The diplomas of aggregation to the Archconfraternity of the Holy Face are delivered to the local Confraternities which, being canonically established, desire to participate in the Indulgences and other spiritual favors granted to our work.

It is the Ordinary, otherwise styled the Bishop of the diocese, who alone has the power of establishing the Confraternity, of approving its statutes and its rule, and of authorizing its aggregation to the Archconfraternity of Tours.

Hence the three following documents required by the Roman congregations:

I. An episcopal ordinance, whereby the Ordinary establishes the Confraternity canonically;

II. A copy of the statutes and rules, bearing the approbation and the signature of the Bishop, with the accessory modifications, appropriate to the needs of the locality and deemed to be suitable;

III.   A testimonial letter, signed by the Bishop and having his seal attached to it, by which he authorizes the Confraternity, established by him, to be aggregated to the Archconfraternity of Tours.

This last document, as well as the copy of the statutes, should be sent to the director of the Archconfraternity in order to be deposited in its archives. The ordinance of establishment must remain in the archives of the local Confraternity.

Nota.

1. We hold at the disposition of our colleagues two formulas drawn up in Latin, Decretum erectionis, and Litterae testimoniales, being a copy of the formulas of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, which it will suffice to fill up and to sign. We will send them to any persons requesting to have them, and they can then submit them to the ecclesiastical authority, by way of abridging the labours of the secretaries.
2. The accessory modifications of which our Statutes are susceptible, may be applied to article I, which it would be well to appropriate to the name of the place; — to article VI, on fixing the date of the monthly meeting and, when necessary, the details of the ceremonies; — to article VII, where the name of the director must be given. — There may also be added at the end of Article II, the designation of certain vices proper to the locality, and which it is more particularly necessary to combat or to repair; for example, blasphemy, drunkenness, the profanation of Sunday, etc. According to canonical rules, it is permitted to add, but not to suppress anything.

These formalities being complied with, we will deliver to the director of the local Confraternity a Diploma of aggregation, drawn up in accordance with the prescriptions of the Sacred Congregations, and giving a right to the Indulgences and favors of the Archconfraternity. We will at the same time send to him a separate sheet containing on one side the principal points of the Constitution of Clement VIII, and, on the other side, the table of Indulgences. These documents must be preserved in the Archives of the local Confraternity; it will even be well to have the Diploma framed.

Thenceforth, it will be no longer necessary to transmit to us the names of the associates. Each Confraternity thus aggregated has its own proper register, its special meetings and its own organization. The director may continue to address himself to us for tickets of admission, but he signs them with his own name, by the side of ours; or he may make other tickets of a different kind.

Every year, during the course of the month of July, he must make known to us the number of admissions and the state of the Confraternity directed by him. From time to time, when an opportunity occurs, he must send to us an account of the most striking ceremonies which have been performed, and of graces which have been obtained, etc. It is necessary, for the sake of the object indicated in our Statutes, and as an external sign of the work, that there should be in the place which is the center of the Confraternity an effigy of the Holy Face, similar to that in the Oratory of Tours, namely a fac-simile of the veil of Veronica. It must be publicly exposed to view in a suitable place, and decorated in the manner which shall appear to be the most suitable for exciting the piety of the faithful; and, in as far as possible, it must have a lamp burning before it day and night, as a sign of honor and of reparation. It is even in accordance with the spirit of the Church, that there should be given up to the Confraternity a chapel or an altar proper to it, and that it should then be called the chapel, or the altar of the Holy Face. The picture would of course naturally be placed there.

N. B. — This information will be useful to ecclesiastics and even to laymen, who, in concert with their priests, are occupied in establishing, or aggregating a Confraternity. The two formulas, the Ordinance of establishment, and the Testimonial Letter, printed in accordance with the instructions from Rome, can be sent to them in order that they may submit them to the Bishop’s secretary, who will have nothing more to do except to fill them up.

Price of each sheet: 2^d1/2. — Price of the Diploma and of the annexed sheet: 1^s 8^d.— Voluntary offering, which, including the expenses, must not in accordance with the Constitution of Clement VIII exceed L. 1. 5. 0.

Diploma of Union, under the title of: “Diploma of union, of prayers and of merits,” Letters of affiliation may be granted to parishes, to communities, to associations and to other pious associations which, not having the Confraternity established among them, desire to be united to us by a special tie, and to cooperate in the reparatory work of the Holy Face.

This Diploma of union, differing from that of the Diploma of aggregation, does not give a right to indulgences, but it confers an entire participation in the prayers, adorations, merits and good works of the Archconfraternity.

As an exception and as a very distinguished favor, the Diploma of union may be granted to certain zelators or benefactors who have rendered signal services to the work of the Holy Face. In these cases no canonical formality is required in order for such persons to be received. In certain places where the Confraternity of the Holy Face is established, an excellent custom has been introduced which we willingly recommend. Besides the director appointed to that office by the Bishop, there is a lady president of the work, assisted by one or more counsellors, and a few zelatrices; they form a little council under the authority of an ecclesiastical director, and maybe of great assistance to him in all questions of detail relative to the association. This means, which is quite optional, evidently possesses precious advantages. It is for the director himself to decide whether it will be well to employ it, and thereby turn to profit the zeal and devotion of the generous souls whom Providence nearly always places at his disposal.