FIUV XVI Statutory General Assembly
Foederatio Internationalis Una Voce XVI Statutory General Assembly took place in Rome on the 11th & 12th Oct./03.

One can say that the ceremonies began with the Traditional Mass and ended with the Traditional Mass. We arrived at St. Peter's at about 7 a.m. on Saturday 11th Oct. and proceeded through the police barricade and scanner which is now an everyday occurrence when entering the Basilica.

We are on our way to attend a 7:15 a.m. Traditional Mass, celebrated by Fr. Bisig F.S.S.P., in the Hungarian Chapel in the Crypt of St. Peter's. Entering St. Peter's is always an awe inspiring experience. Unfortunately time and space does not permit a detailed description of the Basilica and the square or even tell of it's history as this would fill an entire book. One day God willing we may even attempt a series on the "Four Patriarchal Basilicae" in Rome.

A visitor entering St. Peter must first proceed through the atrium or portico and this is as large as a Church (17x13x20 m). Facing you are the five bronze doors of St. Peter and at either end the huge statues of Charlemagne and Constantine.

We entered as everyone must by the Door of the Seven Sacraments. Here both believer and unbeliever kneels speechless for if on the Day of Judgment Almighty God saves anything from earth for Heaven it will surely be St. Peter's - the most famous, beautiful and largest Church in all of Christendom founded as Memoria Petri (memorial of Peter), the place of coronation of popes and emperors and where for almost 2000 years believers have come to worship.

Fr. Bisig's Mass in the Hungarian Chapel was also an historic occasion. A Tridentine Mass returning to St. Peter's (one of less than half a dozen celebrated since the Pope gave his permission) with FIUV representatives from all over the world praying in the only language they had in common - Latin the official language of Holy Mother Church. We began in the Catacombs we now celebrate underground, close at hand are the bones of St. Peter, we have truly come full circle returning to where we started. At end of Mass, of the 'Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary', the Salve Regina rose even to the Gates of Heaven but we were drowned out by the Choirs of angels in attendance. Deo Gratias.

Meetings officially began at the Domus Pacis at 14:00 hours. The agenda is shown below:

1. Opening prayers. Singing of the Veni Creator Spititus.
2. Nominations and elections of the minute keeper and teller;
3. Presentation of candidature for membership to the Federation:
   Pro Missa Tridentina - Germany;
   Inter Multiplices Una Voce Vox - Italy;
   Ecclesia Dei Society of Nigeria;
4. In memory of deceased members. Delegates present names of members of their association who have died since the previous General Assembly. Sunday Mass is offered for the repose of the souls of deceased members of the Federation. The De Profundus is now recited;
5. President's Report;
6. Election of the new Council (nine members). Election is by secret ballot and each association is allowed one vote for each seat on the Council;
7. Election of the President. The President is elected from the Council by secret ballot and a simple majority. Each member association has one vote;
8. Election of Secretary and Treasurer of the Federation. The newly-elected Councillors choose a Secretary and Treasurer from within their ranks;
9. The present situation. Delegates may raise questions or make comments on the reports submitted by the member associations;
10. Future action. Introduced by the President. Including a re-affirmation of the resolution in 1999 committing the Federation to the (un-amended) Missal of 1962;
11. Amendments to the Federation statues;
12. Any other business - including information about the Open Forum guests. The delegates will also select the delegate to chair the Open Forum on Sunday;
13. Closing prayer - singing of the Salve Regina;
14. Assemble for photograph on main stairway
    

Sunday 12th Oct.
09:30 a.m.: Solemn Mass in the Church of Gesu y Maria, via Corso. The Una Voce Choir of Rome will sing.
14:00 noon: Open Forum with guest speakers
17:00: Closing of the assembly and singing of the Credo.

President's Report
The main parts of Michael Davies report were as follows:

• short summary of the history of Una Voce from the very beginning;
• the increasing high profile of the Traditional Mass as it has now been celebrated publicly by Cardinals Medina, Ratzinger, Estévez, and Hoyos
  12 priestly societies and monastic communities using the '62 books with Vatican approval;
• Indult Masses celebrated throughout the world by Diocesan and Priests of various societies e.g. in St. John Canticus in Chicago over 1000 people attend Sunday Mass;
  most significant liturgical event since 1970 was the recognition of the Priests of Campos and the creation of the Personal Apostolic Administration;
• we can pray and have every reason to hope for the reconciliation of the S.S.P.X. who had 170 Priests at the time of the excommunications in 1988 but now have 450 Priests with schools and seminaries appearing everywhere;
the Ecclesia Dei commission has just announced that you can fulfill your Sunday obligation by going to a Mass of the S.S.P.X. and you can give a modest contribution;
• the traditional movement is attracting so many young people that it might be termed a youth movement and the most dramatic demonstration is the Chartres pilgrimage where 15,000 people with an average age of 20 march from Notre-Dame de Paris to Notre-Dame de Chartres in contrast to the collapse of the mainstream Church;
• Michael ended by pointing out that Dr Eric de Saventhem's 30 years of Presidency was the reason that FIUV flourished throughout the decades when Catholic organisations throughout the world were dwindling and ceasing to exist.

Structure of FIUV
President: Mr Ralph Siebenburger of Una Voce Austria;
President d'Honneur: Dr. Eric de Saventhem and Mr. Michael Davies;
First Vice President: Fra Fred Crichton-Stuart of Una Voce Scotland;
Second Vice President: Count Neri Capponi of Una Voce Italy;

Councillors:
Count Neri Capponi of Una Voce Italy
Fra Fred Crichton-Stuart of Una Voce Scotland
Mr. Leo Darroch of the Latin Mass Society of England also the Secretary;
Mr. Jacques Dhaussy of Una Voce France;
Mr. Fred Haehnel Jr. of Una Voce America also the Treasurer;
Mr. Peadar Laighleis of the Latin Mass Society of Ireland;
Mr. Jan Filip Libicki of Una Voce Poland;
Mr. David Reid of the Vancouver Traditional Mass Society

Co-opted Councillors:
Lord Brian Gill of Una Voce Scotland;
Helmut Ruckriegel of Una Voce Germany;
Dr. Riccardo Turrini Vita of Una Voce Italy.