National Council

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2006 MEETING
OF THE OCDS NATIONAL COUNCIL
OF THE UNITED STATES

Meeting held Nov 3 & 4, 2006 at
Holy Hill, Hubertus, WI

1. The OCDS National Council of the USA is currently operating on an interim basis pending the approval by the General Definitory of the final draft of the By-Laws of the National Council. The final draft of the By-Laws will not be considered until after all three Provinces have their Provincial Statutes approved by the General Definitory .

2. The Oklahoma Provincial Statutes and Formation Guidelines have already
been approved and are published on two websites:
-the Oklahoma Province website:

http://www.carmelitesok.org/ocdsok/oklahoma_province.htm

or on the OCDS National Council website: http://www.ocds-us.org/, managed by Chris Hart whose e-mail address is: thekingshouse@hotmail.com .

The Oklahoma Provincial Council’s process for visitation was discussed at some length.

3. The California-Arizona Provincial Statutes have recently been approved by the General Definitory and will be published on two websites:
The California-Arizona Province website: http://www.ocds.info/ and the OCDS National Council website: http://www.ocds-us.org/ .

4. The Provincial Statutes of the Washington Province are currently in process. The Washington Province website is: http://www.ocdwashprov.com/secularorder

5. The 2007 Regional Congress will be held from Friday June 15 to Monday, June 18, 2007 at the Bellevue Hilton Hotel in Bellevue, WA, near Seattle. Cindy Sliger, co-chair of the Congress, announced that reservations are now being accepted. A reservation form is available on the website: http://congress.ocds.info/ . The theme is the Rule of St Albert: Fount of Living Waters.

6. Chris Hart, Executive Secretary/Treasurer of the National Council reported a balance of $265.14 in the National Council Treasury. She noted that the 2006 contributions for support of the National Council in the amount of $500.00 from each Province are now due.

7. The 2008 Regional Congress has been scheduled for September 11 to 14, 2008 at the Wyndham Greens Point near Houston, Texas.

Oklahoma Province representatives to national council ocds in Holy Hill: Elizabeth Korves, Paul Schubert, Fr. John Michael & Nancy Thompson.

8. The next meeting of the National Council was scheduled for Thursday, June 14, 2007 and Friday AM June 15, 2007 at the Bellevue Hilton, just before the Seattle Congress.

9. Much of the meeting on November 3, 2006 was devoted to extended discussion of the value, purposes and format of the Regional Congresses.

The traditional convention model consisting of conferences and workshops is organized more from the top down. Concerns expressed were:

a) that they were directed more to personal enrichment than with
progressing with one another toward a common goal; and

b) that they excluded those who couldn’t participate by reason of
finances, time or disability.

A “Chapter” model was suggested. This is organized more from the bottom up with issues and agendas proposed by the members and their communities and devoted more to local issues and governance.

A third or “hybrid” model was also discussed which might have some features of a chapter as well as a convention along with inter-community socializing.

There was general consensus that the provincial councils should further discuss the nature of the regional congresses.

10. There was consensus among the delegates that the National Council has
important value and it remains committed to its mission which is to:

a) provide a National Congress every 10 years

b) foster communication between the provincial councils

c) coordinate inter-province transfers

d) make recommendations to the Provinces

e) coordinate other activities where deemed useful or necessary for the
good of the Secular Order in the USA.

11. The Saturday morning session was devoted essentially to continued drafting and refinement of the National Council’s own By-Laws and will be continued at the Seattle meeting.

12. This meeting of the National Council was chaired by Pedro Gonzalez of the Washington Province. The position now rotates to the Oklahoma Province and Elizabeth Korves is the present Chairperson of the National Council and she will serve until the conclusion of the next meeting.