The second meeting of the Properties Group was held at the General Curia on the 24th and 25th of January, 2000. Our three friar-consultants came together to examine a list of projects suggested by the different houses and by the Economato Generale. Their aim was to give an opinion on the priorities and to make technical suggestions that should be considered in planning for our Budget for the year 2001.

Before our experts arrived, an invitation was sent out to the Guardians and Economos of the Houses Dependent upon the Minister General and to the Rector and the Economo of the Pontificio Ateneo Antonianum (PAA). They were asked to consult with their friars and to return a preliminary list of projects that might be presented in the Budget 2001's early planning stages. As we learn more about our service to the Order, we seek to involve as many of our friars as possible in the process. The invitation was a way of assisting the administration of the various entities to elicit input from their friars at this first stage. Awareness of this need came about through listening to many who had previously felt excluded from the process. Certainly the process is not perfect but we are open to positive modifications.

In a previous item (Something New: Properties Group), we described the make-up of this expert group of friars. They were able to absent themselves from their heavy commitments to co-ordinate a two-day meeting at which they examined the proposals in the meeting room and then actually went out to examine the physical sites firsthand. Then they came back and put together a working paper that was passed on to The General Definitorium and to the Guardians of our houses and to the Rector of the PAA.

It is our sincere hope that this document will help each entity become more aware of a wider list of priorities and that it will serve as a basis for exploration, discussion and preparation for the budget that will be presented in late September. It is necessary that each entity, respecting its own internal calendar, initiates its efforts now. This will facilitate a reasonably paced, inclusive and prudent effort to meet the deadlines necessary in planning for next year (2001). This will also help our General Definitorium to understand the urgency with which some projects will be presented as the Budget reaches its final stages and arrives on their table for discussion, suggestions and eventual approval.

At this first meeting of 2000, the Group was able to visit the Casa Generale, the Collegio Sant'Antonio and the Pontificio Ateneo Antonianum. Here they spoke with the Guardians, the Rector and the relative Economos.

During their walk-abouts, they not only spoke with the friars but they also had meetings with technical experts as you can see below.

Here the Group examines a boundary wall that appears to have some structural instability. They are flanked by the Guardian of the Curia, Fr. Ruben Tierrablanca (third from right), Dott. Ing. Bonuso (centre figure with blue folder) and the two technical consultants who are representing our neighbours.

Here the group meets with the local Economo, Fr. Bentivoglio DeBenedictis (on the left), to discuss a common problem with roofs-leakage.

The next meeting is planned for the spring. At that time the group will examine any further input presented for discussion and they hope to make a trip to Collegio San Bonaventura in Grottaferrata. This was a trip that could not be made at the January meeting because of extenuating circumstances.