Statutes of the Collegium Perulae Orientis

Written By Daniel Tyler Chua

PREAMBLE

We the undersigned, imploring the aid of almighty God, and responding to the mission of God’s Church and the calling of our Redeemer, by these presents do constitute our association, the name of which shall be “Collegium Perulae Orientis,” along with the following articles as its statutes: 

THE NATURE OF THE COLLEGIUM

Art. I. The Collegium Perulae Orientis is hereby established, with its domicile in Quezon City; its purpose is to form eminent men and women capable of making great and noble contributions to the common good of Philippine society, according to the highest moral, intellectual, and cultural standards, under the light of Divine Revelation perfected in Jesus Christ and under the guidance of the Holy Roman Catholic Church.

Art. II. The objectives of the Collegium are:

  1. To provide adequate formation in cultural, political, theological, and moral matters, under the inspiration of Catholic doctrine, to men and women who wish to make great and noble contributions to society according to the Gospel;

  2. To provide associates, members, and fellows with the resources and connections by which they can cooperate more effectively in promoting the common good and shaping economic, political, legal, and cultural affairs according to the principles of the Gospel;

  3. To foster the search for true knowledge, both theoretical and practical, in the doctrines of the Gospel and the Catholic Church, for the purpose of avoiding error, and, guided by the Holy Spirit, better interpreting the signs of the times (cf. Gaudium et spes, n. 4);

  4. To promote the progress of the common good, the dismantling of structures of sin, and the evangelization of Philippine culture, from its highest expressions to popular culture, through dialogue, consultation, and participation in rightly ordered public life.

HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURE

Art. III. The Collegium Perulae Orientis comprises the President, Secretary, Treasurer, Board of Trustees, directors of institutes, directors of centers, chapter presidents, members, fellows, and associates.

Art. IV. The administration of the Collegium Perulae Orientis adheres to the principle of subsidiarity. The President of the Collegium possesses the highest directorial authority in the Collegium, but shares the responsibilities of governance with the different constituents of the Collegium as provided for by the received and accepted channels of collegial participation. 

Art. V. The Board of Trustees is governed by the President, to whom it belongs to:

  1. Convene and preside over the Board of Trustees, and oversee its deliberations and operations;

  2. Ratify or veto the decrees and initiatives of the Board of Trustees;

  3. Judge disciplinary cases in consultation with the Board, according to the provisions contained in the Bylaws;

  4. Maintain the Collegium’s institutional fidelity towards God, the Holy Roman Church, and towards the mission, purpose, and values of the Collegium itself;

  5. Coordinate, establish, promulgate, develop, nurture, and sustain the Collegium’s internal and external culture, as well as its traditions, by virtue of his own authority;

  6. Design, promulgate, and execute, by his own authority, projects, initiatives, events, constitutions, statutes, norms, and other acts pertaining to the whole Collegium or to a part of it, provided they do not conflict with the standing decrees or decisions of the Board of Trustees.

Art. VI. The Board of Trustees consists of five (5) members. It belongs to the Board to:

  1. Ensure that the Collegium faithfully pursues its goals, objectives, principles, values, and obligations;

  2. Maintain, along with the President, the Collegium’s institutional fidelity towards God and the Holy Roman Church; 

  3. Assist the President in the execution of offices and duties;

  4. Deliberate on major questions pertaining to the Collegium together with the President;

  5. Determine the method of electing Trustees, the President, Secretary, and Treasurer;

  6. Convene extraordinary sessions according to the Bylaws.

Art. VII. Each Trustee has the right to:

  1. Propose initiatives before the Board of Trustees;

  2. Cast a vote in ordinary and extraordinary sessions, in accordance with the Bylaws;

  3. Propose amendments to statutes, laws, and norms;

  4. Access all internal documents of the Collegium;

  5. Propose extraordinary sessions according to the Bylaws.

Art. VIII. Due to the needs of a particular community or because of the special talents of members, fellows, or associates, the Board of Trustees or the President may, on their own initiative, establish institutes, chapters, centers, or other bodies that serve those needs or talents in a particular way, provided they are consistent with the goals and principles of the Collegium.

Art. IX. The Rector, together with the Body of Fellows, may establish such bodies under the supervision of the Board of Trustees and the President.

Art. X. It belongs to the directors of institutes and centers to:

  1. Convene and preside over their institute or center, and oversee its operations;

  2. Establish the constitutions, statutes, and norms of their institute or center;

  3. Design, promulgate, and execute projects, initiatives, and events pertaining to their institute or center;

  4. Elect assistants, treasurers, and advisory boards for their institute or center according to its constitutions, statutes and norms;

  5. Administer the financial affairs of their institute or center according to its constitutions, statutes and norms;

  6. Exercise other rights as prescribed by the constitutions, statutes, and norms of their institute or center, provided these do not conflict with the statutes and laws of the Collegium.

Art. XII. Chapters are groups established according to the needs of local communities, including parishes, schools, colleges, and universities, which sustain the Collegium’s mission in their locations.

Art. XIII. It belongs to the chapter presidents to:

  1. Convene and preside over their chapter, and oversee its operations;

  2. Establish the constitutions, statutes, and norms of their chapter;

  3. Design, promulgate, and execute programs, initiatives, and events pertaining to their chapter; 

  4. Elect assistants, treasurers, and advisory boards for their chapter according to its constitutions, statutes and norms;

  5. Administer the financial affairs of their chapter according to its constitutions, statutes and norms;

  6. Exercise other rights as prescribed by the constitutions, statutes, and norms of their chapter, provided these do not conflict with the statutes and laws of the Collegium.

Art. XIV. If the constitutions, statutes, norms, programs, initiatives, events, or financial systems of an Institute, Center, Chapter, or other body appear to conflict with the statutes, principles, purposes, or laws of the Collegium, the matter shall be judged by either the President himself or the Board of Trustees.

Art. XV. The President may not enact anything that conflicts with the standing decrees and decisions of the Board of Trustees, unless the Board consents.

MEMBERSHIP

Art. XVI. There are three levels of membership: fellows (socii), members (sodales), and associates (adiuncti).

Art. XVII. A fellow (socius) is a senior member, who is recognized on account of honor and outstanding virtue. It belongs to a fellow to: 

  1. Direct, along with the President, the internal culture of the Collegium;

  2. Provide an adequate Catholic formation to members and associates in intellectual, cultural, spiritual, moral and social matters, within the scope of his or her competence; 

  3. Give advice to the President and Board of Trustees in matters pertaining to the Collegium; 

  4. Coordinate, establish, promulgate, develop, nurture and sustain the Collegium’s traditions and rites, and provide a moral, intellectual and cultural example, so that members and associates may be inspired towards virtue; 

  5. Look after the relationships between members and associates by promoting unity and concordance in the Collegium; 

  6. Strengthen the Collegium’s institutional fidelity towards God and the Holy Roman Church.

Art. XVIII. The Body of Fellows is presided over by the Rector, to whom it belongs to convene the ordinary and extraordinary sessions of the Body of Fellows as first among equals, in accordance with the statutes and laws of the Collegium. 

Art. XIX. All members and fellows have the right to:

  1. Participate in the life and works of the Collegium;

  2. Propose initiatives, programs, and events to the authorities;

  3. Form, join, and associate in informal associations freely established, as well as in formal associations, which may be presented for approval;

  4. Access all public and private documents of the Collegium, provided these do not contain matters to be kept secret;

  5. Freely express opinions;

  6. Use the insignia of the Collegium according to rules established by the Collegium;

  7. Defend themselves before the Board of Trustees.

Art. XX. All associates have the right to:

  1. Participate in the life and works of the Collegium;

  2. Propose initiatives, programs, and events to the authorities;

  3. Join informal associations freely established, as well as formal associations;

  4. Access all public documents of the Collegium;

  5. Freely express opinions;

  6. Use the insignia of the Collegium according to rules established by the Collegium;

  7. Defend themselves before the Board of Trustees.

INSTITUTIONAL FIDELITY

Art. XXI. The Collegium Perulae Orientis professes institutional fidelity to the Holy Roman Church and its Magisterium, the Supreme Pontiff, and all articles of faith infallibly proposed by the Church (of Divine and Catholic faith); it gives religious submission to the authentic Magisterium; it does not propose heresy, error, or public dissent.

Art. XXII. No one may be a fellow (socius) unless they profess the Catholic faith.

Art. XXIII. No one may be a member (sodalis) unless they profess Jesus Christ, true God and true Man, and the Most Holy Trinity, and are not opposed to the Collegium’s institutional fidelity to the Catholic faith and the Most Holy Trinity.

Art. XXIV. Catholics, other Christians, and non-Christians may be admitted as associates, provided they sincerely seek to cooperate with the mission of the Collegium and do not oppose its Catholic and Christian character.

Art. XXV. Catechumens who profess the Catholic faith may be elected to the Board of Trustees, provided that the majority of that Board consists of Catholics fully incorporated into the Church according to canonical norms.

Art. XXVI. If anyone is not Catholic or is a catechumen, they may not hold the office of President, Chapter President, or other offices pertaining to the teaching of Catholic doctrine, especially the directorship of institutes pertaining to Sacred Doctrine.

Art. XXVII. Non-Catholics and catechumens may hold the directorship of institutes that do not pertain to Sacred Doctrine, as well as other offices not expressly prohibited to them by the statutes or Bylaws of the Collegium.


Daniel Tyler Chua

Daniel Tyler Chua is the founder and president of the Collegium Perulae Orientis. He is also a contributor to the Philippine Daily Inquirer as well as The Sentinel PH.

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Statuta almi et insignis Collegii Perulae Orientis