for the election of a general should ordinarily be, it seems, the curia of the sovereign pontiff, where the general will more commonly reside,³unless the members agree to meet somewhere else that is more convenient for all of them. This might be a central location amid the various regions where the Society is, or another which they think more suitable.⁴If it is the general who is convoking the congregation to transact other business, he will be the one to select and designate the place which he thinks in our Lord to be most suitable.

[691] #

2. ¹When the business is the election of a general, the time which will be allowed for assembling will be five or six months from the date of the letters of notification; and this time may be prolonged according to necessity.²When the members must convene for the other cases, the superior general will designate the time which seems good to him.

[692] #

3. ¹The manner of assembling will be this. The one with this responsibility should immediately, through several channels, inform the provincials and any other individual professed who are to be called,²indicating as fully as he deems sufficient the reason, the place, and the time of the congregation; and prescribing that Masses and prayers be offered everywhere for a good election.³Then the provincials, unless they alone will have to do the choosing, will have the duty of informing the professed and the rectors and local superiors in their province who will be able to come.⁴When those conveniently able to do so have assembled in a provincial congregation, they will choose by a majority of votes, with the provincial having two votes, those who are to go to the general congregation.⁵These will be the persons who are most fit to take part in the congregation and whose absence will cause less harm.⁶As soon as they can they will depart for the designated place, after making the proper provisions in their own provinces and appointing a vicar.

[693] #

4. ¹The superiors should also order that all those under the Society’s obedience should offer prayers daily, and be mindful in their Masses to commend earnestly to God our Lord those going to the congregation and whatever matters will be treated in it,²so that everything may turn out as may be for his greater service, praise, and glory.

CHAPTER 6: ¹THE MANNER OF REACHING A DECISION IN THE ELECTION OF A GENERAL #

[694] #

1. ²When the congregation has convened that was summoned to elect a new general after the death of his predecessor, he who has been given the function of vicar should address all its members, four days before the election of the new general,³exhorting them to make it in a way conducive to the greater service of God and the good governance of the Society.⁴In addition to this day, they will have another period of three days to commend themselves to God and reflect better upon who in the whole Society might be most suitable for that office.⁵They will seek to be informed by those capable of supplying good information,⁶but make no decision until they have entered and been locked into the place of the election.

[695] #

2. ¹During this period each one will be obliged{under pain of automatic excommunication (latae sententiae)}¹⁸to manifest to the vicar or to one of those professed the longest,¹⁹ who will inform the vicar, if he knows that someone has directly or indirectly sought this office or is seeking it, either by trying to get it or by giving indications in that direction.²One who is convicted of this charge should be deprived of active and passive voice and thus disqualified to elect and to be elected;²⁰ and he should not be admitted to a congregation either on this occasion or any other See C-696.²¹

[696] #

A. ¹For one charged with such ambition to be deprived of voice as someone disqualified, it would be necessary that he have been clearly convicted through the testimony of witnesses, or that the truth of the alleged offense has become sufficiently evident in any other possible way.²However,{when the indications afford strong suspicion but not certain proof, the person will be unsuitable for election},²²and an occasion ought to be sought to remove him from it; however, he will not be deprived of voice as though disqualified, and the suspicion should not be made public,³much less so if it is found to be unsupported; for in such a case it must cause no detriment to the person wrongly charged, nor will he cease to be in the congregation and have voice like the rest.⁴The one who must judge this case will be the vicar, after he has sought aid from three others of those professed the longest. The condemnation requires a vote of at least three.²³ {Those who vote inconsistently with their opinion will by that very fact incur excommunication}.²⁴⁵If the charge is brought against the vicar himself or one of the oldest professed, there will be four judges, always drawn from those who made the profession earliest, excluding the one charged.⁶Any of these to whose ears such an infamous imputation has come should call the others to investigate it.

[697] #

3. ¹On the day of the election, which will be that following the three mentioned, the Mass of the Holy Spirit should be said, and all should attend and receive Communion.

[698] #

4. ¹Later at the sound of the bell those with the right to vote See C-699should be summoned to the place of assembly.²One of them should deliver a sermon in which he exhorts them in a general way, with no suggestion of alluding to any individual, to choose a superior such as is required for the greater divine service.³After all together have recited the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus,⁴they should be locked inside the place of the congregation by one of the superiors or rectors or another member of the Society charged with this in the house where the assembly is held.⁵They are enclosed in such a manner that they may not leave nor be given any food except bread and water until they have elected a general.

[699] #

B. ¹Only those professed of four vows, as has been said, will have the right to vote in the election of the general;²⁵even if others are summoned to give further information where needed and to treat of other matters once the general has been elected.²In these matters rectors and local superiors who are professed of three vows or formed coadjutors will, if summoned, have the right to vote, as was stated above.

[700] #

**** ¹ **** If all by a common inspiration should choose someone without waiting for the voting procedure, let him be the superior general,²⁶²for the Holy Spirit who has moved them to such an election supplies for all procedures and arrangements.

[701] #

6. ¹When the election does not take place in that manner, the following procedure should be followed.²First, each one should pray privately and, without speaking with anyone else See C-702, make his decision in the presence of his Creator and Lord on the basis of the information he has.³He will write on a piece of paper the name of the person whom he chooses for superior general, and sign it with his name.⁴One hour at most should be given for this.⁵Thereupon all should assemble in their seats.⁶The vicar, together with a secretary to be chosen for this purpose from among the professed and by another to assist See C-703, should arise and attest his wish to admit no one he should not, nor to exclude anyone.⁷He should give to all general absolution from all censures for purposes of the canonical election See C-704.⁸After the grace of the Holy Spirit has been invoked, he should go with his companions to a table placed in the center.⁹The three should request their votes from one another; and before handing it over each should pronounce an oath that he is naming the man whom he judges in our Lord most fit for the office See C-705. The votes should be kept together in the hands of the secretary.¹⁰Then they should request each member of the congregation to hand in his vote by himself and in the sight of all, similarly in writing and preceded by the same oath.¹¹Afterwards in the presence of all the secretary should read the votes aloud, naming only the person chosen.¹²Then the numbers should be compared with each other, and the person found to have more than half of all the votes is to be the superior general.¹³Accordingly,{he who first named him, or the vicar, should ask the others if they agree on the one who has been chosen by the greater part; and no matter how they reply},²⁷he will formulate the decree of election, saying;¹⁴“In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. I, N., in my own name and the name of all those who have the same opinion, elect N. as superior general of the Society of Jesus.”¹⁵This done, all should immediately step forward to do him reverence; kneeling on both knees they should kiss his hand See C-706.¹⁶The person elected will not be able to refuse either the election or the reverence, calling to mind in whose name he is obliged to accept it.¹⁷Then all should recite together the Te Deum laudamus.

[702] #

C. ¹In their locked enclosure, all will preserve silence until the general is elected, in such wise that no one speaks to another about anything pertaining to the election unless it is something which he thinks it necessary to say, and that in the presence of all.

[703] #

D. ¹During the four days before entering the locked room, all the professed present²⁸ in the place of the congregation will meet and choose a secretary and an assistant. Each professed gives in writing the name of the one he chooses.²The vicar, together with the two longest professed, will publicly examine who has received more votes.³In a tie, the three will be able to vote, and he who receives the vote of two of them will be the secretary and the assistant.

[704] #

E. ¹He absolves from all censures except those incurred through defects regarding this election.

[705] #

F. ¹The formula of the oath may be this:²With all reverence, I call upon Jesus Christ, Eternal Wisdom, to witness that I, , choose and name as superior general of the Society of Jesus the one I think most fit to bear this burden.³He thus swears to two things: first, that he is giving his own name as the one making the choice; second, that he is giving as the name of the person chosen the one he thinks most fit.⁴He will then hand in his declaration in writing. Each one should have this formula of oath written on the outside of the paper containing his vote; and as he hands it to the three designated persons he should recite the formula aloud.⁵The place where each one will deposit his vote, individually and in the presence of the others, will be the table in the center at which the vicar and his assistants are.

[706] #

G. ¹The vicar and his assistants will begin, or, if one of them was elected, the other two; the rest will follow.

[707] #

7. ¹If no one receives more than half of the votes, another way should be taken, that of delegation to arbiters. From among all those present three or five should be chosen as electors by a plurality vote²⁹ See C-708; and whoever receives the majority of votes from these three or five³⁰ should be the superior general.²His election should be proclaimed, the reverence should be paid to him, and thanks should be given to God our Lord, as is stated above.

[708] #

H. ¹The method of choosing these electors will be this. Each one should write down the names of those whom he thinks ought to be elected, and those receiving the most votes will be the electors.²And as each one writes down the electors names, he will take his oath, using the following form:³I call upon Jesus Christ, Eternal Wisdom, to witness that I, , choose and name as superior general of the Society of Jesus the one whom the electors who have been constituted for this purpose will have chosen and named.

[709] #

8. ¹After the proclamation no one may change his vote or, once the election has been completed, attempt to have a new one. What has been stated should be observed by everyone who does not wish to be held as a schismatic and wrecker of the Society, and to{incur the penalty of excommunication latae sententiae [imposed by the law itself]}³¹and other grave censures at the discretion of the Society See C-710, whose interests require complete unity and conformity to the glory of God our Lord, as was stated above.

[710] #

¹The vicar after getting the opinion of the majority, or the one who has been elected superior general, will have the power to decree the censures which seem expedient in the Lord.

CHAPTER 7: ¹THE MANNER OF REACHING A DECISION ABOUT MATTERS OTHER THAN THE ELECTION OF A GENERAL #

[711] #

1. ²When the business of the congregation is not the election of a general but other important matters concerning the state of the Society, the enclosure will be unnecessary, although an effort should be made to conclude whatever needs to be treated as speedily as possible.³But since the light to perceive what decisions should be taken must come down from the First and Supreme Wisdom,⁴Masses will be said first of all and prayer offered in the place where the congregation is being held as well as throughout the Society, for as long as the congregation continues and the matters it needs to settle are being discussed,⁵in order to obtain grace to decide these matters as may be for the greater glory to God our Lord.

[712] #

2. ¹Later the congregation will meet in one or several sessions. The superior general first and after him the provincials, rectors, and other persons summoned to the congregation³² will, in the presence of all, propose the matters which they think should be discussed, briefly giving the reasons for their opinions;²and after they have seriously pondered all this and commended it to God our Lord, each one ought to put it in writing See C-713. When he has spoken his opinion he may place his written text in the center See C-714, so that those who wish to see it may state what they think in the following session.

[713] #

A. ¹Those who come in the place of an absent provincial will speak in the same order as he would.²However, the order to be observed is that the first to speak will be the one longest professed, from whatever province, who is a provincial or comes in the place of a provincial.³After him the rest from his province will speak in the order of seniority from profession or of vows as a spiritual coadjutor.⁴Then the longest professed among the remaining provincials will speak, and with him those from his province.⁵After these, if there are any who are not under a provincial or who were called extraordinarily, they too will speak in the order of seniority.

[714] #

B. ¹He will place his written text upon the table which will be placed in the center.²The secretary will be responsible for having copies made if necessary, or each one will bring already prepared copies of his arguments so that they may be read by those who are to express their opinion about them.

[715] #

3. ¹When the questions have been discussed from one side and the other during one or more sessions, if a solution in favor of one opinion does not become manifest and win agreement from all or nearly all,³³ then four definitors ought to be chosen by majority vote from among those present and having the right to vote in the congregation. ² **** These, authorized by the rest as arbiters,³⁴ **** will meet with the superior general as often as needed and conclude whatever matters are to be treated.³Should they not all agree, the side to which the majority inclines will prevail and the whole congregation will accept it as from the hand of God our Lord.

[716] #

4. ¹If the superior general should not find himself well enough to handle all these matters, he could appoint someone else in his place.²In this way the matters will be settled point by point according to the opinion of the majority, and the decision will be written down and read in the full congregation.³ **** If even then someone thinks he ought to express his opinion, he may do so;³⁵ **** but in the end he should defer to what is decided by the general together with the definitors.

[717] #

5. ¹After the matter about which a difficulty was raised has been reconsidered and resolved in the aforementioned manner, the secretary will write the final decision in the book provided for this purpose and afterwards it will be promulgated See C-718.

[718] #

C. ¹ **** The promulgation will take place before the whole house, **** and subsequently throughout the houses and colleges. This refers to ordinances or statutes which were decided on to be observed in all places;³⁶²for what pertains to a single college, house, or person need not be promulgated elsewhere, even should the matters not be secret. But if they are, much more ought their divulgence to be forbidden, under penalty of grave censures at the discretion of the superior general.³The decrees passed in the congregation remain in force unless they are revoked in another general congregation, even if the superior general under whom they were enacted has departed this life.