F I D A C A

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION FOR CATHOLIC ASSOCIATIONS OF THE BLIND

S T A T U T E S

Article 1: Name and location

The International Federation for Catholic Associations of the Blind (FIDACA) is a private international association with a legal personality according to canons 298-311 and 321-329 of the Code of Canon Law.

The International Federation for Catholic Associations of the Blind (FIDACA) is a union of national catholic associations of and for the blind. The word "blind" also covers all other seriously visually-disabled persons. The headquarters of this organisation are located at the International Centre for the Blind, CH?8597 LANDSCHLACHT TG, Switzerland.

FIDACA is instituted for an indefinite period of time.

FIDACA adheres to the principles of the Roman Catholic faith.

Article 2: Goals

FIDACA's goals are in compliance with the spirit of the second Vatican Council and are as follows:

a. spiritual, moral, cultural, social and material promotion of the blind;

b. Promotion of the participation of the blind in the life and mission of the church, by bearing testimony and propagating the Gospel;

c. Creation or development of organisations for the blind in cooperation with the diocesan and national chaplainship of the various countries;

d. Fraternal cooperation with the blind in developing countries.

FIDACA reaches its goals by arranging meetings, congresses, pilgrimages, sessions, publications of various nature as well as other appropriate means.

Article 3: Membership

The following are eligible for membership with FIDACA:
a. national organisations of and for the blind to the extent that they pursue the objectives set forth under article 2 and are recognised by their respective national Bishops' conference.

b. groups from countries where no organisation as described under Article 3.a exists. They can be members if their membership is recommended by the responsible local bishop or bishops' conference.

Request for membership should be sent to FIDACA. The statutes of the organisation together with the last activity report should be submitted as attachments.

The Executive Board is entitled to accept new members in accordance with the conditions set forth under article 1.

Article 4: Membership termination

FIDACA's membership terminates:

a. through resignation,

b. through cancellation decided by the General Assembly for grave fault or non-payment of membership fees. Prior to decision by the General Assembly, the association or the groups concerned will have been invited to explain their position.

Article 5 Funding

FIDACA's activities are funded, among others, by:

a. membership fees;

b. gifts and legacies;

c. possible credit balances.

Each member is requested to pay an annual fee, as fixed by the General Assembly, proportional to the number of its voting rights. The General Assembly may grant partial or total derogations.

The members have no personal liabilities with regard to FIDACA's commitments. Only FIDACA‘s funds are liable.

Article 6: Organisational structure

FIDACA's organisational structure consists of:

a. the General Assembly;
b. the Executive Board;
c. the Auditing Committee.

A. GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Article 7 : Composition and invitation

FIDACA's General Assembly is composed of 2 delegates maximum of each national member organisation.

The international Chaplain has consultative voting rights.

The General Assembly meets every 4 years, and is convened by the Executive Board. Extraordinary General Assemblies can be convened either by the Executive Board, or upon request of 4 national organisations or groups, in accordance with above article 3.b. The invitation must be addressed 3 months prior to the meeting date.

Article 8: Voting rights and decision process

Voting rights are distributed as follows:

The 2 delegates of a national organisation possess a number of voting rights proportional to their country’s population:

Country with less than 5 million inhabitants:      2 votes
Country with 5 to 10 million inhabitants:           4 votes
Country with 10 to 30 million inhabitants:         5 votes
Country with more than 30 million inhabitants: 6 votes

The member organisations determine the number of votes of each of their delegates in accordance with the principle of repartition.

Decisions rendered by the General Assembly are based on a simple majority of delegates present and can only be taken on questions included in the agenda. In case of a tie, the Presidents' vote is determining.

Delegates may be represented by a member of their organisation. The latter disposes of the same number of votes as the delegate.

A record of attendance including names and addresses of those present and represented will be kept.

Article 9 Process of the General Assembly

The agenda is fixed by the Executive Board, unless an Extraordinary General Assembly requested by member associations is concerned, in which case the latter fix the agenda. The agenda must be enclosed with the invitation. A President of the General Assembly will be elected for the day.

The General Assembly hears and approves the business operations report of the fiscal year, the financial report of the Executive Board as well as FIDACA 's report. It deliberates on FIDACA's action program for the next 4 years, as well as on its corresponding budget.

Copies of the business operations report and of the financial report will be sent to all members through the National President, at least 1 month before the General Assembly.

Article 10: Minutes of the General Assembly

Deliberations of the General Assembly are noted in the minutes, maintained in a special register and signed by the President and the Secretary. Copies and excerpts of the minutes have to be certified by the President or by a member of the Executive Board who attended the General Assembly.

B. EXECUTIVE BOARD.

Article 11: a) Election of the Board

FIDACA is administered by the Board. Its members, who all share the same rights, are chosen by the General Assembly among the delegates of the member organisations.

The Board counts at least 5 members and is composed of a President, 3 Vice-Presidents, a Treasurer as well as other possible participants.

The Board members are elected for 4 years. One re-election is allowed. The Board names a Secretary, who attends all Board meetings as well as all General Assemblies.

A Board member may be dismissed by the General Assembly for serious reasons

According to the rule, there cannot be several Board members from the same country.

The international Chaplain has consultative voting rights.

b) Vacancies within the Board

A vacancy concerning one of the Vice-Presidents or the Treasurer will call forth Board elections in order to fill the position until the next General Assembly.

Article 12: Tasks of the Board

The Board administers the daily affairs of the organisation and carries out the tasks entrusted by the General Assembly.

The Board gathers at least once a year. It can be called together by its President or at the request of the majority of its members. The Board is authorised to take decisions by correspondence in exceptional circumstances.

The Board meets validly when a minimum of 3 members are present. The Board organises its own tasks.

The Board produces an annual report on the situation of the organisation; this is the basis of a report presented to the General Assembly. It yearly examines the accounts and the conformity with the budget.

The Board's decisions will be recorded in a protocole to be signed by the President and the Secretary. Copies and excerpts of the protocole must be certified by the President, by a Vice-President or by a member of the Board attending the meeting.

Article 13: Election and functions of the President

The General Assembly elects a President among the elected Board members for a four year mandate once renewable.
At termination of his/her mandate, he/she can be re-elected once consecutively. Immediate and unlimited re-election of the other Board members is possible. The President enjoys an international position during his/her mandate. Consequently, he/she will not be chosen as a national delegate.

FIDACA is represented in all civil and legal acts by its President, or in his/her absence by one of the Vice-Presidents. FIDACA 's representatives must be fully entitled to their civil rights.

Expenses are authorised by the President in agreement with the Treasurer, and within the framework of the budget. The President and the Treasurer are authorised to sign individually.

In case of a vacancy of the presidency, the board designates one of the vice-presidents as new President until the new General Assembly.

The President chairs the Board meetings and General Assembly sessions except for the elections.

Article 14: The International Chaplain

a) Selection of the International Chaplain

The International Chaplain of the FIDACA is selected by the Board for a 4 year mandate, once renewable.

12 months before the end of the International Chaplain’s mandate the Board invites members to propose candidates for this function. 8 months before the end of the mandate the candidate priests will send the FIDACA an application with a resume and the agreement of the head of their order or bishop.

The Boad selects one of the candidates and applies to the Consilium pro Laicis for confirmation (cf. CIC. can. 324 § 2).

If the Board wishes to extend the International Chaplain’s mission for a second mandate it informs all members as well as the Consilium pro Laicis at least one year before the end of the mandate.

b) Missions of the International Chaplain

He advises the Board and the General Assembly of the FIDACA concerning pastoral and theological matters and takes part in their meetings. He pursues this mission at the different levels of the federation.

As the FIDACA’s "ecclesiastical assistant" he fosters relations between FIDACA and the local Bishops’ conferences and with the Holy See and establishes and follows up links with the members’ chaplains on a regional and worldwide level.

Article 15: Nomination of commissions and associates

The Board reserves the right to appoint certain persons from member organisations as associates. These persons will be admitted to the Board meetings in order to get used to its activities.

The Board may also create commissions, which can execute specific tasks independently, based on rules determined by the Board and under its responsibility.

C. AUDITING COMMITTEE

Article 16: Auditing Committee

The General Assembly chooses among its members an Auditing Committee consisting of 3 members, for a period of 4 years. This committee verifies the accountancy and the yearly accounts and draws up a report to the Board meant for the General Assembly.

These audits may be entrusted to a chartered accountant's office.

Article 17: Statute amendments

The statutes can only be amended with the approval of the Consilium pro Laicis, after due deliberations in the General Assembly with a two thirds majority of the votes cast, upon proposal of the Board or of a minimum of one third of the member associations.

Article 18: Dissolution

Before the Board can convene an extraordinary General Assembly for the dissolution it must inform the Consilium pro Laicis in order to obtain its approval.

In case of possible dissolution, a General Assembly must be convened specially to this effect. It must include at least 3/4 of present or represented members entitled to participation in the General Assembly. Dissolution decision will be validated only by a majority vote of 2/3 of present or represented votes.

Article 19: Funds reimbursement

In case of dissolution, the net assets must be distributed to the member associations, pro-rata of their annual fees.

Article 20: Preponderant language

The German language is the principal language for these statutes and will be preponderant for each translation.

Article 21

These new statutes have been presented for approval to the Consilium pro Laicis and will be approved by the General Assembly of March 8th, 2008. They replace the statutes of January 15th and 16th ,1994.

Certified,

The President