Generalate, Rome

Generalate, Rome

Table of Contents

Page

Letter of Sister Mary Sujita, SND 1-2

Prophetic Witness - Identity, Charism, Mission 3-6

Formation for Mission 7-10

SND Missions “Ad Gentes” 11-14

Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation 15-18

Sustainability and Resources for Mission 19-22

SND Governance Structures 23-26

Additional Proposals and Recommendations Not

Included in the Text of the Chapter Document 27-29

Rooted in contemplation

Called to be prophetic women

Missioned for global transformation

December 12, 2010

Dear Sisters,

Our General Chapter was a true Pentecost event! Thank you for your prayers as well as your participation in the preparation for the Chapter and your engagement during the time of Chapter.

Conscious of the fast-evolving and needy world around us, the General Chapter of 2010 focused us as Sisters of Notre Dame on the prophetic and transformative nature of our charism. What does our charism have to say to our world today? How is our SND identity as consecrated women in the Church going to make a difference in our world today? These questions served to animate our discussions and deliberations. After seriously considering the world, church and congregational realities, listening to the reports of the congregation, the provinces, delegations and missions, studying the input from our year-long faith sharing and reviewing the proposals submitted, the General Chapter 2010 discerned six critical themes for our congregation:

· Prophetic Witness: Identity, Charism and Mission

· Formation for Mission

· Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation

· SND Missions “Ad Gentes”

· Sustainability and Resources

· SND Governance Structures

We prayerfully considered these themes, discussed our response as a congregation, and prepared a Chapter

Document which will serve as a guide for the next six years. Each section of the document includes a rationale, a list of challenges/risks and specific chapter directives and recommendations. The directives and recommendations reflect the spirit and content of proposals submitted to the General Chapter 2010.

The new General Government will follow up on the implementation of the directives and recommendations. Dear Sisters, I invite you to seriously reflect on the Chapter Document and begin to plan how you, your local community/ your province/delegation/mission and we as a congregation can own and live the spirit and content of the Chapter Document. The General Government as well as your province/delegation superior will plan ways to share the fruits of the Chapter with you and move us forward.

We know in our hearts that we have been led by the Spirit in our journey toward the General Chapter 2010 and during the wonderful experience of our Chapter. What is contained in the Chapter Document can help us to set the direction for our congregation in the years ahead. May Mary’s prophetic fiat, St. Julie’s rapture of action and Sister Maria Aloysia’s and Sister Maria Ignatia’s total trust in God’s provident care empower us all to be prophetic women who are impelled by our passion for Jesus as we work to deepen our understanding of our identity and mission in our world today.

United with you in the mission of Jesus,

Prophetic Witness

Identity, Charism, Mission

“The charism of our congregation,

a deep experience of God’s goodness and provident care,

continues to be enriched by the creative fidelity

of each Sister of Notre Dame.”

(Constitutions Article 1)

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Rationale

Charism finds its expression in each Sister of Notre Dame as a unique and unrepeatable reflection of God’s goodness and provident care. Its manifestation flows through the community generation after generation as sisters of every nation and culture contextualize this gift of the Spirit given to us for the mission of Jesus.

Living in fidelity to our deep experience of God’s goodness and provident care, we incarnate Christ in our world today through a presence characterized by joyful simplicity. Our joyful simplicity allows us to see beauty, goodness, and connectedness in every person and in the whole of creation.

Like Mary, woman and disciple, we see everything with the eyes of faith. We stand as witnesses to what is possible and life giving in the dark and broken places in our world. As women we bring our gifts of nurturing, healing and seeking right relationships to Church and society.

Walking in the footsteps of St. Julie, Sister Maria Aloysia, Sister Maria Ignatia and all those Sisters of Notre Dame who have gone before us, we give ever new and fresh witness to our charism. Our story is unending and each of us is graced to be part of that story.

We are the living charism. We are the present and we are the future. The gift of our lives is the legacy of Notre Dame.

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Challenges and Risks

In continuing to live as prophetic witnesses we will be challenged to:

· live the radicality of the evangelical counsels

· bring hope to a fragmented world

· witness to the feminine face of God

· give courageous expression to the Gospel in our cultures

· bring healing to our Church

· invite others to participate in our SND spirituality

· live simply

· invest in studies and programs that deepen our spirituality.

“In faithful love, God has called us anew to a special consecration, deeply rooted in our baptism, to live the evangelical counsels as Sisters of Notre Dame. God gives us the gift and mission to proclaim to others his overwhelming goodness and provident care.”

(Constitutions Article 6)

“Our charism and spirit remain alive in the Church through our witness of life and apostolic service. In fidelity to our charism we participate in the mission of Jesus Christ, witnessing God’s goodness and provident care to others. The Church sends us through our congregation to assist our sisters and brothers to direct their lives to God in faith so that all may experience God’s love.”

(Constitutions Article 3)

Chapter Recommendations:

1. On the congregational/ province/delegation level, initiate further study of our charism so we come to a deeper understanding of our spirituality.

2. Develop programs on the provincial/delegation level that provide opportunities for sisters to grow in our SND spirituality.

3. Use technology throughout the congregation to share aspects of our SND spirituality and ministry.

4. Find ways to connect older members of our congregation with younger members locally and globally.

5. Encourage sisters to express aspects of our charism and spirituality through music, art and writing.

6. Design programs to form lay employees, boards, colleagues and Notre Dame Associates in our SND spirituality and heritage.

7. Throughout the congregation, continue to offer international opportunities such as pilgrimages, exchanges, and immersion experiences to deepen our charism and identity.

8. Collaborate at the local level to find prayer forms that enrich communal prayer.

9. Each sister is expected to assume responsibility to deepen her own prayer life — being open to current developments in theology and spirituality.

Formation for Mission

Our vocation to religious life is a personal invitation to discipleship in a close following of Jesus Christ. To respond to this grace with fidelity, we rely on God’s faithful love, the intercession of Mary and the assistance of our community. Our response to this call of God is realized in a lifelong process of transformation into Christ.”

(Constitutions Article 70)

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Rationale:

In light of the urgent realities of these times, we Sisters of Notre Dame are called to respond in ways that are creative and life-giving for all. As apostolic women religious, we are called to participate in the mission of Jesus in a radical manner. We look to Mary for courage and compassion as we bring Christ into the world in new and vibrant ways.

In this changing world we want to deepen our charism and spirit which impel us to action on behalf of our sisters and brothers, especially the most vulnerable. How can we listen to the stirrings of God’s Spirit deep within our hearts? How can we respond to the cries of those who are poor? No matter our stage in life, we continue to be formed for mission as we strive to address the needs of our times.

We face a changing reality with regard to membership in our congregation: vocations, retention and aging of membership. How can we best respond to these new realities? How is each sister called to mission?

We are called to responsible membership. What does this mean in light of personal growth, being members of the community and developing a mature and ever-deepening spirituality?

We are members of a global community that is becoming more interconnected every day. How can we learn to respond more compassionately and effectively to our multi-racial, multi-cultural, multi-lingual, multi-faith world?

We are continually called to learn and grow. How can our ongoing formation recognize and value our experiences, while at the same time challenge us to deeper and more creative ways of being?

We enjoy and appreciate relationships that support and sustain our mission. We want to share our charism, mission and spirit with our associates, lay collaborators and volunteers.

Challenges and Risks:

· Taking personal responsibility for initial and ongoing formation

· Keeping our focus on mission, rather than on achievement, power and position

· Integrating professionalism into the sense of mission

· Learning English or another language for mission

· Using technology in a responsible way

· Being open to instability, insecurity, and lack of comfort

· Making discernment a way of life

· Making use of resources (such as talents, personnel and finances) for the sake of mission

· Valuing prayer, presence and community service as mission

· Preparing ourselves for apostolic retirement

· Seeking and maintaining a healthy balance in life

· Being open to new ministries

· Building formative communities for mission

Chapter Directive:

Include the study of English during the time of initial formation, as a concrete expression of our missionary spirit and our international unity.

Chapter Recommendations:

1. In collaboration with the units and in a spirit of discernment assure that formation directors receive adequate training.

2. Ask units and the individual sisters to re-acquaint themselves with the Congregational Plan of Formation (2006) and each unit’s Plan of Formation; evaluate the implementation and supplement as needed, with special emphasis on:

· Charism, spirit and mission in initial formation programs

· Screening candidates for initial formation

· Promoting and providing healthy psychological practices and enhancing communication and reconciliation skills

· Formation for leadership.

3. Emphasize ongoing formation through all stages of life focusing on:

· The theology of religious life and the vows

· The spirituality of aging and diminishment

· JPIC initiatives according to Catholic social teaching.

4. Provide formation in our charism, spirit and mission for associates, lay collaborators, and volunteers.

5. Mutually support and assist our communities of elderly sisters.

6. Encourage sisters who speak English to assist sisters with language study in non-English speaking countries.

7. Invite all sisters to learn a second language.

8. Invite each sister, whatever her age, to reflect on and deepen her call to mission.

9. Call each sister to witness her religious life and welcome new vocations to the congregation, in whatever way she can.

SND MISSIONS “AD GENTES”

“To bring glad tidings to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives, recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord”

(Isaiah 61, 1f)

“Like St. Julie, Sister Maria Aloysia and our first Coesfeld Sisters, we should be filled with a missionary spirit, ready to carry the good news to the ends of the earth.”

(Constitutions Article 67)

“Christ’s disciples, profoundly penetrated by the Spirit of Christ, should show the people among whom they live, and should converse with them, that they themselves may learn by sincere and patient dialogue what treasures a generous God had distributed among the nations of the earth.”

(Ad Gentes #11)

Rationale

Jesus became incarnate to show us the way of compassion and solidarity with all people, especially those who are poor.

Inspired by the call of Jesus, the Church and our SND Charism,

Strongly touched by the urgent needs of our world and Church,

In the context of our congregational realities, which include the:

· establishment and growth of our missions

· strength of our traditional ministries

· congregational profile of membership, age, finances, demographics and diversity of cultures

· need for inculturation

· call for collaboration, interdependence and solidarity

· need for clarity regarding policies, personnel, structures and finances

we desire to animate, support and strengthen our SND missions.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“I have seen the humiliation of my people. I know their suffering. Go now! I am sending you to my people to bring them out of Egypt. I will be with you.”

(Exodus 3:7,10,12)

“I have always been greatly interested in the missions;

we sisters are also missionaries here.”

(Sr. Maria Aloysia, October 25, 1886)

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Challenges

· Interdependence and collaboration at all levels

· Sustainability of our missions

· Sharing of finances and personnel

· Inculturation (e.g., learning languages, adaptation to lifestyle)

· Formation in missiology

· Initial and ongoing formation

· Preparation of leaders for the missions (sisters, collaborators, associates)

· Need for a Congregational Missions Policy

· Applying the principles of subsidiarity

· Involvement and empowerment of the local people

· Faithfully living with uncertainty and insecurity

Risks

Risks which surfaced in our congregational pre-chapter study are especially applicable to our SND missions:

· Taking prophetic, countercultural stances

· Letting go of the familiar to respond to new needs