1.1 The de facto association known as 'Jesus Caritas' priests' Fraternity erected in 1966 by the Archbishop of Aix-en Provence as an Association of Perfection - which decision was confirmed and given legal force by a Decree of the Congregation of Religious dated 15 February 1966 - becomes now and henceforth, with the necessary authorization of the same Dicastery dated 27 January 1986 and in conformity with the suggestions of the Congregation for the Clergy of 18 January 1988 and 27 March 1992, a private association open to priests who exercise their ministry in the service of a diocese. It retains the name 'Jesus Caritas' Priests' Fraternity.

This association is founded in accord with the dispositions of canon 278, paragraphs 1 and 2, the Code of Canon Law, and is governed, as a private association, by canons 321 to 326 and the canons to which these refer.

1.3 It is placed under the supervisory care of the bishops of the dioceses in which it is active (cf canon 305, paragraph 2), and particularly under that of Msgr. Francois GARNIER, Bishop of Lucon, who, by a decree dated 18 October 1994,has approved its Statutes, and has accorded it, in agreement with canon 322, paragraph 1, the juridical personality of a private association.

1.4 The association has its official headquarters at the Bishop's House, 1 Place General Leclerk, B.P. 95, 85400 LUCON, (France). These headquarters can be changed by the simple decision of the General Responsible with the consent of his Council.

2.1 The 'Jesus Caritas' Priests' Fraternity, inspired by what is laid down in the Decree of the Second Vatican Council 'Presbyterorum Ordinis', no. 8, offers in the first place to all its members 'brotherly support' to enhance their sanctity 'in the exercise of their ministry'.

2.2 The members of the Fraternity set themselves the task, for the sake of Jesus and the Gospel and in order to be brothers to all people, of living their life as diocesan priests by giving themselves totally to the Father, in a spirit of abandonment to his will, in brotherly solidarity with the poor and oppressed, and in faithfulness to celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom.

2.3 In the spirit of Charles de Foucauld, they wish to follow Jesus, and know every day a little better the mystery of Him who is Risen by meditating on the Gospel, and making every effort to live it at that point where the Church and world meet. by adoring, for long periods and with perseverance, Our Lord in the Eucharist. by meeting him faithfully in solitude (the desert day).

To achieve this, they agree to walk with others, in local fraternities, and to adopt the method which such a fraternitv provides, principal among which is the Review of Life, undertaken regularly.

2.5 Belonging to the 'Jesus Caritas' Priests' Fraternity in no way changes the situation of priests who are members: they continue to belong to their diocesan presbyterate, and exercise their ministry in obedience to their bishop.

2.6 Faithful to the spirit of universal brotherhood which inspired Charles de Foucauld, they are linked not only to the other members of the association across the continents, but also with all those (priests, religious both men and women, lay people) who belong to the institutions of the Church springing from the charism of Charles de Foucauld.

3.1 Following the tradition of the Association of Perfection from which the 'Jesus Caritas' Priests' Fraternity has developed, all priests who are working in a stable fashion in the service of a diocese, whether they are incardinated or not, are entitled to belong to the Fraterntity.

By way of exception, but under the same conditions, priests belonging to a society of apostolic life or even religious may be admitted as members (in the case of religious, after obtaining the permission required by canon 307, paragraph 3).
A bishop, too, may be a member of the Association.

3.2 Before being admitted to the Association, anyone wishing to become a member must have at least six months' contact with a local fraternity.

3.3 Temporary admission is followed by two years' probation, which can be extended until the member has taken part in a month of formation (called 'The Month of Nazareth'). At the conclusion of this month of formation, the participant may request:


• either to continue sharing, according to the Statutes, in the life of the association, for an initial period to be determined as seems best, such period however to be renewable for further fixed terms.
• or, if he prefers, to be admitted definitively to the Association.

3.4 It is the duty of the diocesan or interdiocesan Responsible to grant admissions, both temporary and definitive, after consulting the Responsible of the local fraternity.

3.5 The status of member is lost either by voluntary withdrawal, or by dismissal by the competent Responsible, according to the Statutes.

4.1 The basic unit - the Local Fraternity

4.1.1. The association is composed of a certain number of local fraternities: these are normally organized by dioceses, where they are accepted by the diocesan bishops.

4.1.2 When, for lack of numbers, it proves impossible to bring together local fraternities on a diocesan basis, to the detriment of the members' spiritual life, the Regional Responsible - or failing him the General Responsible explains the situation to the bishops of the dioceses where the fraternities exist, with a view to setting up, in communion with them, an interdiocesan structure.

4.1.3 The local fraternity is composed of a number of members (about six) of whom one carries out the duty of Responsible, according to the Statutes.

4.1.4 The members are normally chosen bearing in mind their ability to come together at regular intervals. However, isolated brothers can be attached to a local fraternity. It then becomes the task of the diocesan or interdiocesan Responsible to outline the terms on which they belong to this fraternity.

4.1.5 The members of the same fraternity meeting, normally, once a month - to pray together, to carry out a Review of Life, and to see what extent they are being faithful to the customs and practices outlined in the Directory of the Association: retreats, desert days and so forth.

4.2 The Region

4.2.1 A region is a gathering together of a number of fraternities on the basis of a geographical unit, which might be a continent, or a country, or a part of a country. It might also be a linguistic unit. The purpose of these groupings is to ease communication between the fraternities.

4.2.2 A region has the mission of establishing communion between local fraternities, and is at the service of a whole people, of the Church, and of the priests of the Church. If this is to be achieved, certain conditions must be complied with before a region can be constituted:

-i) Sufficient numbers. There must be a reasonable number of fraternities, or at least of brothers who have taken part in the Month of Nazareth and who have committed themselves to the Fraternity (cf no. 133).

-ii) The means of forminq brothers, and of establishing lines of communication:
- retreats and days of recollection
- the Month of Nazareth
- a bulletin, or at least circular letters for the region.

-iii )The ability to produce a Regional Responsible who will be capable of carrying out the tasks laid down in these Statutes.


4.2.3 Either on his own initiative, or responding to the demand of a number of local fraternities, the General Responsible of the association can start the process leading to the creation of a new region:


-i) From the very beginning, there must be links existing between the fraternities which will make up the region.

-ii) It is important that the active life of each fraternity, and the communication between them, be deepened and strengthened. With this in mind, a sufficient period of formation should be laid down during which the fraternities stay in close contact

• with the General Responsible, or a member of his Council deputed for this purpose.
• with the Responsible of the region to which they are for the time being attached,
• or with the Responsible of another region deputed for this purpose by the General Responsible.

At a time judged opportune by the General Responsible (or by a member of his Council deputed, cf ii) above) and with due consideration of the conditions laid down in no. 4.2.2 above:


The regional Responsible (cf ii) above) invites the fraternities involved to reflect on their carrying out of the present Statutes, and in particular of their living the charism of Brother Charles, given the concrete conditions in which their people in general, the local Christians and their priests are placed. The results of this reflection are passed on to the General Responsible, as part of a brief report, by the regional Responsible. The General Responsible communicates these results to all the regional Responsibles in office, asking their advice about the creation


-iv) Taking into account the findings of the reflection, and also the advice of the regional Responsibles, the General Responsible or a member of his Council, duly delegated, organizes a meeting of all the members of fraternities concerned in the proposed region, or at least of their representatives chosen as he shall direct. He presides at this meeting.

-v) All the members of the association called to this meeting are asked to vote on the advisability of creating the new region. If their vote is affirmative, a decision may be taken by the General Responsible, or by the member of his Council delegated by him to preside at the meeting.

-vi) If the new region is in fact created, the election of the new Responsible should be set in training as soon as possible (cf article 5.3.1 of these Statutes).

5.1 The Responsible of the Fraternity
The animation of the local fraternity is entrusted to its Responsible. It falls to him to organize the monthly meetings; to maintain contact with all the members, especially during their ~probation' period; to establish links with other fraternities on diocesan or interdiocesan level; and also on the regional and international level.

5.1.2 The Responsible of the fraternity is elected by the members of his fraternity for a period of three years, which is not immediately renewable. His election must be confirmed by the diocesan or interdiocesan Responsible.

5.2 The Diocesan or Interdiocesan Responsible

5.2.4 His main task is to guarantee the contact between the fraternities of his diocese, or group of dioceses, and between them and the Regional Responsible. In addition, he will need to be in communication with the relevant bishop or bishops.

He organizes recollections and retreats for the fraternities of the diocese or group of diocese. He also offers help to the local fraternity Responsibles, and brings them together regularly (at least once a year). He consults them on important matters.

He needs to pay particular attention to fraternities in formation, encouraging their members to take part in the 'Month of Nazareth'.

He is elected by the members of the fraternities of his diocese, or group of dioceses, for a period of six years, not renewable immediately. This election is confirmed by the Regional Responsible, or, in his absence, by the General Responsible, with the agreement of the relevant bishop (i.e. the bishop in whose diocese the proposed Responsible is incardinated).

5.3 The Regional Responible

5.3.1 The Responsible of a region newly formed is normally elected in the course of the meeting referred to above in article 4.2.3 (nos. 4, 5 & 6). The person who presides at this meeting should conduct the election without delay, according to canons 176 and 119, para 1., of the Code of Canon Law. However, for serious reasons, and having consulted the members of the region present at the meeting, the President may delay the designation of the Regional Responsible by a few weeks, or choose one of the methods of appointment described in article

5.3.2 below. In this case, the election will take place under the supervision of the General Responsible or his delegate.

5.3.2 When it is a question of choosing the successor to the Responsible of a region already constituted, it is the task of the Regional Responsible to organize the election of his successor in the following way:


Each Diocesan (or Interdiocesan) Responsible invites all the members of his diocese, or group dioceses, to propose three candidates from among the members of the region. The results of this consultation by diocese, or by group of dioceses, are sent to the Regional Responsible, who makes a summary of them, indicating clearly which are the three candidates most favored by the members of the region. The Regional Responsible communicates this summary to the members of the region. -iv) At the same time, he will normally invite all the members of the region to a meeting, at the end of which, after a long period of prayer, exchange of views and reflection, the election will take place in accord with canon 176 and 119, para. 1., of the Code of Canon Law. In this case, the summary mentioned above only serves to assist the electors in their task. If the retiring Regional Responsible believes that it will be difficult to hold an election for his successor in the way indicated above, he must explain to the General Responsible the situation, and the obstacles he has encountered. The General Responsible may authorize recourse to a vote by correspondence, to be carried out as follows:


The Regional Responsible should complete the consultation mentioned in nos. i and ii) of this article, and the summary referred in iii). He should then send the summary to each member of the region, and ask him to choose (this is General Responsible to appoint a member of the Association to effect a better coordination between then If the General Responsible agrees, he invites the Regional Responsibles to suggest to him the name of the member they would like to see called to carry out this task, more often termed the Continental Responsible. It is the task of the General Responsible to approve their choice, having obtained the agreement of the member concerned, and of the relevant bishop (that is, the bishop of that member's diocese of incardination). (cf canon 265 of the Code of Canon Law.)

5.4 The General Responsible

5.4.1 It is his duty, as guarantor of the unity of 'Jesus Caritas' Priests' Fraternity, to safeguard and foster fidelity to the charism of Charles de Foucauld, in accord with these Statutes and with the Directory of the Association.

5.4.2 The means by which he accomplishes his task are by promoting constantly the link between Continental and Regional Responsibles, and when the dioceses or groups of dioceses are not formed into regions, the link between Diocesan and Interdiocesan Responsibles; he will have a particular care for isolated members, and for dioceses where the Fraternity is just coming into being.

5.4.3 To safeguard the universal character of the Association's charism, the General Responsible brings together, at intervals, either all or some of the Regional Responsibles, with the relevant Continental Responsibles; this is in order to review the way the Association actually lives its life in the local context. He may delegate to preside at this meeting either one of the Continental or another member of the Association.

5.4.4 The General Responsible is elected by the General Assembly, after consultation of local fraternities, and of Diocesan, Interdiocesan and Regional Responsibles. The conditions of election are:


in the first two ballots, he must have a majority of two thirds of the votes cast. _ _hat, an absolute majority, defined in terms of canon 119, para. 1, is sufficient.


As noted above in article 2.5, the candidate who is elected must notify the bishop of the diocese where he carries out his ministry - if this is not his bishop by incardination (cf canon 265) - but the agreement of his bishop by incardination is sufficient for him to accept the office of General Responsible.


The General Responsible is assisted in his task by a team at least three members, constituting a kind of General Council, and living with him after the fashion of a local fraternity. It is the task of the General Responsible to select the members of his Council, but he must submit his choice to the General Assembly for approval; however, if between two General Assemblies it is necessary to replace a member of the Council, it is sufficient for him to obtain the agreement of the other members of the Council.

5.4.6 The General Responsible must, at the beginning of his term of office, designate a member of his Council to replace him in case of necessity.

5.4.7 The General Responsible has a term of six years, not renewable.~ The powers of the members of his Council cease with him, at the end of these six years, even if they were only chosen during the course of his term.

5.4.8 The term of office of the General Responsible can be brought to an end by his resignation by his death, or by some major incapacity. In this case, the member of the Council referred to in article 5.4.6 replaces him until the expiry of his term of office.

5.4.9 It is the task of the General Responsible, having obtained the agreement of his Council, to dismiss any member of the Association who fails, in grave manner, to comply with his statutory obligations.

6.1 Composition of the General Assembly

6.1.1 The following members must be invited to the General Assembly, with right to vote.


-i) The General Responsible, with the members of his Council.

-ii) The last two General Responsibles to hold office before the present one.

-iii) The Continental Responsibles.

-iv) The Regional Responsibles. For the dioceses or groups of dioceses where no region has yet been erected, one or two fraternity Responsibles designated by the General Responsible.

-v) Delegates elected by the local fraternities. These to be chosen by a method to be laid down by the General Responsible and his Council at least six months before the holding of the Assembly, with, however, the following qualifications: a region of 150 members or less has no right to a delegate. a region of between 151 and 400 members has the right to one delegate. a region of more than 400 members has the right to two delegates.

6.1.2 The General Responsible can invite other members, with, however, a consultative voice only.
on his own initiative, the Reponsibles of dioceses or groups of dioceses belonging to regions still being formed. with the agreement of his Council, other members with a particular competence which is relevant to the matters under consideration at the Assembly.

6.2 The place of the General Assembly. The Assembly is bound by statute to meet every six years, at a place decided by the General Responsible in consultation with his Council.

6.3 Presidency of the General Assembly. This falls by right to the General Responsible, or to a member of the Assembly whom he shall designate.

6.4 Agenda of the General Assembly.

6.4.1 The General Responsible, having consulted his Council, is free to decide the agenda of the Assembly, within, however, the limits set out in article 6.4.2.

6.4.2 The following must be part of the agenda:


-i) a Review of Life of the Association, including (if necessary) modifications in the present Statutes, or an adaptation of the rule of life contained in the Directory of the Association in the light of new situations.

-ii) the election of the new General Responsible, and the approval of his choice of General Council members (cf article 5.4.5).

-iii) presentation of the accounts of the General Council for the six years during which they have served; these accounts to be approved by the Assembly.

-iv) a report on the needs of the General Council, and of certain regions of the Association, so that local fraternities can decide the level of their financial support. (cf article 7.1 below)

7. FINANCES

Belonging to the Association must be expressed in concrete terms, by financial solidarity, thus enabling it to continue its day-to-day work. This should be done taking into account the information provided by the General Responsible and the Regional Responsible, particularly after each General Assembly (cf article 6.4.2., nos. iii) and iv) and also the local situation. Each fraternity will assess what each member will be invited to donate to the needs of the General Council and those of other regions.

7.2 In order to safeguard as far as possible the smooth function of a region, the Regional in consultation with his Council (or the General Responsible, after consulting the Responsibles of dioceses or groups of dioceses, in cases where the fraternities have not yet been erected into a region) shall establish a level of contribution, to be divided between the existing diocesan (or interdiocesan) and regional accounts.

7.3 On the level of diocese or group of dioceses, (cf articles 4.1.1 & 4.1.2) the Responsible may ask the services of a member to act as Treasurer.

8. MODIFICATION OF THE STATUTES

8.1 The General Responsible, having consulted his Council, may include in the agenda of a General Assembly proposals for such changes to the articles of these Statutes as he deems desirable.

8.2 The Assembly alone is competent to debate, and adopt, changes to the Statutes.

8.3 Where the General Responsible has included in the agenda of a General Assembly a debate on certain changes to be effected in articles of these Statutes, the Assembly may vote on these changes at the end of the debate.

In this case, for a change in the Statutes to be considered as adopted by the General Assembly, the proposal for change need only attract an absolute majority of the votes, calculated according to canon 127 no. 1, that is an absolute majority of the members present at the Assembly, and not simply of those who voted.

8.4 Where the demand for a debate on revision of Statutes arises from the Review of Life at the actual Assembly (cf article 6.4.2), the vote on the proposed modifications may not be taken until a day after the end of the debate.

In this case, for a change in the Statutes to be considered as adopted by the General Assembly, the proposal for change must attract a strict majority, i.e. two-thirds of the votes cast.

8.5 A modification adopted by the Assembly does not take effect until it is approved by the ecclesiastical authority.

8.6 If the General Responsible considers that particular circumstances render a change in the present Statutes a matter of urgency, he can, with the consent of his Council, call an extraordinary General Assembly, whose composition will be that laid down in article 1.6.1, and which will make a decision on the revision as laid down in article 8.3.

9. TRANSITORY MEASURES

9.1 All those who, at the moment of the official creation of this Association, are legitimate of the association of perfection which carries the same name - 'Jesus Caritas' Priests' Fraternity, previously, 'Jesus Caritas' Priestly Union - acquire immediate membership of the present Association.

9.2 Until the next General Assembly, which must take place within a period of at the most six years and at the least three, the diocesan (or interdiocesan) and regional structures which the association of perfection (which the present Association succeeds) had assumed, remain in place.

9.3 Therefore, until the next General Assembly: all the present Responsibles of the 'Jesus Caritas' Priests' Fraternity remain in place, unless other arrangements are made in a particular case, with the agreement of the Bishop of Lucon. The General Responsible may not call an extraordinary General Assembly to modify the Statutes.

9.4 These transitory measures are to prevail over any disposition of these Statutes which are contrary to them.