1.1 To respond to the Postulate voted by the General Assembly of 1980: “It is proposed that each Province or group of Provinces have its own organization for the promotion of basic studies and for making them known (St. Vincent, St. Louise, the history of the Companies, etc.). An organization on the international level will have as its goal the coordination of these efforts and the communication of their results,” the Superior General and his Council instituted an international organism called: International Secretariat of Vincentian Studies (S.I.E.V.)
1.2 The office is located in the General Curia in Rome, Via dei Capasso, 30.
2.1 SIEV has as its objective to animate, inform and promote everything regarding Vincentian studies. It is in contact with the provincial and interprovincial organisms of the Congregation of the Mission and with the entire Vincentian Family.
2.2 To realize this objective, SIEV:
2.2.1 assures information and communication through the CM publications;
2.2.2 takes stock of the existing Vincentian studies;
2.2.3 promotes new studies of all types;
2.2.4 provides concrete work tools for Vincentian formation;
2.2.5 invites specialists to meet in symposiums to correlate their research results;
2.2.6 fosters the publication of a complete Vincentian bibliography;
2.2.7 awakens interest in arranging and utilizing provincial archives, with a view to the history of the provinces;
2.2.8 pursues historical studies on the Congregation and invites the provinces to publish their own annals;
2.2.9 proposes to the General Council the establishment of international months of Vincentian studies.
3.1. Members
3.1.1 SIEV is made up of a number of confreres not to exceed 10, nor be less than 5. A representative of the General Council will also be part of the group.
3.1.2 The members are selected because of their Vincentian competence, while assuring representation of language groups.
3.1.3 They are named by the Superior General and his Council, after agreement with the respective Visitors.
3.1.4 They are named for 6 years, renewable for 3 years.
3.2. Executive Secretary
3.2.1 SIEV is directed by an Executive Secretary.
3.2.2 He is named by the Superior General and his Council, after having consulted the members of SIEV.
3.2.3 His mandate is for 3 years, twice renewable.
3.2.4 His functions are:
3.2.4.1 to call meetings and preside over them;
3.2.4.2 to furnish the Superior General and his Council with an annual report of the activities of SIEV;
3.2.4.3 to get in touch with the organisms of Vincentian study and animation;
3.2.4.4 to keep and classify the archives of SIEV.
3.3. Meetings
3.3.1 The members of SIEV meet once yearly. If necessary, they can arrange additional meetings.
3.3.2 All the members of SIEV are obliged to assist at all meetings.
4.1 Budget
4.1.1 SIEV has its own budget, managed by the Executive Secretary in agreement with the Econome General.
4.2 At each annual meeting the Executive Secretary presents the accounts of the past year to the Superior General and his Council.
4.3 The projected budget, studied by all the members of SIEV, is presented to and approved by the Superior General and his Council.
4.4 Resources are assured by the Econome General and the provinces, under the conditions determined by the Superior General and his Council. They must cover the expenses of the SIEV meetings and the cost of the Secretariat’s functioning.
Rome, October 22, 1999 Robert P. Maloney, C.M. Superior General
