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ESTABLISHMENT OF CAPUCHIN ORDER IN INDIA 203 In the light of the persistent insistence of the Congregation of the Propaganda on finding missionaries locally and founding religious institutes in the Missions, the Capuchin General Superiors drew up a "Project" in 1870 and despatched it to the Apostolic Vicars of Agra and Patna for implementation. While Agra was to start a priestly semi– nary meant exclusively for the candidates of European origin hailing from the two Vicariates, Patna was to conduct a parallel one for the indigenous from the two Vicariates. The separation was called for be– cause of the "differentiating disposition" between the races. The joint en– terprise was elaborated in 16 articles. The candidates were to be enroled in the Franciscan Third Order; if some of them were to express their. wish to embrace the Capuchin Order, they could be offered the possibi– lity for the same, once they had completed their priestly studies 23 • During his stay in Rome to participate at Vatican Council I, Mgr Jacopi discussed with the Capuchin General the question of opening in India a Capuchin Novitiate. On the merits of the arguments ad– duced, he was able to win the General Superiors over 2 4. Accordingly Fr General issued a decree dated 3 February 1871, authorising Mgr Jacopi to begin the Novitiate in his vicariate. The Bishop later confes– sed that insurmountable difficulties came on his way and he just had to ongme, sviluppo ecc. e non ho trovato nulla nell'archivio: eppure Propaganda impegno ii Capitolo Generale ad interessarsene". 23 AGCap, AH 7, 214: Article 9 reads: "Se poi alcuno di questi giovani mostras– se vera vocazione di professare ii nostro Istituto, dopo che avranno terminato i loro studi, si manderanno al Noviziato, e dopo un'anno di prova si ammetteranno alla profes– sione dei voti semplici perpetui. Se sara ii caso di ammetterli poi col tempo alla professio– ne dei voti solenni si vedra in seguito, e dopo che se ne sara fatto un lungo esperimento". The "Project" bears the signature of the Capuchin General, Fr Nicholas of S. Giovanni in Marignano (Prov. Ancona), and is dated 3 April 1870. For the whole text of the directives of 8 September 1869 issued by the Propaganda, cf. AGCap, AH 7, 206-212. 24 It was only in June 1886 that Mgr Jacopi sent to Rome a detailed report on the Novitiate. AAAgra, A.B.D. 8 n. 5: Mgr Jacopi to Fr General, Mussoorie June ,1886: he was allowed to expound the project viva voce before the whole Definitory. "II giorno stabilito, dalle Sette Sale io mi portai al Convento della Concezione. Mentre io parlavo col Rev.mo P. Nicola tutti i Definitori Gen.Ii si riunirono e ii Rev.mo P. Eusebio fu !'ultimo a venire. Qualche Definitore trovo qualche difficolta; ma ii Rev.mo P. Eusebio la rimosse con una bella parlata in favore de! Noviziato, e d'unanime consenso fu deciso che nella Missione cl' Agra si erigesse ii Noviziato Cappuccino in preferenza di quello d'un altro Ordine, e che ii Vicario Apostolico fosse ii Commissario". Cf. also APCapTusc Missione Indostan; AGCap AH 8, 1-2. Mgr Jacopi's scheme was approved at the meeting of the General Definitory held on 27 January 1871.