CPO - México - 2001 let02eng

As I wrote in my letter of October 30, 2000, the Conferences of Provincial Ministers must elect the members of the Plenary Council of the Order and their substitutes, in accordance with article 129 nn 1-2 of the General Statutes. The General Definitory has decided that the "Statistics" of 31 December 1999 (not including the novices), which I send with this letter, are to be the basis for calculating the number of members to be elected.

Consequently the following is the number of members and the substitutes to be elected:

Conf. Africae Sub-Saharianae et Madagascariae	1
Conf. Medii Orientis et Africae Septentrionalis (COMONA).	1
Conf. Anglofona (ESC) (CLTM Sub-Conferentia in Europa)	3
Conf. Asiae Meridioanlis, Australiae et Oceaniae (SAAO)	1
Conf. Asiae Orientalis (EAC)	1
Conf. Bolivariana	1
Conf. Brasiliana	1
Conf. Cono Sur	1
Conf. Francogallica-Belgica (COPEF)	1
Conf. Centroeuropaea (olim Germanica)	2
Conf. Hispano-Lusitana (CONFRES)	1
Conf. Italica (COMPI)	4
Conf. Mexici et Americae Centralis	2
Conf. Occidentalis-Slavica	2
Conf. Meridionalis-Slavica	1

In accordance with our legislation the members should be elected at least three months before the celebration of the Plenary Council (cf. SSGG 129 n3). I earnestly ask you that the members be elected before 1^st July 2001. Although it is not stipulated in the law, it is a wise provision that each Conference should elect a substitute for the possibility that one of the members be unable to attend the Council.

Article 129 n3 of the SSGG stipulates that the friars to be elected may be Ministers or not, lay friars or clerics. As it has relevance for the choice you will make, I inform you that the Definitory has decided that three languages will be used in the CPO: English, Italian and Spanish. I ask you therefore to choose a friar who is at least able to understand what is said in one of these languages.

Once the member and the substitute has been elected, I ask the Presidents of Conferences to fill out and send the form of personal information, of which a sample is included with this letter. The data are needed for preparations of the CPO.

Further I inform you that at the beginning of May 2001 we shall be ready to send you the list of questions that forms the agenda of the CPO as well as the working document for revision of the Structures. It will be well for each Conference to arrange a meeting which includes the elected members, to study and explore more deeply the material sent to you.

Relying on your cooperation, I take this opportunity to express my wish that the coming Advent of Our Lord Jesus will renew in each and everyone the dedication to follow him in generous humility.

	CPO 2001 - México