[ To download : Statgb.rtf ]
Created: May 7th, 1978 in Torino (Italy)
Statutes modified: June 1st, 1984 in Luxembourg (Luxembourg)
May 5th, 1989 in Sancey-le-Long (France)
April 29th, 1990 in Porto (Portugal)
May 10th, 1991 in Vught (Netherlands)
April 30th, 1999 in Ljubljana (Slovenia)
Art. 1. Title
Under the present statutes, a non-profit association has been formed called "Fédération Internationale des Centres de Préparation au Mariage" (FICPM). The association is of unlimited duration.
Art. 2. Headquarters
The registered office is in Luxembourg.
Art.3. Objectives
The C.P.M. (Centres de Préparation au Mariage / Marriage Preparation Centres) intend to be a service of the Church, led (animated) by lay people and by priests, who in a general pastoral framework, dedicate themselves to the pastoral marriage care.
To achieve this, the C.P.M. teams endeavour to become more and more living faith communities, Church cells, open to all forms of similar pastoral experiences to be able to address the young peoples' diverse demands on the Church.
In general terms, the objective of the FICPM is:
to address its members' needs to communicate and exchange practice examples among themselves;
to help to understand the evolution (of society);
to enlarge everybody's view to a universal Church;
to promote reflection and research on everything linked to the pastoral of marriage;
to publish all documents pertaining to its objectives.
Art. 4. Members
The association consists of effective members and of associated members.
May become effective members Catholic associations or organisations, national or international (i.e. one for every national or international Episcopal conference) where the members' activities is linked to preparation to marriage and on a voluntary basis want to participe in the life of the FICPM. They must be agreed upon by their competent ecclesiastical authority.
May become associated members Christian, interdiocesan, national or international associations or organisations, whose activity is similar to those of the active members, who adhere to the objectives of the FICPM, who accept to share their experience and collaboration, who cooperate with the FICPM without adhering totally to it.
Art. 5. Admission
The following are the founding members of the FICPM (in French alphabetical order): the CPM of Spain, the CPM of France, the CPM of Italy, the CPM of Madagascar, the CPM of Portugal, the CPM of Switzerland.
The signatories of the present statutes are the effective members of the FICPM. New members will be accepted or denied by a decision of the General Assembly of delegates (cf. article 10).
Demands of admittance to become effective members have to be introduced by written to the executive board, with a declaration that they adhere to the statutes, especially the objectives as of article 3. The General Assembly of delegates will accept candidates by a three-quarters majority.
The General Assembly of delegates may, on a proposal made by the executive board, accept co-operation with associated members.
Art. 6. Resignation and exclusion
A member can only resign from the FICPM at the end of working year (a working year being the time between two General Assemblies of delegates) and after written notification given first to the executive board, at least six months in advance.
A member may be excluded only if a majority of three-quarters of the General Assembly of Delegates so decides. It can only be decided for major reasons. This member will first have been invited to justify himself before the General Assembly.
Excluded members have to clear all obligations they have against the FICPM; they lose all rights, especially assets.
Art. 7. Management of the association
The association comprises the following bodies:
the Assembly of delegates,
the bureau,
the executive board,
the consultative board.
Art. 8. Assembly of delegates
The Assembly of delegates consists of the effective members of the FICPM. Delegates of one effective member have one sole vote. Votes are taken by secret ballot. The Assembly is validly constituted if more than half of the members are represented.
The Assembly of delegates is convened by the executive board every time this is necessary. It comes together every year. Furthermore, it must be convened when at least two thirds of the effective members so wish. Convocations which must bear an agenda have to reach the members one month before the day of the assembly.
Associated members may participate at the Assembly of delegates and participate on a consultative basis.
Art. 9. Role (task) of the delegate
The delegate represents the CPM of his country. He speaks on behalf of the national MPCs, not on his own. If , on a particular question, he doesn't know his country's position, he may express a personal opinion but has to go back to his national authorities to get their position.
He is the spokesman of his country to the FICPM, and he is the FICPM's spokesman to his country. He transmits the information and news of his country. He transmits the work of the FICPM to his country.
Every country is free to decide how it designates its delegate and the duration of his mandate. It however appears that for a good functioning, a mandate should last at least two years and should be renewed at least one time.
The delegate has to know fairly well the actual state of his country's CPM and participate, one way or the other, on its managing structures.
Expenditure linked to the national representation are, as a general rule, paid for by the national CPM or according to the decision of the bureau.
A delegate commits himself to participate in the meetings of the bureau, the international days and possible extraordinary meetings.
Art. 10. Powers of the General Assembly
The Assembly of delegates has the widest powers and its competence covers all questions pertaining to the FICPM. It is especially in its power to decide upon the general guide-lines for the FICPM's politics. It has notably the following powers:
nominate and remove members (cf. articles 5 and 6),
elect the executive board (cf. articles 12 and 13),
decide upon the membership fees and the budget (cf. article 17)
approve the accounts;
declare the dissolution of the Association and decide the disposal of the assets of the Association;
modify the statutes (cf. article 20).
Resolutions are decided by a two-third majority vote of members present, two exceptions to this rule being article 5, paragraph 3 (admission) and article 6, paragraph 2 (exclusion).
Art. 11. The Bureau
The bureau is composed of:
the members of the executive board;
a delegation for every effective member, designated by himself and comprising a couple and/or a priest. In those countries where more than one cultural reality is officially recognised and where they have their own autonomous CPM structure without being together in a common organisation, the delegation may consist of a couple and/or a priest of each cultural reality, it being understood that there is one vote per delegation.
The bureau has to implement the general decisions taken by the Assembly of delegates and reports to it. In order to prepare and implement the work of the FICPM, the bureau may designate special committees and also designate a consultative committee (cf. article 17). It will take care that the most possible members are represented.
The Bureau is convened by the executive board every time this appears necessary, and at least two times a year.
Art. 12. Executive board.
The executive board comprises a president and his/her wife/husband, a pastor, a secretary and his/her wife/husband who cooperate in a spirit of common responsibility. They may get helped, if necessary, by specialists for special tasks (cf. article 16). Decisions can only be taken unanimously by the members of the executive board. If they disagree, they will consult the members of the bureau.
The executive board is in charge of a good management of the FICPM; it directs daily activities in the framework of the decisions taken by the Assembly of delegates and the directions given by the Bureau. It convenes the bodies of the FICPM. The president and the pastor direct, on an alternative basis, the meetings of the Bureau.
Art. 13. Election of the members of the executive board
The Assembly of delegates designates, at a majority of two thirds of the votes, the members of the executive board. One term of office extends to two years. Reelection is possible two times.
Three different nations have to be represented in the executive board. Election of the president and of the pastor takes place alternatively, so that both will not leave the FICPM at the same time.
Before elections, every effective member designates in advance, for every job, one candidate, with his/her agreement. Delegates may nevertheless give their vote to other, not designated persons who participate at the Assembly of delegates.
Art. 14. The President
In a spirit of common responsibility with the other members of the executive board, he/she
keeps close contact with the effective and associated members of the FICPM,
facilitates the exchange between the different members;
takes care that the decisions of the Assembly of Delegates and of the Bureau are implemented,
represents the FICPM at other organisations,
liases with the different committees.
Art. 15. The Pastor
In a spirit of common responsibility with the other members of the executive board, he
facilitates the exchange between the different members' pastors,
facilitates the links of the FICPM with the institutional Church,
keeps close contact with the effective and associated members of the FICPM,
facilitates the exchange between the different members;
represents the FICPM at other organisations,
takes care of the theological and spiritual training of the CPM teams
Art. 16. The Secretary
In a spirit of common responsibility with the other members of the executive board, he/she
assumes the administration,
writes the minutes of the meetings,
represents the FICPM at other organisations (under the President's mandate for special missions,
keeps close contact with the effective and associated members of the FICPM,
facilitates the exchange between the different members.
Art. 17. Other tasks
Five tasks, at least, are recognised to be necessary:
a representation at the Vatican,
a representation at international political bodies,
an editor's task,
a financial task,
an organising task for meetings ("`international days)
Art. 18. Budget
Proposed by the executive board, the Assembly of Delegates establishes each year the budget of the FICPM. It defines, after having negotiated with the different parties and having taken into account their financial possibilities, the membership fees for the effective members as well as for the associated members.
The expenditure for the management of the Association is provided for by the budget of the FICPM.
Art. 19. Consultative Committee
Following a proposal of the effective members or of the executive board, the Bureau can designate a consultative committee, composed of former members of the CPM, public figures, representatives from the Church, experts. One term of office extends to two years. Reelection is possible. This body should, in its composition, be the most representative possible of all the members of the FICPM.
The other bodies, the committees and the members of the FICPM may consult the members of the consultative committee or give them a mandate to look after their interests at other organisations or institutions.
Art. 20. Modification of statutes
Modification of the statutes can only be decided by a two-third majority of effective members.
Every demand to modify the statutes must be put in by written to the executive board at least three months before the date of Assembly of Delegates.
Art. 21. Standing orders
The General Assembly may approve further regulations, esp. standing orders for all situations or circumstances not foreseen in the present statutes,
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(It is governed by the present statutes and by the modified law of April 21, 1928 (Luxembourg) concerning non-profit making associations and public bodies.)