(ANS - Rome)- The Juridical Commission is keeping the Assembly busy with proposals, interventions of five minutes and others of three minutes, and the time necessary for discussion, straw votes, votes taken iuxta modum and definitive votes. The process leading up to a decision includes time for study and debate and the widest possible sharing of responsibility.

In recent days the first definitive votes re-confirmed some articles of the Constitutions, as for example those concerning the six-year term of office of the Rector Major and the members of the General Council; the possibility of electing the Rector Major for a second consecutive six-year term only; the possibility of electing the Vicar of the Rector Major, the Councillors in charge of the different sectors and the Regional Councillors for a second consecutive six-year term only in the same office; the duties assigned to regional Councillors in Article 140 of the Constitutions; the method of election of the Rector Major, and the method of election of the Vicar of the Rector Major.

The Chapter Assembly also confirmed that the Councillors in charge of special sectors shall be the Councillor for Formation, the Councillor for Youth Ministry, the Councillor for Social Communication, the Councillor for the Missions and the Economer General.

The Chapter also decided that the election of the Councillors in charge of  sectors shall be preceded by a discernment by the chapter members subdivided into regions. This discernment focuses on the main challenges facing the sector and the profile of the candidate and concludes with the proposal of a candidate from their own region and one from outside the region, chosen by secret ballot. Article 127 of the General Regulations will be amended to allow for this procedure.

There is an important change to  the article of the Constitutions that assigns the task of animating the Salesian Family to the Vicar of the Rector Major.     GC 26 had requested that this be evaluated and accordingly the Chapter Assembly has ended the allocation of this task to the Vicar of the Rector Major and established a central Secretariat for the Salesian Family, directly dependent on the Rector Major, in accordance with Article 108 of the Regulations. With this choice , the Assembly reaffirmed that "the sole charismatic centre of  unity of the whole Salesian Family is the Rector Major as successor of Don Bosco."

The Chapter decided therefore that "a central secretariat, established by the General Chapter and directly dependent on the Rector Major, can better ensure that bond in a stable form,  with greater availability and continuity on the part of those called to be members of the Secretariat."

This Secretariat has the task of animating the Congregation in the sector of the Salesian Family; promoting communion among the various groups while  respecting their identity and autonomy; directing and assisting the provinces to ensure that in their territories the association of Salesian Cooperators, the Past Pupils’ movement and ADMA be developed in accordance with their respective statutes.

Published 22/03/2014