Ordination

1. For the union or fusion of two several entities (provinces, vice provinces or vicariates) provinces or vice-provinces the following are required:
   1. The vote of the council of each entity the consultative vote of the provincial councils with respect to the mutual negotiations to be worked out about the union or fusion;
   2. as circumstances dictate consultation of the brethren and the chapters of all the convents and houses in the same entities, to be conducted in a way worked out in the individual entities; 
      3. a special statute, approved by the Master of the Order, providing for a meeting for the chapter of each entity, enabling the entities to vote whether the union is to be proposed to the Master of the Order; and providing also for the first assembly ad instar capituli of the new entity;
   3. 4. 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. The union of two entities and the union or fusion of several entities should be done in the way described in § I, making the appropriate changes; 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.

Priors Provincial, Vice Provincials, Vicars General and heads of institutions under the immediate jurisdiction of the Master of the Order, assisted by their Syndics, are responsible for sending to the Master of the Order by 31 August each year the following two documents:

1. The Annual Economic Report. This is a comprehensive presentation of the economic situation of the entity. It shall include details of income, expenses, assets, liabilities, and annual budgets as well as major projects undertaken or planned. If the entity has different houses or institutes, this report shall give details of the economic situation of each one. The format of this report may vary according to local custom but must include all of the information requested above. A sample format shall be available from the Syndic of the Order.
2. The Contributions (tax-deduction) Questionnaire. This is used to calculate the annual contributions from the entities of the Order. On the basis of this questionnaire entities claim their allowable deductions for formation expenses and donations to other entities of the Order. The questionnaire shall be sent out each year by the Syndic of the Order and its format shall be the same for every entity.

§ I. Each year the prior provincial, prior vice-provincial and vicar general shall send their financial reports directly to the Master of the Order. (M, n. 322; C, n. 199)

§ II. Furthermore, each year the prior provincial, prior vice-provincial and vicar general shall send to the Master of the Order a response to a questionnaire on major financial matters prepared by the syndic of the Order and approved by the Master of the Order. (C, n. 199; B, n. 288)

The following may be used to foster collaboration among the provinces of a region or nation:

1. regular meetings between the priors provincial or differ­ent officials, such as the masters of novices, of students and of cooperator brothers, of regents, professors, promoters, etc.;
2. interprovincial conferences or commissions for the study of common problems;
3. national or regional promoters for different activities;
4. a common novitiate or studentate or common centres, according to norms to be approved by the Master of the Order;
5. an agreement entered into with the consent of the Master of the Order for the erection of interprovincial convents and for making assignations from one province to another. 

The officials of a regional vicariate shall be appointed according to the norm of the statutes as determined by the provincial chapter.

1. In every vicariate there shall be a council whose consent or advice the regional prior must seek on more serious matters as laid down in the vicariate statute.
2. The number of these councillors and the manner of their election or appointment shall be determined by the vicariate statute.
3. When, in accordance with the prescriptions of the Book of Constitutions and Ordinations or the statute of the province or vicariate, the Prior Provincial, has to deal with matters which concern the vicariate, he must first consult the vicariate council before consulting the provincial council. When however it is a question of confirming, appointing, or removing the regional prior, he consults only the provincial council (see n. 373, 1).

1. In every vicariate there shall be a council whose consent or advice the regional prior must seek on more serious matters as laid down in the vicariate statute. The acts of this council must be sent to the prior provincial after it has met.
2. The number of these councillors and the manner of their election or appointment shall be determined by the vicariate statute.
3. When, in accordance with the prescriptions of the Book of Constitutions and Ordinations or the statute of the province or vicariate, the Prior Provincial, has to deal with matters which concern the vicariate, he must first consult the vicariate council before consulting the provincial council. When however it is a question of confirming, appointing, or removing the regional prior, he consults only the provincial council (see n. 373, 1).

Priors Provincial, Vice Provincials, Vicars General and heads of institutions under the immediate jurisdiction of the Master of the Order, assisted by their Syndics, are responsible for sending to the Master of the Order by 31 August each year the following two documents:

1. The Annual Economic Report. This is a comprehensive presentation of the economic situation of the entity. It shall include details of income, expenses, assets, liabilities, and annual budgets as well as major projects undertaken or planned. If the entity has different vicariates, convents or houses or institutes, this report shall give details of the economic situation of each one. The format of this report may vary according to local custom but must include all of the information requested above. A sample format shall be available from the Syndic of the Order.
2. The Contributions (tax-deduction) Questionnaire. This is used to calculate the annual contributions from the entities of the Order. On the basis of this questionnaire entities claim their allowable deductions for formation expenses and donations to other entities of the Order. The questionnaire shall be sent out each year by the Syndic of the Order and its format shall be the same for every entity.

Priors Provincial, Vice Provincials, Vicars General and heads of institutions under the immediate jurisdiction of the Master of the Order, assisted by their Syndics, are responsible for sending to the Master of the Order by 31 August each year the following two documents:

1. The Annual Economic Report. This is a comprehensive presentation of the economic situation of the entity. It shall include details of income, expenses, assets, liabilities, and annual budgets as well as major projects undertaken or planned. If the entity has different vicariates, convents, houses or institutes, this report shall give details of the economic situation of each one. The format of this report may vary according to local custom but must include all of the information requested above. A sample format shall be available from the Syndic of the Order.
2. The Contributions (tax-deduction) Questionnaire. This is used to calculate the annual contributions from the entities of the Order. On the basis of this questionnaire entities claim their allowable deductions for formation expenses, of medical expenses for brothers in poor health, and donations to other entities of the Order. The questionnaire shall be sent out each year by the Syndic of the Order and its format shall be the same for every entity.

1. Each year, the respective syndics of a province, a vice-province and a general vicariate must present to their councils accurate and complete accounts of the revenues and expenses, debits and credits of their respective entities, the transactions they have made, and the economic condition of their respective entities; they must also propose budgets or estimates for the following year. Each of these accounts must be approved by the respective council. Furthermore, a syndic must submit his economic report to the superior of the entity each month.
2. Similarly, all regional priors and vicar provincials must send to their prior provincials an accurate report of their economic status, in the manner outlined in paragraph § I. These reports must be approved by their respective councils. 

1. The election is held according to the manner indicated in n. 452.
2. In convents where several socii are to be elected (see n. 490, § II), they are to be elected one after the other.
3. For each election, if by the third ballot no candidate has been given a clear majority of votes, in the fourth and last ballot the candidates are reduced to two: those who have received the most votes in the previous ballot, with due regard for n 450, §III.