Response of Joseph Oliver BOWERS, the bishop of Accra, Ghana, to Vatican II’s Antepreparatory Commission

Your Eminence,

In reply to Your Eminence’s request, under the date of 18 June, 1959, I am enclosing herewith the vota ad Concilium generale proponenda of the Diocese of Accra, Ghana.

Kindly accept my sincere apologies for being tardy in sending in our proposals for the coming General Council. I have been absent from my Diocese for some weeks and am just now winding up my trip.

Since I am here in the Eternal City for a few days, the opportunity is afforded me of presenting these proposals.

I should like to assure His Holiness, Pope John XXIII and Your Eminence that our clergy and Faithful of the Diocese of Accra are remembering the forthcoming General Council of the Church in their prayers and sacrifices. May God the Holy Spirit direct the preparations and preside over the deliberations of this historic meet, this is our prayer.

With every best wish for Your Eminence’s personal well being and the assurance of my prayers for Your Eminence as the Holy Father’s Secretary of State, I am 

Most sincerely yours in the Holy Spirit,
+ JOSEPH BOWERS

 1. Ut omnes Superiores Maiores, Superiores Regionales, Rectores, antequam suis muneribus fungi incipiant, per brevem cursum introductorium bene se praeparent.

In specie:

a) Ut supradicti superiores per saltem duas hebdomades se dedicent ad recensendum Constitutiones Ordinum et Congregationum propriarum, decreta et regulationes Apostolicae Sedis quae ad sua officia spectant. Bene studeant etiam supradicti Superiores modo agendi cum variis “departamentis” propriarum familiarum religiosarum ut praescribitur per consuetudines et interpretationes authenticas a Conciliis Generalibus enuntiatas.

b) Ut in lucem edatur aliquis libellus (“manuale”) quae haec omnia (decreta, regulationes, consuetudines, interpretationes authenticas) contineat.

2. Ut Statuta Missionalia Ordinum et Congregationum laborantium in Missionibus Exteris emendentur secundum principia enuntiata in encyclicis recentioribus Paparum et decretis Apostolicae Sedis quae de Missionibus tractant.

3. Ut media aptissima inveniantur quibus decreta Apostolicae Sedis ad Ordinarios in Missionibus degentes formaliter et celerius communicentur.

+ JOSEPH BOWERS 
Episcopus Accraënsis

1. That all major superiors, regional superiors, rectors, before they begin to discharge their duties, prepare themselves well through a brief introductory course.

Specifically:

 a) That the aforementioned superiors devote themselves for at least two weeks to reviewing the constitutions of their own orders and congregations, the decrees and regulations of the Apostolic See that pertain to their offices. Let the above-mentioned superiors also study well the manner of dealing with the various “departments” of their own religious families, as prescribed by the practices and authentic interpretations enunciated by the General Councils.

b) That a booklet (“manual”) which contains all these things (decrees, regulations, practices, authentic interpretations) be published.

2. That missionary statutes of orders and congregations working in foreign missions be amended according to the principles enunciated in the more recent encyclicals of Popes and the decrees of the Apostolic See that deal with missions.

3. That the most suitable means be found by which the decrees of the Apostolic See may be formally and more rapidly communicated to ordinaries residing in the missions.

+ JOSEPH BOWERS 
Bishop of Accra