Ordination

Transfiliation from one province to another can be effected by the Master of the Order, with the consent, however, of both priors provincial and their councils.

Before they begin their novitiate, postulants from another province must be told, clearly, into which province they are being received. If, however, a postulant is admitted without any such clarification, he will be a member of the province in which he began the novitiate.

The brethren are ranked among themselves according to profession in such a way, however, that superiors have precedence over others.

No convent can be reduced to the status of a simple house except by a provincial chapter.

When a new community is established directly as a convent properly so called, the prior provincial shall appoint the prior in accordance with n. 373 1°.

When a house has the conditions required by our law to be a convent properly so called, the prior provincial, having consulted the chapter of the community and if the council of the province approves, shall establish that house as a convent by his own decree, and the brothers shall elect a prior.

1. Provinces are named and ranked among themselves according to the existing tradition (see Appendix n. 12). Those that may be founded in the future shall be ranked according to the time of their establishment.
2. Consequently, those who represent a province, such as a prior provincial, a diffinitor, or an elector, are ranked among themselves according to the order of provinces.

1. For the union or fusion of several provinces or vice-provinces the following are required:
   1. the consultative vote of the councils of the provinces with respect to the mutual negotiations to be worked out about the union or fusion;
   2. as far as circumstances dictate permit, consultations of the brethren of the provinces involved in a way worked out by the Master of the Order.
   3. the decision of the Master of the Order with his council; the first superior of the new entity is appointed by the Master of the Order.
2. If it seems necessary, a special statute of provisions can be promulgated by the Master of the Order.
3. If a province is to be divided, the procedures to be followed shall be worked out by the provincial council and approved by the Master of the Order with his council.

To establish a new province, besides the conditions set out in n. 253, it is necessary that there be a well-founded hope that, drawing on vocations in its own territory, it can eventually advance in regular and apostolic life.