REGULATIONS OF THE
“FORUM OF CHRISTIAN ORGANISATIONS”
FOR THE PASTORAL CARE
OF CIRCUS AND CARNIVAL WORKERS*

Considering the importance of the pastoral care of Circus and Carnival workers, wishing that they will be recognised in all effects integral part of the society and that they will become active persons among their Christian Communities;

Considering that the Christian Confessions signatories of these regulations are directly concerned with the pastoral care;

a “FORUM” has been constituted and named:
“Forum of Christian Organisations for the Pastoral Care
of Circus and Carnival Workers”

Art. 1 - Nature of the Forum

The Forum of Christian Organisations for the Pastoral Care of Circus and Carnival Workers is a permanent organisation, constituted to promote in an ecumenical way pastoral, cultural and social care among European and American Circus and Carnival workers and to stimulate in civil community the comprehension and appreciation of their identity in an atmosphere of peaceful living together, in respect of the individual’s human rights.
The Forum intends to operate in accordance with the directives of respective Christian Confessions.

Art. 2 - Scope of the Forum

Main duties of the Forum, in conformity with Art. 1, are:
a) To foster in ecumenical spirit relationships, exchanges, reflection and training of those who care for the announcement of the Gospel among Circus and Carnival workers;
b) To promote a complete development of every person working in Circuses and Camivals in all its human, professional and spiritual dimensions, through sensitising public opinion, through the collaboration of the Churches with other organisations in the field, with Churches and decision-making structures in society;
c) To stimulate the comparison of experiences and the formulation of common lines for a more effective pastoral action in the field. d) To sensitise the Churches in countries where this ministry is not yet operative.

Art. 3 - Forum Members

Forum Members are: 1) The Christian Organisations signatories of these regulations; 2) Other Christian Organisations if they integrally accept the regulations by undersigning them.
Other members of the Forum are:

a) Members having deliberative vote: all the National Directors nominated by the respective churches.
b) Elected members with consultative vote:
- all the pastoral workers of various Christian confessions, recognised by the National Directors;
- representatives of the categories (Circuses and Carnivals).
c) Observers with facully to intervene:
- representatives from the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants and from the World Council of Churches;
- eventual invited experts.

Art. 4 - Composition of the Forum

Forum is composed of.
- the General Council
- the General Secretary
- two Assistant Secretaries.

Art. 5 - Forum Meetings

The Forum, under General Council’s deliberation, gathers as International Ecumenical Congress, under the chairmanship of the General Secretary, with the participation of every national director, of every pastoral workers of various Christian confessions and of observers, ordinarily every three years and extraordinarily any time the Council deems it necessary.
A record of the meetings has to be written down, on a special Record Book, and will be signed by the General Secretary and the two Assistant Secretaries.

Art. 6 - General Council

The General Council is composed of National Directors.
The Council stays in office for three years extendable.
In case of resignation or death of a Councillor, the Council, in its first meeting, will arrange for his substitution with the one who replaced him as National Director.

Art. 7 - Powers of the General Council

The General Council has the power of decision-making.
For the validity of the decisions, the presence of the majority of the council members is required, as well as 2/3 of the votes favourable of those present.

Art. 8 - Duties of the General Council

It is the duty of the General Council:
- to appoint among its members a General Secretary and two Assistant Secretaries who will be in charge for three years frorn one Ordinary Congress to the other.
The three selected shall belong distinctly to the three great Christian Confessions: Orthodox, Protestant, Catholic.
- to deliberate, on General Seeretary’s proposal, any modification of Forum Regulations.
- Accept in the Forum, other Christian Organisations according to art.3 para.2.
- to plan its calendar of activities.
- to prepare the International Pastoral Congress to be held ordinarily every three years, its date, place and subject fixed by previous Council and extraordinarily whenever necessary.
- to examine and to approve in International Congress session the programme carried out in the past three years.
- to promote initiatives in assisting countries to start this ministry.
- to keep relationship with: a) Offices and organs of various Christian Confessions which operate in converging or complementary sectors; b) Several national and international organs in the field of Circuses and Carnivals.
- to keep a check on common cash, held by the General Secretary and to decide about it.
- Dissolution of the Forum in the case of failure of presuppositions for which it was constituted.

Art. 9 - General Council Meetings

The ordinary General Council is convened by the General Secretary, under deliberation of the Council itself, at least once a year and the extraordinary one in case of need or when requested by three mernbers at least.
Each meeting is presided by the General Secretary or, if absent, by one of the two Assistant Secretaries.
Some experts may be invited to the meetings.
A record of the meetings has to be written down, on a special Record Book, and will be signed by the General Secretary and the Assistant secretaries.

Art. 10 - Powers of the General Secretary

The General Secretary is invested with füll powers to put the General Council’s deliberations into execution.

Art 11 - Duties of the General Secretary

The General Secretary, besides convening the General Council as in Art. 9, convokes, under deliberation of General Council, the Forum as International Ecumenical Congress ordinarily every three years and extraordinarily whenever the Council itself deems it necessary.

Art. 12 - Financial Means and Common Cash

The General Secretary, helped by the two Assistant Secretaries, to support the attainment of statutory purposes, administers under the General Council’s authority a common cash, fed by contributions from National Directors, and by possible donations from private citizens or public bodies.

*It is intended that Christian Organisations for the pastoral care of Circus and Carnival workers are those Organisations appertaining to the Christian Confessions (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant), officially
recognised by their respective Churches.