In fieri

1. Preaching is a shared work, the responsibility of the entire community; that is why in the tradition of our Order a convent is often called a ‘holy preaching.’
   II. The cooperator brothers take part in the community apostolate not only by providing for the needs of the convent, but also by a ministry properly so-called, either working with their priest brothers or exercising talents in the apostolate.
2. III. The superior and the brothers should together reflect on the common task of preaching and make it their own, so that the whole community may become responsible. However, the right of the superior to make final decisions and accept particular ministries remains intact.
3. IV. In fraternal gatherings the brothers should discuss their apostolic experiences and problems, studying them to- gether and joining forces in special groups in order to exercise a more effective ministry.

Those brothers should be assigned to missionary work who had previously shown signs of a missionary vocation and who are well prepared for it. Special training for missionaries, both clerical and co-operator brothers, ought to be provided in a mission convent, or in a special institute where they can learn the people’s language, customs, history, culture and missionary apostolate.

1. All the brothers, especially those whose ministry is among adolescents and young men, should consider it a duty of their Dominican vocation to work actively and prudently in fostering vocations to the Order.
2. Each province shall name a promoter of vocations, which if it is possible, would be his primary task.
3. II. Everyone should remember, however, that the life and apostolate of each brother and of each community will be the first invitation to take up Dominican life.

1. Simple profession is to be made according to this formula:
   ‘I, brother N.N., make profession and promise obedience to God, to blessed Mary, and to blessed Dominic, and to you brother N.N., Master of the Order of Friars Preachers and to your successors (or: to you brother N.N., prior provincial of the province of...; or: delegated...; in place of N.N. Master of the Order of Friars Preachers and his successors), according to the rule of blessed Augustine and the institutions of the Friars Preachers, that I will be obedient to you and your successors for three years.’ (or: one year).
2. If, however, the Order does not have a Master at the time of profession, the brother making profession promises obedience to whoever presides in place of the Master of the Order without mentioning any name.

1. When a brother has spent the year immediately preceding solemn profession, which for a cleric can be a scholastic year, in a convent of his own province, the prior provincial may admit him to profession, if the vote of the chapter and the vote of the council are favourable. He may also do so if the vote of either one is favourable, but not if both are contrary. In convents and houses where, according to n. 139-bis and n. 333, the council is not distinct from the chapter, the second vote is taken by the provincial council; in vicariates it is taken by the vicariate council.
2. When a brother has spent the aforesaid year outside his own province, the vote of its chapter and council are consultative only. However, in that case a vote of the council of the province of affiliation is always required. If it is favourable, the prior provincial may admit the brother to profession but not if it is contrary.
3. If a brother has not yet lived for a year in the convent of his actual assignation and is due to make solemn profession, the convent in which he spent the immediately preceding year takes a vote of the chapter and council according to n. 206, 2  But the convent where he is actually living must first take a vote for the sake of information.

1. Two years after a prior provincial has been confirmed in office, At the first council at the time of the next meeting of the provincial council, the prior provincial must summon to a larger council, in addition to the members of the provincial council, the vicars provincial and conventual priors in the strict sense; unless the provincial chapter has determined otherwise regarding regional priors, vicars provincial, and priors in remote regions the statute of the province can determine whether vicars provincial and priors from remote regions are to be summoned, as well as designate others who, as the case may be, are to be summoned.
2. At this larger council meeting, which may exercise only a consultative vote, all topics are to be dealt with that seem to be useful for the good of the province; first of all, there shall be a review of whether the ordinations and exhortations of the last provincial chapter and general chapter have been put into practice.

The prior provincial shall have a secret archive in which are kept secret documents, the import of which he is bound to convey to his successor. These documents shall be burned seventy years after the death of the brothers mentioned in them, provided this can be done without prejudice to those who are still alive, with due regard to civil law taking into account the requirements of civil law.

The following are assembled and have votes in a general chapter of priors provincial:

1. the Master of the Order;
2. ex-Masters of the Order;
3. each prior provincial;
4. each vice-provincial and vicar general; 
   5. delegates of the vicariates chosen from vicars provincial in accordance with n. 409-bis;
   6. one delegate from among the brothers assigned under the immediate jurisdiction of the Master of the Order if the total is less than one hundred, two if the total is one hundred or more, elected in accordance with n. 409-ter.

The following are assembled and have votes in a general chapter of priors provincial:

1. the Master of the Order;
2. ex-Masters of the Order;
3. each prior provincial;
4. each vice-provincial and vicar general;
5. delegates of the vicariates chosen from regional priors and vicars provincial in accordance with n. 409-bis;
6. one delegate from among the brothers assigned under the immediate jurisdiction of the Master of the Order if the total is less than one hundred, two if the total is one hundred or more, elected in accordance with n. 409-ter.

Each province which has at least twenty-five brothers assigned in vicariates or houses of the province outside the boundaries of the province has the right to send one delegate elected from and by those brothers according to the statute of the province to a general chapter either of diffinitors or priors provincial. An arrangement shall be made by the Master of the Order with his council so that half of the provinces shall be represented in one chapter and the other half in the next.

For the election of delegates attending a general chapter of diffinitors or priors provincial, all the brothers of the houses under the immediate jurisdiction of the Master of the Order are to be grouped together by the general council to constitute elective colleges (according to whether one or two delegates for each chapter have to be elected). Each of these colleges should have at least twenty-five voters. The general council shall lay down how this election is to be conducted.

1. For a person to have passive voice, he must already have active voice, unless another arrangement has been made.
2. When it is a question of the election of superiors, in order for one to be elected or postulated, it is also required:
   1. that he be a priest;
   2. that he be solemnly professed for three years;
   3. that he have the Order’s approval for hearing confessions.

1. A brother who is going to spend some time in the territory of another province should notify the relevant prior provincial in advance, with due regard for n. 137. However, in order lawfully to extend the length of stay beyond three months, the permission of said prior provincial is required.
2. A brother who is travelling should as far as possible stay in our own convents wherever we have them.

1. Regarding the confirmation or cassation of the election of a vicar provincial and his acceptance, the norms in nn. 465-473 are to be observed.
2. The right of instituting a vicar provincial devolves to the prior provincial, respecting n. 373,1°:
   1. when the vicariate, at the time of a vacancy of the provincial vicar, does not have the conditions referred to in n. 384 §I; then, however, in the institution of a vicar, the vocals of the convents of the vicariate should be heard according to the norm of the vicariate statutes;
   2. when all the vocals have renounced their voices they should not be restored by the prior provincial;
   3. when, for whatever reason whatsoever within six months from a known vacancy, the vicar provincial has not been elected or postulated;
   4. when in the process of an election in a special gathering there have been seven unsuccessful ballots (cf. n. 480, §II, 2°);
   5. when in the process of an election by letters there have resulted two unsuccessful ballots (cf. n. 480 §IV, 2°), or three or four if the provincial chapter has so determined (cf. n. 455-bis §II, 7°);
   6. when the brethren, the first election having been cassated, elect the same brother again, unless the first election was cassated just because of procedure and not because of the person elected;
   7. when two or at most three elections have been taken and confirmed by the prior provincial but not accepted by the one elected; then, indeed, after the second election the prior provincial may, and after the third ought to appoint a vicar provincial.
3. If the prior provincial does not appoint a vicar provincial within a month of his being informed that it falls to him to do so, the right of providing for a vicar provincial devolves to the Master of the Order.

When brothers have an official position or work permanently in institutions, projects, or other establishments of this kind which do not belong to convents or provinces of the Order, the prior provincial should ensure that a contract be drawn up in which all the conditions are clearly set out. When the brother has an official position in the territory of another province, the prior provincial of the place must be informed of the contract the contract requires the approval of the prior provincial of the place.