THE ROLE OF THE MAJOR SUPERIOR WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO APOSTOLIC WOMEN’S RELIGIOUS INSTITUTES IN THE UNITED STATES by Kelly CONNORS A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Canon Law, Saint Paul University, Ottawa, Canada, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Canon Law Ottawa, Canada Saint Paul University 2011 © Kelly Connors, Ottawa, Canada, 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................. iii ABBREVIATIONS .......................................................................................................................... iv INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 1 1. FOUNDATIONAL ELEMENTS ........................................................................................ 6 1.1. The Power of Governance ................................................................................................... 6 1.1.1. The Debate .............................................................................................................. 12 1.1.2. The Exercise of the Power of Governance by Laity in the Context of Religious Institutes ...................................................................................................... 18 1.2. Terminology .......................................................................................................................... 29 1.2.1. Power and Authority .............................................................................................. 30 1.2.2. Governance .............................................................................................................. 38 1.2.3. Leadership ................................................................................................................ 42 1.3. Summary ................................................................................................................................ 45 2. ECCLESIASTICAL LEGISLATION, DECREES, DOCUMENTS, AND INSTRUCTIONS AS RELATED TO THE ROLE OF THE MAJOR SUPERIOR ................................................................................................................................ 47 2.1. Conditae a Christo (1900) ........................................................................................................ 48 2.2. 1917 Code of Canon Law .................................................................................................... 55 2.3. Perfectae caritatis (1965) ........................................................................................................... 63 2.4. Ecclesiae sanctae (1966) ........................................................................................................... 70 2.5. Experimenta circa regiminis rationem (1972) ............................................................................ 72 2.6. Mutuae relationes (1978) .......................................................................................................... 73 2.7. Essential Elements (1983) ....................................................................................................... 77 2.8. 1983 Code of Canon Law .................................................................................................... 82 2.9. 1990 Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches .............................................................. 88 2.10. Vita Consecrata (1996) ..................................................................................................... 93 2.11. Starting Afresh from Christ (2002) ................................................................................... 97 2.12. The Service of Authority and Obedience (2008) .................................................................. 99 2.13. Summary ....................................................................................................................... 108 3. APOSTOLIC WOMEN’S RELIGIOUS INSTITUTES IN 20TH CENTURY AMERICA ................................................................................................................................ 111 3.1. Prior to 1950 ........................................................................................................................ 112 3.1.1. The Basis in Community ...................................................................................... 112 3.1.2. The Issue of Education ........................................................................................ 118 3.1.3. The Institutional Impact ...................................................................................... 122 3.2. 1950-1965 ........................................................................................................................... 131 3.2.1. Renewal – Pius XII to Paul VI............................................................................ 132 3.2.2. Formation and Education .................................................................................... 143 3.2.3. The Institutional Shift .......................................................................................... 148 3.3. Post-Vatican II .................................................................................................................... 150 3.3.1. The Changing Common Life .............................................................................. 151 i ii 3.3.2. Information and Collaboration ........................................................................... 159 3.3.3. The Continuing Institutional Shift ..................................................................... 169 3.4. Corporate and Cultural Demands .................................................................................... 175 3.4.1. Institutional Incorporation .................................................................................. 176 3.4.2. Implications for Religious Institutes .................................................................. 186 3.5. Summary .............................................................................................................................. 189 4. THEORIES OF LEADERSHIP AND EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE ............. 192 4.1. The Bureaucratization of Governance in Religious Institutes ..................................... 193 4.1.1. Evolution ................................................................................................................ 194 4.1.2. Application ............................................................................................................. 198 4.1.3. Consequences ........................................................................................................ 202 4.2. Business Models as Applied to Governance of Religious Institutes ........................... 207 4.2.1. Canonical Obligations .......................................................................................... 208 4.2.2. The Hierarchical Model ....................................................................................... 208 4.2.3. The Organic Model ............................................................................................... 211 4.2.4. The Circular Model – Shared Responsibility .................................................... 215 4.2.5. The Concentric Model – Servant Leadership ................................................... 218 4.3. Reclaiming the Office of Major Superior ........................................................................ 221 4.3.1. Shifting Expectations – Choosing the Structure 4.3.1.1. Demographics .......................................................................................... 222 4.3.1.2. The Leader ................................................................................................ 224 4.3.1.3. Legislating a Structure ............................................................................. 230 4.3.2. Maintaining Canonical Responsibilities and Effective Delegation ................ 232 4.3.3. Implications and Applications............................................................................. 235 4.4. Summary .............................................................................................................................. 239 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................243 APPENDIX A ................................................................................................................................ 247 APPENDIX B ................................................................................................................................ 249 APPENDIX C ................................................................................................................................ 250 APPENDIX D ................................................................................................................................ 252 BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................................... 254 BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE .......................................................................................................... 282 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS It is with profound gratitude that I recognize the gratuitous grace of God which has brought this project to fruition. I am most grateful to my religious family for granting me the opportunity to study