Constitution

The election of the Master of the Order shall be conducted on the fifth day after the opening of the chapter (see n. 417, § II, 5) even if all the electors have not assembled.

To be eligible for election as Master of the Order, it is required that a brother be at least thirty-five years old and ten years from first profession, as well as possessing the conditions set out in nn. 443 and 459, § I.

The Master of the Order is always elected in a general chapter convoked especially for that purpose in accordance with n. 413.

Provided that most of those who should be invited are present, in all transactions whatever is approved by an absolute majority – that is, by more than half the votes cast – has the force of law, without counting invalid votes and abstentions (cf. Appendix 14-bis).

The Order of Friars Preachers, which is ruled by the general chapter and the Master of the Order, is made up of provinces, each of which is ruled by a provincial chapter and a prior provincial. (See Appendix n. 11).
Each province is made up of convents and houses, each of which is governed by its own superior.

1. By profession, we dedicate ourselves to God, following Christ to lead an evangelical life in the Order. In this way our baptismal consecration becomes more fully effective.
2. By the profession of obedience we bind ourselves to live the evangelical counsels, renouncing certain things of undoubted value without detriment to true human development. We embrace Christ’s self-emptying while sharing in his life in the Spirit. So, by being faithful, we give a clearer witness in the Church to the values of the kingdom of heaven.
3. We also promise in filial devotion to obey the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, the immensely caring mother of our Order.
4. By professing obedience to St Dominic, we also promise to be faithful to his spirit and project.

The master’s special task is to discern the vocation of the novices, and to form them in the life of the Order, in accordance with our laws, and the Ratio Formationis, so that the novices grow in their vocation with a proper understanding and a firm resolve.

1. The novice is free to leave the Order or can be dismissed for a just reason by the competent superior.
2. The prior provincial is the competent superior to dismiss a novice. If however there is danger in delay, the prior with the consent of his council can do so, in which case a full report must be sent to the prior provincial.

1. Masters of novices are appointed by the provincial chapter or, should it become necessary to provide for this outside the chapter, by the prior provincial with his council. (see Appendix n.7); in which case the Master of the Order should be notified.
2. They remain in office until the new master takes office on the day fixed by the following chapter.
3. Since the formation of novices depends in no small measure on continuity in office, novice masters should not be changed without grave reason outside a chapter.

The novice master is in charge of the novitiate. However, the master and the novices are subject to the prior in whatever relates to the general discipline of the convent.