Mutual Collaboration between Convents, a Province, and the Order

To ensure that the spirit of poverty and of work may be inspired by fraternal charity, and so that everyone’s sense of responsibility for the community may be deepened, the convent’s chapter must be kept informed about the convent’s economic condition.

Similarly, in a manner determined by the prior provincial, the bursar of a province must inform the convents about the economic condition of the province.

At the end of the administrative year the bursar of the Order, with the approval of the Master of the Order, must send to every prior provincial a detailed report on the economic condition of the Order in the previous year, including, especially, any extraordinary budget.

A provincial bursar should collaborate with all conventual bursars, exchanging advice and examining administrative problems, as determined by the economic statute.

It is the responsibility of the bursar of the Order to examine the economic administration of all the convents and institutes immediately subject to the Master of the Order, as determined by the Master of the Order.

1. A province must have a council for economic matters composed of the bursar of the province and at least two competent brothers, with a chairperson appointed by the provincial chapter. To this council may be added, if it seems advisable, trustworthy lay experts. (B, n. 289).
2. It will be the duty of the economic council not only to examine all the reports to be submitted to the provincial chapter or the provincial council, but also to help the provincial council by taking a consultative vote when there is question of economic matters of major importance such as, especially, the budget, taxes, and long-range plans.
3. The norms by which the council for economic matters is governed must be included in the statute of administration.

The Order must also have an economic council, whose ex officio chairman is the bursar of the Order and which exercises the same functions as does a province’s economic council.