Meeting

THE CATENIAN ASSOCIATION CIRCLE MEETING

OPENING OF CIRCLE

The President calls for attention by rapping once with his gavel

PRESIDENT

Brother Registrar, are you satisfied that all present are privileged to attend this meeting and have signed the register?

REGISTRAR (standing)

Brother President, I am and are present, including visitors and visiting gentlemen

PRESIDENT

Would the officers of this Circle who are not yet wearing insignia and also those other Brothers so privileged please be vested

(All stand)

If the Grand President is in attendance with the Grand Secretary, the latter shall vest him with his insignia. If the Grand Secretary is not present the vesting shall be undertaken by the Provincial/Area Councillor or a duly appointed deputy.

N.B. When all are vested the Marshal vests the President.

After the annual installation of Circle Officers commence meeting here

PRESIDENT

As the President of Charterhouse Circle, the 49th Circle of the Catenian Association, I declare this meeting open.

If required, the enrolment ceremony shall now be held in which case the President says: ‘Brothers, please be seated’. Otherwise, prayers continue as follows:

PRAYERS

PRESIDENT

Let us pray.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful and enkindle in them the fire of thy love. Send forth thy spirit and they shall be created:

BROTHERS

And thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

PRESIDENT

Let us pray for our Brothers and members of their families who are sick (n.n.). Heal thy servants, Lord, who are sick and put their trust in thee.

BROTHERS

Send them help, Lord, and comfort from thy holy place.

PRESIDENT

Let us pray for our Brothers in difficulty or need.

BROTHERS

Reach out to them, Lord, in their distress, and grant them peace of mind.

PRESIDENT

Let us pray for our families.

Lord grant our families the grace to follow the example of thy Holy Family at Nazareth, so that our children may grow up in thy love.

Lord, hear us.

BROTHERS

Lord, graciously hear us.

PRESIDENT

Let us pray for vocations to the Priesthood, Diaconate and the Religious Life.

Heavenly Father, in your plan for our salvation you provide shepherds for your people. Look with favour upon our homes and communities that through the Holy Spirit, men and women may be inspired with the grace of a vocation to the priesthood, diaconate and religious life, to care for your flock, minister at your altars and be ardent but gentle servants of the Gospel.

Lord, we ask you to receive our prayer that we make through your son, Jesus Christ.

Lord, hear us.

BROTHERS

Lord, graciously hear us.

The President may use an alternative bidding prayer for vocations if he so wishes. Also, further bidding prayers may be offered at the discretion of the President.

PRESIDENT

Let us pray for all those Brothers and their families, who have died and especially those of our own Circle (n.n.), and those who have died recently (n.n.) and the Brothers recently deceased as listed in the most recent copy of Catena (n.n.), those who have died in Province but not yet announced in Catena (n.n.), and others recently deceased(n.n.).

Let us also remember all who have been members of this Circle, and their families, who have since died as we say together

PRESIDENT AND BROTHERS

Out of the depths I have cried to thee Lord, Lord hear my voice.

Let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.

If thou, Lord, shall observe iniquities, Lord who shall endure it?

For with thee there is merciful forgiveness; and by reason of thy law I have waited for thee, Lord.

My soul has relied on his word: my soul has hoped in the Lord.

From the morning watch even until night let Israel hope in the Lord.

Because with the Lord there is mercy, and with him plentiful redemption.

And he shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

Eternal rest give to them, Lord,

And let perpetual light shine on them.

May they rest in peace. Amen.

PRESIDENT

To mark the spirit of brotherhood, which unites us, let us offer each other a sign of peace.

The President pauses while Brothers exchange handshakes as a Sign of Peace, (to Brothers either side of each other)and then continues:

Our Lady, Queen of Peace,

BROTHERS

Pray for us.

PRESIDENT

Saints Peter and Paul,

BROTHERS

Pray for us.

PRESIDENT

Saint Thomas More,

BROTHERS

Pray for us.

An invocation to a local saint may be added here.

PRESIDENT

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Brothers, please be seated.

ANNOUNCEMENT OF VISITORS; CIRCLE BUSINESS

PRESIDENT

Brother Vice-President, please announce our visitors.

The names of the visitors will be read out sufficiently slowly in order of precedence to permit each Brother as he is named to stand, bow to the President, and resume his seat.

VICE-PRESIDENT (standing)

Brother President, I am pleased to announce the attendance of (office held or Brother Christian name and surname, Circle by name not number) etc., etc.….

Having announced the visiting Brothers, the Vice-President will announce the attendance of any prospective member.

I am pleased also to announce the attendance of Mr. (Christian name and surname) prospective member.

The Vice-President resumes his seat.

The President, standing will offer a formal welcome to the visitors.

A response to the formal welcome should be made usually by the most senior visitor with respect to the order of precedence.

The Registrar will collect the register and return to his post.

PRESIDENT

Brother Secretary, please announce any apologies for absence which you have received.

SECRETARY (standing)

Brother President, I have received the following apologies from Brother ***

The Secretary should give details of the apology if that is the wish of the Circle.

Minutes of the previous meeting will be dealt with in one of two ways, depending on whether or not minutes have been circulated in advance.

PRESIDENT

Brothers, the minutes of our last meeting have been circulated. If there are no objections, I propose to sign these minutes as a true record of that meeting.

PRESIDENT

Are there any matters arising from the minutes?

CORRESPONDENCE

(a) Secretary’s (including out visits)

(b) President’s.

REPORTS

a Provincial Councillor

b President’s report and announcements

c Treasurer

d Membership Officer

e Charity Officer

f Press and Publicity

g Chamberlain

h Welfare, Sickness reports

i Vice-President’s entertainments report

PRESIDENT

If any Brother has any matter to bring forward for the good of our Circle or of the Association, will he now raise it.

The Registrar will bring the register to the Chamberlain.

PRESIDENT

We shall now close this meeting. Brother Chamberlain, please call the names of the members enrolled in this Circle who are present.

CHAMBERLAIN

Brother President, there are in attendance Christian name and surname (listing the members of the Circle); myself Christian name and surname; yourself, Brother President Christian name and surname; and our visitors.

PRESIDENT

As the President of Charterhouse Circle I declare this meeting closed. God bless our Pope and protect our faith.

VICE-PRESIDENT

Save our country.

BROTHERS

Prosper and bless our brotherhood.

PRESIDENT

Brothers please remain silent while the Chamberlain collects the Circle insignia.

The Marshal divests the President, and then the Grand President, if present, is divested by the Grand Secretary or, in his absence, by the Provincial Councillor or a duly appointed deputy.

Thereafter all others, except the Chamberlain, divest themselves. The Chamberlain, starting with the Vice-President, goes round the Circle in anti-clockwise direction collecting the Circle insignia, before divesting himself. When he has placed all the Circle insignia on the Vice-President’s table he bows to the President.

PRESIDENT

Thank you, Brothers.

All bow to the President.

- The End-