THE CONSTITUTIONS Training &Formation Promoting Vocations Period Of Training Formation Of Brothers Incorporation
  1. Any male catholic, who is free from canonical impediments, who is motivated by the right intention and willing to live and work according to the rules and regulations of the Society, is eligible for admission in the Society.
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    1. No one who is dismissed from a seminary, postulancy, novitiate, religious congregation or order and whom the sacred canons consider as unfit either to become priests or religious shall be admitted in the Society.
    2. The following persons cannot be validly admitted for training in the Society.
      1. Those who have abandoned the Faith and joined some non-catholic sect.
      2. Those who are liable to punishment because they have committed some grave offence or crime of which they have been or can be accused.
      3. Those who have not completed their 17th year. (Can. 643.1)
      4. Those who enter the Society under the influence of violence, grave fear or those whom the superiors had received under the same influence. (Can.643.4)
      5. Married persons as long as the marriage bond lasts. (Can. 643.2)
      6. Those who are currently bound by a sacred bond to some Institute of Consecrated Life, or is incorporated in some Society of Apostolic Life, without prejudice to Can. 684. (Can. 643 #1, 3)
      7. Those who have concealed their incorporation in an Institute of Consecrated Life or Society of Apostolic Life. (Can 643 #1, 5)
    3. The following persons cannot be licitly admitted.
      1. Clerics in major orders without consulting the Local Hierarchy, or against his will, if his objection be based on serious harm to souls that the withdrawal of such clerics would cause and if such loss can not be avoided by any other means.
      2. Persons who are in debt or are insolvent.
      3. Persons who are charged with the administration of temporal affairs which might cause the Society to be involved in law suit or in any other difficulties.
      4. Children who are obliged to look after their parents or grand parents who are in grave need. Likewise parents whose help is needed for the support and education of their children.
  3. Before he admits any candidate to the Society, the Provincial Superior/Regional Superior shall require from his parish priest, or person concerned, certificates of baptism, confirmation, free status, good conduct, studies and health.
  4. In case of scholastics from religious institutes or seminaries and in case of priests, the Provincial Superior/Regional Superior shall ask for testimonials from their superiors.
  5. The age of admission for candidates to the Society shall be from the age of 17 to 30 years in ordinary cases. Exception in the case of those over thirty years may be made by the Provincial Superior/Regional Superior with the consent of his Council, on account of some special qualification of the person concerned.
  1. The Provincial Superior/Regional Superior shall appoint a vocation promoter whose task will be to foster vocations and seek suitable candidates. However all the members, especially those engaged in pastoral and educational ministries have a special responsibility to seek, detect, foster and promote vocations.
  2. The candidates shall be properly and carefully examined and selected keeping sound standards, even when there is shortage of vocations.
  3. It is the responsibility of the Superior General/Provincial Superior/Regional Superior to appoint suitable staff members to the houses of formation with the consent of his Council. He accepts their resignations with the consent of his Council.
  4. Rectors of Major Seminaries, including the Spiritual Orientation Institute, shall be appointed by the Superior General with the consent of his Council from among suitable members who are perpetually incorporated. The appointment of the Rectors of Minor seminaries will be the competence of the Provincial/Regional Superior and his Council. There should be representation for each Province on the staff of the major seminaries as far as possible.
  5. To ensure better co-ordination between the various stages of formation, the General Formation Coordinator shall convene a meeting of rectors of different formation houses at least twice a year to discuss problems and programmes affecting formation. They shall present their observations, suggestions and recommendations to the Superior General, which he may enforce with the consent of his Council. Any innovation in the formation programme requires the approval of the Superior General.
  6. The Rectors, after consulting the staff, shall prepare two reports on each student: a mid-term evaluation which would be communicated to the student himself and a yearly report which would be sent to the Provincial Superior/ Regional Superior.
  7. There shall be special handbooks for each stage of formation which give the disciplinary rules, pious practices, customs, curriculum of studies and directions for other extra curricular activities. They shall be drawn up by the Formation Committee in consultation with the staff of various formation centers and approved by the Superior General with the consent of his Council.
  1. The period of training and formation of candidates shall comprise of six stages:
    1. Minor Seminary:
      1. Minimum 3 years for those who have completed the 10th class.
      2. Minimum 2 years for those who have completed the 12th class or equivalent.
      3. Minimum 1 year for those who have completed graduation.
    2. A year of spiritual orientation.
    3. Study of philosophy lasting three years.
    4. A year of intensive training in pastoral life in the mission field. After this year, before the seminarian goes to theology, the Provincial will arrange for the seminarian to make his temporary promise which will be renewed every year until the perpetual promise.
    5. Theology course lasting seven semesters.
    6. A Period of Diaconate Ministry.
    7. Candidates for priesthood, if judged suitable, make their Perpetual Promise at the beginning of the fourth year of theology.
    8. The programme of doctrinal, spiritual and apostolic probation and formation of members must be adapted to the purpose and character of our Society, so that the members can recognise their divine vocation and be suitably prepared for the mission and the way of life of the Society (cfr. Can. 735 #3). The norms concerning the secular clergy apply to the programme of studies and reception of orders, except in the matter of incardination (cfr. Can. 736 # 2).
  1. The Vocation Promoters shall promote worthy candidates for the brotherhood. As a rule candidates who have studied up to 10th grade may be given admission in the Society by the Provincial Superior/Regional Superior. If needed they are allowed to study further.
  2. Aspirants to brotherhood shall undergo an intensive training of two years under a director appointed by the Provincial Superior/Regional Superior with the consent of his Council.
    1. During this period the candidates are to be given special Spiritual orientation.
    2. They shall be initiated into the spirit of the Society.
  3. Aspirants to the brotherhood shall be taught:
    1. Coherent and systematic catechism to a higher level.
    2. Introduction to the Sacred Scriptures.
    3. Explanation of the Sacred Liturgy and other sacred functions.
    4. Languages necessary for their future apostolate and other allied matters such as different approaches in evangelisation.
    5. Management of temporalities.
    6. Good manners and other relevant subjects, especially regarding the customs and manners of the people among whom they will have to work in the future.
  4. At the end of these two years of intensive training, the candidates, if found fit and suited for life according to the rules and regulations of the Society, will be temporarily incorporated into the Society.
  5. After the temporary incorporation, they are to be given, if needed; more advanced academic, technical or professional training according to their abilities and the needs of the Society and the people among whom they are to work.
  6. They shall remain as temporarily incorporated members for at least five years.
  7. Before perpetual incorporation, they shall spend a year of intensive spiritual training in preparation for their perpetual commitment. They shall be given cassock at the time of their perpetual incorporation.
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    1. The Provincial Superior, with the consent of his Council and after having heard those responsible for formation, has the right to admit candidates, if judged suitable, to temporal and perpetual incorporation in the Society.
    2. The Provincial Superior, with the consent of his Council and after having received the recommendation of the Regional Superior, is the competent authority to admit candidates belonging to the Region which is dependent on his province, to temporal and perpetual incorporation in the Society.
  2. Those who seek to join the Society as priests are temporarily incorporated at the time of admission and shall spend three years in the Society before they are perpetually incorporated with the consent of the General Council.
  3. At the time of incorporation, the candidate gives a written commitment to the Society in the prescribed form.
  4. Incorporation is an act by which one dedicates himself to God for the work of evangelisation in the Society and promises to become its member for a temporary or perpetual period of time.
  5. By this act the members of the Society are bound to live and practice the life of a missionary before God and the Society and to obey the rules and regulations of the Society.
  6. This act which constitutes the bond between the Society and its members is a promise which does not place its members in the state of consecrated life.
  7. Clerics are incardinated in the Society. (Can. 736. 1)
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    1. It is the competence of the Provincial Superior and the Superior General, if the need arises, to accept candidates in the Society and for Sacred Orders.
    2. Provincial Superior may grant dimissorial letters for the diaconate and the priesthood to his subjects who are, in accordance with the Constitutions, perpetually incorporated in the Society. (Can. 1019. 1).
    3. Provincial Superior may also grant dimissorial letters for the diaconate and the priesthood to the subjects of the Region which depends on the Province in question, who are, in accordance with the Constitutions, perpetually incorporated in the Society. (Can.1019.1).
    4. The Regional Superior does not have the competence to issue the dimissorial letters.
  9. The formula of the Promise shall be: Longing to love God more intimately and with an ardent desire to follow Christ more closely, emulating the examples of the Apostles in the ministry of salvation throughout the world, and to share in the Church's mission, I, ............ do hereby make/renew my promise before God and you, Superior, to keep for one year/permanently, the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience, according to the Constitutions of our Society.

    I promise to live the apostolic life in the community of the Heralds of Good News, according to its constitutions. I shall observe all its clauses with all possible care and diligence. I, therefore, call upon Mary, Queen of Apostles and St. Joseph, the Worker, special patrons of our Society to be witnesses to my promise and to incessantly intercede with God, that I may ever be faithful to the promise I have just made and that through my instrumentality and efforts, the Gospel of Christ may be spread far and wide; and that many more may find meaning in their lives for whom the peace and joy of Christ are not ever known or at best are only a far distant dream.

    The Provincial Superior or his representative accepts the promise saying, (name of the candidate) In the name of our Society and the Church, I accept the promises you have just made and incorporate you in our Society for a period of one year/permanently. May the dedication you have just made of yourself be acceptable to our Heavenly Father. May our heavenly patrons help you to be faithful to these promises, and may the good God bless and reward you most abundantly, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Evangelical Counsels

A. CHASTITY
  1. Members shall make a private promise of poverty according to their apostolate demands.
  2. Members are called to form an apostolic community engaged in the service of the poor following the example of Christ who became poor for our sake, even though He was rich. He emptied Himself so that out of His poverty we might all become rich.
  3. Through the promise of the evangelical counsel of poverty, they free themselves from all undue concern for worldly riches and material goods; they show their reliance on divine providence. Hence they shall be content with the minimum requirements, even accepting privations cheerfully.
  4. The members should bear witness to the poverty of Christ both collectively and individually. Hence their way of living and their houses shall be adapted to the conditions and circumstances of the place and persons whom they serve.
  5. Members shall be ready to employ themselves, their talents, and good for the advancement of the apostolic work, for the needs of the Church, for the betterment of the people, and the benefit of their confreres, avoiding all distinctions among them. Being fully aware of the miseries of the people, members should be solicitous to help them, seeing God in them.
  6. Every one of them should labor earnestly to contribute his share to the work of Society.
  7. Everyone shall remember that in the use of material goods each one must judge, whether it is expedient and suitable to his state of life and ministry, according to the spirit of the Society.
  8. Communities themselves, renouncing their advantage, should be united with one another by the bond of solidarity.
  9. Members’ poverty should become a sign of charity, a fortress of their community, and a mark of authenticity of their vocation in the Church and the world.
B. POVERTY
  1. Members shall make a private promise of poverty according to their apostolate demands.
  2. Members are called to form an apostolic community engaged in the service of the poor following the example of Christ who became poor for our sake, even though He was rich. He emptied Himself so that out of His poverty we might all become rich.
  3. Through the promise of the evangelical counsel of poverty, they free themselves from all undue concern for worldly riches and material goods; they show their reliance on divine providence. Hence they shall be content with the minimum requirements, even accepting privations cheerfully.
  4. The members should bear witness to the poverty of Christ both collectively and individually. Hence their way of living and their houses shall be adapted to the conditions and circumstances of the place and persons whom they serve.
  5. Members shall be ready to employ themselves, their talents, and good for the advancement of the apostolic work, for the needs of the Church, for the betterment of the people, and the benefit of their confreres, avoiding all distinctions among them. Being fully aware of the miseries of the people, members should be solicitous to help them, seeing God in them.
  6. Every one of them should labor earnestly to contribute his share to the work of Society.
  7. Everyone shall remember that in the use of material goods each one must judge, whether it is expedient and suitable to his state of life and ministry, according to the spirit of the Society.
  8. Communities themselves, renouncing their advantage, should be united with one another by the bond of solidarity.
  9. Members’ poverty should become a sign of charity, a fortress of their community, and a mark of authenticity of their vocation in the Church and the world.

Goods Of The Society

  1. The following goods belong to Society:
    1. Movable and immovable goods which are given to the community or for its works or acquired from the goods of the Society and all income or revenues from all these goods.
    2. Income from the labor or talent of the members.
    3. Salaries, pensions, allowances, etc. given for the office or on account of age, infirmity or accident, etc.
    4. Scholarships and other premiums are given to the members for studies or any other merit in art, literature, sports, etc.
    5. Gifts received from persons other than the close blood relatives specified in Art. 63 c, and the money given by benefactors and friends.
    6. Movable goods of the members which are not disposed of before the perpetual incorporation and which will be acquired afterward by any legitimate means even if with one’s own money, provided they are suited to their state of life.