Friday, September 15, 2017

Day 10 of the General Chapter


As usual this was a busy day. We began the day with Lauds and Mass, presided by the Region of the United States. And the we spent the whole morning in the aula. After praying Terce and the daily practical notices, work began.

First we listened to Mother Geneviève, secretary of the Committee of Aid of the Order. She introduced us, and especially the new capitulants, to the working of this committee that was founded to study the different projects asking financial support from the Order, and to provide, when approved, the necessary money from the fund that is made from donations by many monasteries of the Order.

After some Q&A, we listened, questioned and commented on a whole series of reports:

  • the reports of the commissions working on votes 47-50 of last Chapter, concerning the age of retirement of abbots and abbesses,
  • the reports concerning the dissolutions of a few monasteries,
  • the reports concerning the retirement of several superiors.
  • and the proposals of the votes for the independence of a few houses and the transfer of Paternity of one house.

All this took up the whole morning.

After a tasty lunch and a much needed siesta, we resumed our work in the different commissions. Because many capitulants are ill with flue or colds, and because there were also extra commissions ad hoc, studying serious problems at the same time, many commissions could not work at full capacity. Yet, a lot was done, so that many, like yours truly, could enjoy an easy evening, after praying Vespers and sharing another delicious evening meal.


Fr Jan
Region of the Isles