Statutes of CLAPVI

Statutes of CLAPVI

(Revised in the Assembly of Curitiba in 2002)

Historical Introduction

  1. As a sign of inculturation, and as an expression of the Church as “communion and participation” as presented to us in Vatican II, Medellín, and Puebla, there evolved a greater integration and collaboration in the ministry of the evangelization of the poor among the Visitors of the Latin American Provinces of the Congregation of the Mission.

  1. And so in the General Assembly of 1969, the Visitor of the Province of Colombia, Fr. Luis Antonio Mojica, communicated to Fr. James Richardson, Superior General, the desire for a greater integration among the Vincentian Provinces of Latin America.

  1. Fr. Richardson supported the idea, which became a reality in Santandercito, Colombia on 24 September 1971, during a meeting with the Vicar General, Fr. Rafael Sáinz and the Visitors of the Spanish-speaking Provinces of Latin America: From Ecuador, Fr. Jorge Rivadeneira; from Argentina, Fr. Buenaventura Sarasola; from Colombia, Fr. Luis Antonio Mojica; from Chile, Fr. Robert Schwane; from Puerto Rico, Fr. Tomás Gáscue; from Venezuela, Fr. Luis Vela; from Peru, Fr. Marciano Rodríguez; from Central America, Fr. Godofredo Recinos (delegate of the Visitor); and from Mexico, Fr. Colombiano Núñez (delegate of the Visitor).

  1. And so the CONFERENCE OF LATIN AMERICAN VISITORS (CLAVI) was born. But in 1972 the name was changed to the LATIN AMERICAN CONFERENCE OF VINCENTIAN PROVINCES whose initials “CLAPVI” now identify it. This same year the Vice-Province of Costa Rica and the Panama Mission , part of the Eastern Province of the United States, joined the Conference.

  1. In August of 1974 the three Vincentian Provinces of Brazil also joined the Conference: Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba and Fortaleza. In 1977 the Province of Cuba entered. In 1983, the houses of the Province of Barcelona in Honduras joined. In 1990, the houses of the Province of Zaragoza in Honduras entered. And in 1999, a delegate of the Provinces of the United States joined because of their work with Latin immigrants.

CHAPTER I

PRELIMINARIES: NAME, NATURE, CONSTITUTION AND HEADQUARTERS

ARTICLE 1.

THE LATIN AMERICAN CONFERENCE OF VINCENTIAN PROVINCES of the Congregation of the Mission (CLAPVI) is a not-for-profit organization, whose permanent service is to orient, animate and coordinate Vincentian activities. Its aim is to offer to its members solutions for problems in common, mutual assistance, and the strengthening of the interprovincial bonds of unity and fraternity. It is guided by what is established in these Statutes, by the norms of the General Curia and by the law of the Church.

ARTICLE 2.

CLAPVI is composed of the Provinces, Vice-Provinces and Delegations of Provinces that work in and/or are related to Latin America.

ARTICLE 3.

The headquarters of the secretariat of CLAPVI shall by chosen by the Executive Secretary with the approval of the Executive Council.

ARTICLE 4.

The existence of the Conference has no specified time limit.

CHAPTER II:

THE ENDS OF CLAPVI

ARTICLE 5.

  1. The general objective of CLAPVI is to realize the charism of St. Vincent in all of its activities within the historical and situational context of Latin America, for a more effective evangelization of the poor.

  1. This is accomplished by means of the following specific objectives:

a) the interior renewal and permanent formation of its members;

b) the adaptation of the apostolic activities to the ends of the Congregation of the Mission, as defined in the Constitutions and Statutes of the Congregation of the Mission;

c) the search for common lines of formation and action;

d) the exchange of experiences in the diverse areas of pastoral activity, vocational promotion and Vincentian formation;

e) the establishment of common criteria for the interpretation and application of the legislation of the Church and of the General Curia to the Latin American reality;

f) the creation of a Latin American communitarian consciousness;

g) the promotion of interprovincial cooperation;

h) the promotion of meetings between the provinces;

i) the promotion of, and participation in, courses of specialization, along with the promotion of courses that are organized around formation in Vincentian spirituality.

3.It is the intention of CLAPVI that these meetings be held with an open-minded attitude, so that members of other communities and lay associations, provided that they share in the Vincentian spirit, can also be invited to them.

CHAPTER III:

MEMBERS OF CLAPVI

ARTICLE 6

“Constitutive” members of CLAPVI are the missionaries who are incorporated into the Provinces, Vice-Provinces or Delegations of Provinces which are mentioned in article 2.

ARTICLE 7

“Representative” members of CLAPVI are the Visitors, Vice-Visitors, the members of the community who represent the Delegations of Provinces or their substitutes, the Representative of the Provinces of the U.S.A. who work with Latin American immigrants, the Executive Secretary of the Conference, and the members indicated in Art. 13 § 2.

ARTICLE 8

The members have the right:

a) to participate in the courses and interprovincial meetings and benefit from the other services offered by CLAPVI;

b) to form part of the Assemblies and the activities of CLAPVI by means of suggestions or proposals sent to the President or the Executive Secretary.

ARTICLE 9

The duties of the members are:

a) to show interest in the Conference and its activities;

b) to support the decisions made in Assembly;

c) to be willing to participate in the meetings and to offer other services when asked.

ARTICLE 10

Along with those rights specified in article 8, the representative members also have the right:

a) to have active and passive voice in the Assemblies;

b) to exercise the functions that might be asked of them by the Assemblies;

c) to propose to the Assembly, to the President, or to the Executive Secretary, possible services that CLAPVI should offer to the members.

ARTICLE 11

Along with those duties specified in article 9, the representative members also have the duty:

a) to take an active part in the functioning of CLAPVI;

b) to observe the orientations of the Assembly and to carry out, in their respective Provinces, Vice-Provinces and Delegations, the proposals which have been approved;

c) to give the President and the Executive Secretary, and also the rest of the personnel who make up the Executive Leadership of CLAPVI, the collaboration necessary for them to carry out their functions.

CHAPTER IV:

THE STRUCTURE

ARTICLE 12

CLAPVI is animated and administered by the following:

a) the Assembly,

b) the Executive Council,

c) the President,

d) the Executive Secretary.

TITLE 1: THE ASSEMBLY

ARTICLE 13

The Assembly is constituted by the representative members.

1. The Superior General or his Delegate, the Vicar General, and the Assistant Generals who may be present, are also members of the Assembly with voice and vote.

2. When the Assembly is held along with the General Assembly of the C.M., the Latin American Delegates to the General Assembly also participate in the Assembly of CLAPVI with voice and vote.

3. Constitutive members of the Conference, as well as other persons, in their capacity as experts or observers, may also be admitted to the Assembly. These shall have voice but not the right to vote.

ARTICLE 14

The Assembly meets:

a) ordinarily, every three years, during the dates and at the place previously determined after consulting the representative members;

b) extraordinarily, when the importance of the situation merits it, after receiving majority approval through the consultation of the representative members.

ARTICLE 15

The Assemblies can be held with the presence of 75% of the representative members.

ARTICLE 16

The Assembly has the duty:

a) to draw up for itself a Rule for its operation;

b) to assume the realization of the objectives of CLAPVI;

c) to study the proposed themes and to come up with conclusions on the matter;

d) to evaluate the activities of CLAPVI based on the report presented by the Executive Secretary, and to propose the Plan of Action for the next period;

e) to review the financial reports of the last period, and to study forms of support for the following period;

f) to reform and approve the Statutes;

g) to determine the place and the dates for the following Assembly;

h) to elect the President, the Vice-President, two Members-at-large, and the Executive Secretary;

i) to plan for and create positions or functions that it deems necessary for the proper functioning of the Conference.

ARTICLE 17

The orientations from the Assemblies of CLAPVI should be carried out by the Provinces, Vice-Provinces or Delegations, as determined by the respective Provincial, or Vice-Provincial, Councils.

TITLE 2: THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

ARTICLE 18

1. The Executive Council is made up of the President, Vice-President, two Members-at-large, and the Executive Secretary.

2.The President and the Executive Secretary form the Permanent Committee of the Conference.

ARTICLE 19

1.The Members-at-large are representative members of the Provinces, Vice-Provinces, Delegations of Provinces, and the Representative of the Provinces of the U.S.A. that work with Latin America immigrants, and are elected by the Assembly by the same process used to elect the President and for the same time period.

2.There are two Members-at-large.

3.The first Member-at-large elected assumes the functions of Vice-President, when the Vice-President ceases his functions.

4.When, during the period for which they were elected, the Members-at-large cease in their functions, their successors become “ipso facto” Members-at-large.

5.If the first Member-at-large has to assume the office of Vice-President, the Executive Council will name a second Member-at-large.

SECTION 1: DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

The duties of the Executive Council are:

a) to see that the general and specific objectives of CLAPVI are faithfully carried out;

b) to plan, prepare and organize the Assemblies;

c) to approve the themes and the other modes of proceeding when interprovincial courses are organized by CLAPVI;

d) to resolve urgent matters for which the President convokes them;

e) to advise the President before the convoking of an Extraordinary Assembly;

f) to supervise the monetary funds of CLAPVI and to assure their proper use;

g) to study the Report presented by the Executive Secretary.

ARTICLE 21

The Executive Council shall meet at last once a year.

SECTION 2: THE FUNCTIONS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

1. THE PRESIDENT

ARTICLE 22.

1.The President is elected by the Assembly with an absolute majority of votes in the first or second round. He shall exercise his office for a period of three years.

2.If there is no absolute majority of votes in the first or second round, and in case of a tie vote, the representative member shall be considered elected as President who, having a relative majority of votes, is eldest by vocation and by age.

3. Any representative member of CLAPVI may exercise the office of President.

4. The President may be reelected for another period of three years, according to the will of the Assembly.

5.The residence of the President shall be in his own province.

ARTICLE 23

The duties of the President are:

a) to officially represent CLAPVI;

b)to convoke and preside at the Assemblies;

c)to see that the orientations given by the Assemblies are put into practice;

d)to solicit extraordinary financial contributions, with the previous approval of the majority of the representative members, to meet urgent needs which cannot be postponed;

e)to convoke and preside at the sessions of the Executive Council;

f) to name a Substitute for the Executive Secretary until the next Assembly is held, in the event that he is unable to fulfill his duties.

2.THE VICE-PRESIDENT

ARTICLE 24

The Vice-President shall be elected in the same way and for the same length of time as specified for the President.

ARTICLE 25

The Vice-President shall assume the functions of the President in his absence, or if he is unable to fulfill his duties.

3.THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

ARTICLE 26

1. The Executive Secretary is elected by the Assembly for a three-year term. He may be reelected for a second and a third consecutive term.

2.The procedure for his election or reelection shall be the same as used for the election of the President.

ARTICLE 27

The duties of the Executive Secretary are:

a)to be completely available for the service of CLAPVI;

b)to officially represent CLAPVI when delegated to do so by the President;

c)to plan, prepare and organize the Assemblies, together with the other members of the Executive Council;

d)to maintain the archives of the secretariat properly organized;

e)to be responsible for the publication of the magazine;

f)to inform the representative members, through periodic communications, about the tasks accomplished;

g)to present a report of his activities at the Assemblies;

h)to write up the Acts of the sessions of the Assemblies and to submit them to the Executive Council for approval;

i)to see to the proper administration of CLAPVI;

j)to present the financial balance and status of CLAPVI to the Executive Council and the Assembly;

k)to present the budget for the following three years to the Assembly for its consideration and approval;

l)to form part of the Executive Council in virtue of his office.

CHAPTER V: FINAL DISPOSITIONS

ARTICLE 28

The participants in the courses, meetings and assemblies organized by CLAPVI will assume all the expenses associated with their participation.

ARTICLE 29

All the expenses of the Executive Secretary, while carrying out his duties, shall be assumed by CLAPVI.

ARTICLE 30

The expenses associated with the meetings of the Executive Council shall be assumed by CLAPVI.

ARTICLE 31

The interprovincial meetings organized by CLAPVI, in which neither the President nor the Vice-President are present, shall be presided over by the Visitor in whose province the gathering is held.

ARTICLE 32

The issues not stipulated in the Statutes shall be resolved by the Executive Council and the results shall be communicated to the members of CLAPVI.

(GILBERT WALKER, C.M., translator)

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