19 May 2012
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General Chapter 2010

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Chapter delegates respond with questions and insights to the Province Reports. Further discussion clarifies and defines how the Province is responding to the real needs of the people we intend to serve. The objective  ear of the listener offers new solutions. 



Holy Father greets General Chapter Members

On Wednesday, November 17, the members of the General Chapter had the possibility to attend the General Audience with Pope Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Square. The Sisters were privileged to be seated near the Holy Father on the upper level, and were greeted with a "papal wave" in our direction when our group was mentioned. 


 In his English remarks the Holy Father acknowledged our group again: "I offer prayerful good wishes to the Sisters of Notre Dame of Coesfeld meeting in General Chapter." Because Sister Mary Sujita had gone to the Roman Delegation Center in Via Como to attend the funeral of Sister Maria Gerarda, Sister Mary Joell Overman, former Superior General, had the privilege of representing the Congregation and personally greeted the Holy Father at the end of the audience.  


The full text of the Holy Father's catechesis on the "Eucharistic Springtime" in the Church, as well as his remarks to the English-speaking pilgrims can be found here [http://www.zenit.org/article-30993?l=english] and on the Vatican website when the translations become available.
Chapter Delegates Hear JPIC Leader  and Canon Lawyer

Reverend Gearoid Francisco O Conaire, OFM spoke with the Delegates on Thursday, November 4, 2010 on matters that concern Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation. Father indicated that the issue is larger than each of us and requires collaboration with other groups to achieve the goal of sustainability in the environment. Care of the environment is a critical issue but will take time to correct some of the damages done to it. Religious groups need to join other groups in order to make a positive impact on our world.  
                                                                           
On Thursday afternoon canon lawyer Sister Mary Wright, IBVM spoke to the Chapter Delegates about the quality and kind of services available to religious members through the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. Sister Mary is responsible primarily for women religious.







A Day for Peace

Italy commemorated a Day for Peace today, November 14th. The Chapter members chose to make a journey out of Rome to Assisi to honor a special saint for peace, Francis of Assisi. The Sisters were able to visit his birthplace, the house where his family lived, the small cell where his father kept him chained because of Francis’ radical desires, and the church of San Damiano where he heard “The Voice” tell him to rebuild the church. Francis’ desire for adventure led him to consider joining a Crusade. “A Voice” told him to return to the city and he would be told what to do.The statue of Francis in armor and on his horse commemorates this turning point in Francis' life.


Opening Mass for the General Chapter

Today at 11:00 A.M. Reverend Antonio Pernia, SVD, Superior General of the Society of the Divine Word, celebrated the Liturgy for All Saints Day to open our General Chapter 2010.
The liturgy included hymns and readings in various languages used by the sisters throughout the Congregation.  The entrance procession included the national flag for each country where our sisters minister.  

The Gospel for today’s feast talks about the Beatitudes. In his homily Father Pernia  challenged the sisters to live these gospel values through contemplation, powerlessness, and stewardship. 

One of the goals of a General Chapter is to examine and adapt the mission of the congregation to new world realities. Therefore, listening to God is essential if we are hoping to know God’s  will and live in joyful simplicity.

General Chapter 2010 Logo
Explanation of the Logo Symbolism

The flames of fire in the logo call us to be “on fire” as Sisters of Notre Dame in the midst of the world as we prayerfully contemplate and root ourselves in the message of Jesus.  The congregational ND with the cross reminds us of our identity and our desire to live our charism, spirit and prophetic mission.  With openness and freedom we respond to the challenges of our call to be women of hope and life to all.  The dark rim of the earth on the left representing suffering humanity and the violated earth moves to a lighter area to show the transformation toward the Light that Christ brings to our world.  Various textures on the global world recall the great variety of values, cultures and beliefs that challenge us to transform all for the glory of God.  This is shown as the lines become clear to the right.  The outer left rim symbolizes the compassion of God which cradles the earth and graces us who are missioned to participate in the transforming action of the Spirit who “makes all things new.”





Chapter Speaker Challenges Community to be Mystics and Prophets Today 

In  two sessions held on Tuesday and Wednesday,  Reverend Edward Mercieca, SJ, presented the challenge  for today’s women religious: to be mystics and prophets in the modern world. The foundress, Hilligonda Wolbring, and her close friend, Lisette Kuehling responded to an educational need in Germany in the nineteenth century,  education for poor children. From this point the grand network of ND education began.  Today, all religious communities are called to examine their mission and charism and renew their enthusiasm for service in the Church.

 Father also reflected on the congregational charism of God’s goodness and provident care in today’s world. In a western culture where much is made of planning, saving, and building for the future, serving the poor and abandoned who struggle to survive day to day is a challenge for the contemporary minister. For the modern skeptic God still provides for his people who trust in him.

 “Contemporary mindsets seek a different model of leadership,” says Father Mercieca. “Transformational leadership involves all the members to take responsibility for the group with all the members walking together side by side. Accompaniment is the model replacing an earlier follower-leader model.”

Father Mercieca currently serves as Secretary for the Promotion of Ignatian Spirituality for the Jesuits.

Historical Examination of Past Necessary for Future Decisions 

Wednesday, November 3, presented Notre Dame de Namur Sister Ellen Gielty exploring the factors of “Being in Mission Today.” Sister Gielty, an expert on the life and times of our Foundation and first sisters in 1850 has yielded new, interesting facts about persons and happenings of this era. “Researched information about a community’s foundation and growth is essential in order to make new, informed decisions for present and future ministries,”  Sister Ellen concluded.
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