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CAPUCHIN GENERAL MINISTER PACIFICUS CARLETTI OF SEGGIANO 511 old text. If modifications are to be done some general ordinances as in the Chapter of 1884 can be made. And let them be given the form wanted by the Norms. He does not want that the old text be touched because it may be the cause for relaxation and abuses" 16 • Finally the commission agreed to have a typewritten copy of the text prepared by the general Minister for each member so that it could be referred to and studied by the members 17 • But five days before the commencement of the Chapter scheduled for 20 May 1908, Pope Pius X personally stepped into the standstill situation, modifying practi– cally the Chapter agenda and spellingout an action plan for the incoming superiors 18 • The letter of 15 May 1908 bearing the pope's signature was addressed to the Order's Cardinal Protector Agliardi, who was also appointed president of the Chapter. It was an eight-point document. The first point was the reduction of the duration of office of the general Minister from twelve to six years, as the mid-term assembly dur– ing the general Minister's 12-year mandate had not been taking place but had been dispensed with. Points 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 set practical guidelines for the election of the general Minister and the general Definitors, and the appointment offriars to serve the Order's general administration. These needed no follow-up action, excepting the one of incorporating them into the revised constitutions 1 9 • Points 6 and 8 were two specific tasks that the new team of superiors were asked to put into act. Point six reads: "Let the new general Superiors carry out without delay the establishment in Rome of an International Seraphic College for the higher education of the select nominated as his substitute and coadjutor. Fr Luke would succeed him as apostolic preacher in 1914. See APCapTusc, G. Carlini, Lamorte di mons. Pacifico Carletti, l, footnote 1. 16 AGC, EB 1908-1909,Litt. Apost. "Vicarium Pastoris aeterni" etc., Verbale 29 Gennaio. 17 AGC, EB 1908-1909, Litt. Apost. "Vicarium Pastoris aeterni" etc., Verbale 3 Febbraio: "II Revmo. P. Generale a facilitare il compito per i componenti la Commissione ha disposto siano stampate con stampa dattilografa le Costituzioni da lui elaborate perche ciascun membro di detta Commissione possa a tutto suo agio studiarle e dare il suo parere. Dopo cio la discussione e riman– data a giorno da designarsi". As a matter offact, the discussion would resume on 7 February 1908. 18 The acts of the Chapter speak of the "not a little astonishment" of the Chapter fathers when out ofthe blue these directives were announced in the Chapter hall. There was no resistance on the part of the capirulars but only some fears about overcoming the difficulties in executing them. See Analecta OFMCap 24 (1908) 172. "Stuporem non modicum in Patrium Vocalium ani– mos intulit harum Normarum improvisa promulgatio, omnes tamen expressae voluntati Summi Pontiflcis quo meliori modo sese possent conformare, consulebant: nonnulli enim in earum exe– cutione, propter novam in electionibus servandam methodum, difficultates pertimescebant". 19 Constitutiones Fratrum Minorum S. Francisci Capuccinorum a Pio PPX approbatae, Edi– tio Latina, Romae 1909, No. 149-153, in Constitutiones Ordinis FratrumMinorum Capuccinorum saeculorum decursu promulgatae II: Constitutiones recentiores (1909-1925), 263-264.