Constitution

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. 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. 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. 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.

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.’
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.

Only those brothers may be promoted to orders who:

1. are solemnly professed; 
2. have the necessary qualities;
3. are presented by their own major superior;
4. are approved by the conventual council whose responsibility it is to ensure that they have the requirements for ordination.

When they travel, brothers are to be given their expenses by their superior. On completion of their journey they must give him an account of that money and of any other money they received while outside the house.

For someone to be eligible as a diffinitor of a general chapter or a socius of a diffinitor or of a prior provincial, it is required that:

1. he is a member of the province or, if he is not a member of the province, he has been assigned there for at least six years;
2. he has not served as diffinitor, nor as an elector, under the same title in the immediately preceding general chapter.
3. he is not directly assigned in a house under the immediate jurisdiction of the Master of the Order.

The following assemble and have votes in a general elective chapter: 

1. In the election of a Master of the Order:
   1. ex-Masters of the Order;
   2. all priors provincial;
   3. from each province, the diffinitor of the general chap­ter; 
   4. vice-provincials and vicars general, as provided for in n. 257, § II;
   5. a socius of the diffinitor of a general chapter from each province which has at least one hundred professed religious, excluding, however, those who are assigned in vicariates and those directly assigned to houses under the immediate jurisdiction of the Master of the Order;
   6. a socius of the prior provincial attending a general chapter from each province which has at least four hundred professed religious, excluding, however, those who are assigned in vicariates, and those directly assigned to houses under the immediate jurisdiction of the Master of the Order;
   7. a delegate from each province which has between twenty and one hundred brothers assigned in vicariates or houses of the province outside the boundaries of the province, the del­egate shall be elected from among the brothers and by them according to the provincial statute; furthermore, from each province which has between 101 and 200 brothers assigned in vicariates, a second delegate shall be elected, and so on.
   8. from among brothers directly assigned to houses un­der the immediate jurisdiction of the Master of the Order, two delegates if they total fewer than one hundred, three delegates if they total one hundred or more, chosen as laid down in n. 407-bis.
2. In matters to be dealt with after the election of the Master:
   1. the newly elected Master of the Order;
   2. ex-Masters of the Order;
   3. all those mentioned in § I, 2-8;

1. Since the contemplation of divine truth, and personal conversation and friendship with God are to be sought not only in liturgical celebrations and lectio divina but also in assiduous private prayer, the brothers ought to cultivate private prayer zealously .
2. All the brothers should spend at least half an hour daily in mental prayer at a time decided by the conventual chapter. It is to be done in common if possible.

All those things that go to make up Dominican life and order it through common discipline belong to regular observance. Chief among these are the common life, the celebration of the liturgy and prayer,Humbertus de Romanis, Opera de vita regulari, ed. J.-J. Berthier (Roma, 1888), vol. I, 153, 170 et 172. Cf. Mt 6, 5–6. keeping the vows, the assiduous study of truth, and apostolic ministry. Cloister, silence, the habit and penitential exercises help us to carry out these effectively.

What has been set out in nn. 477-481 for the election of a regional prior applies also, mutatis mutandis, for the election of a vicar provincial (see n. 389).