XII General chapter

Ursuline Franciscan Congregation

General Chapter XII

01.05.2010 – 17.05.2010

Spiritual Preparation

Thirty nine Ursuline Franciscan Sisters, the Delegates by right, by election and selection from the Congregation began their ‘Emmaus Journey’ through the retreat from 1^st to 9^th May 2010, under the guidance of Rev. Fr Rex Pai S.J., a veritable goldmine of spiritual insights, inspiration and prayer.  With genuine openness to what God wants, a generosity to do our best, with an inner disposition of listening to what the Spirit was telling us and an attitude of active receptivity like Mary the Mother of Jesus, we made this journey keeping our speech silent, bodies relaxed and minds focused.

The guidelines, spiritual direction, personal prayer, sharing in faith and prayer and  the Eucharistic Celebration led us to the deeper experiential knowledge of Christ and ourselves and challenged us to put on the heart and mind of Christ.  The guidelines on discernment – personal and group, and needed disposition for discernment as we enter into the General Chapter demanded of us a readiness for breaking free from within to evolve as spiritual persons with a greater understanding of our responsibility as the Chapter Delegates and prepared us to the responsible participation in the proceedings of the Chapter.  We came to the end of our journey with our Risen Lord as we recognized him in each other when he broke bread for us. 

The General Chapter that began on 9^th May with the theme “Towards redefining the Identity, Lifestyle and Mission of the Ursuline Franciscan Sisters in the context of today” was an experience of faith and hope that stirred up the hearts of the participants towards an adequate response to the challenges of our times. 

 V. Rev. Sr Doreen D’Souza, the Superior General and the President of the General Chapter, in her inaugural address said, “We are in a world of globalization modernization and secularization. Therefore we are challenged in the core of our being to redefine our Identity, Lifestyle and Mission in response to these situations.

 We focused on seven areas where we needed to transcend traditional patterns of religious life:

1. Being rooted in a relevant spirituality

 2. Liberating and life-giving community living

3. The Vows: Manifestation of prophetic being

4. Integral and ongoing formation

5. Creative and committed prophetic mission

6. Enabling and empowering leadership

7. Passing on a friendly Mother Nature to the next generation

 We felt the need to imbibe the passion of the prophets and of Jesus in our lives to become women of fire to meet the challenges of the emerging society.  Accordingly, we made a thorough study of Constitutions, Directory (Statutes) and Customs of the Congregation and after much reflection, study, discussion and clarification made few amendments in accord with the need of the time.  New policies were formed from the proposals sent to the General Chapter by the Sisters of the Congregation.

We, the delegates of the Chapter opened our eyes and saw a new world, opened our ears and listened to sounds and music we never heard before, opened our mouth and uttered words of wisdom.  Now we are ready to journey strengthened by our experience of the days spent together in searching for the ways of the Lord in the life and mission of our Congregation.  During these days of intense search for God’s plan we thought what we never dared to think.

 Canonical election of the Superior General and her Councillors

On 14^th May Sr Doreen D’Souza who held the oars for the past six years was re-elcted.  She submitted to the will of God humbly and pledged to God and to the members of the Congregation that she would lead the Congregation keeping in mind the good of the Sisters, the Church and society.  The delegates of the Chapter elected the members of the General Council in the persons of Sr Susheela Sequeira, Asst. Superior General, Sr Lily Fernandes, Sr Jeraldine D’Souza and Sr Alice Noronha, the Councillors General.  While Sr Susheela Sequeira is an experienced person in administration as former Provincial Superior of Mangalore Province the other three Sisters assisted Sr Doreen as Councillors General in the previous General Council.  The Congregation now looks expectantly to the fulfillment of the mandate given to them by the General Chapter.  May the years of their service of love as the highest authority in the Congregation be filled with continuous assurance of God’s presence in their life.  May blessings flow in abundance on them and through them on the Congregation, Church and society.  This is the prayer of all the Ursuline Franciscan Sisters.

 Conclusion of the General Chapter

The concluding Eucharistic celebration enhanced the spiritual and emotional mood of the Chapter members.  It was in the Foundation Room – St Ursula’s Convent, Bolar, Mangalore in the same place where our pioneering members with the First Superior lived and shared their faith experiences.  Today it is a sanctuary for the Ursuline Franciscan Sisters.  Rev. Fr Freddie D’Silva S.J. during the Eucharistic celebration took us back to our origins and enumerated the blessings God has poured on the Congregation ever since.  Referring to the words of St Ignatius of Loyola he said, “The Ursuline Franciscan Congregation is a spoilt child of God” because of the love he has lavished upon it.  With a ceremonious rite of lighting the candles and passing it over to all the members of the Chapter the message was “Go and be the light of the world”.