The General Chapter in the Constitutions of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
The General Chapter is a means of expression of unity, a privileged time of reflection, verification, and orientation in the communal search for God’s will for the Institute. In prayer and humble listening to the Spirit, the capitulants elect the members of the general leadership of the Institute, study, on the basis of the reports presented by the Superior General and the provincial superiors with their councils, the problems inherent in religious life, apostolic activity and the administration of goods throughout the Institute. They consider the reports prepared by the Provincial Chapters and examine the result of the consultations made among all the members of the Institute, relating them to the various historical-environmental situations in order to find together the solution and to arrive at decisions better responding to the Gospel, to the teaching of the Church, and to the spirit of Mother Cabrini.
The Ordinary General Chapter will be convoked every six years to elect the Superior General and part of her Council. It may also be convoked earlier if the office of Superior General remains vacant. An extraordinary General Chapter may be convoked by the Superior General. An extraordinary General Chapter may be convoked by the Superior General only for serious reasons with a deliberative vote of the General Council and the approval of the Holy See.
The acts of the General Chapter will be considered valid when, all the capitulars having been convoked, two-thirds of the capitulars are present at the proceedings.
The first General Chapter there was in 1910 decided by Mother Cabrini despite some initial reluctance of the sisters.
~ from the Constitutions of the Institute of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (pp. 45 e 93)
Who participates in the General Chapter?
The General Chapter is attended by the General Council, provincials, regionals and delegates elected at provincial chapters. In the early years of the Institute these were appointed in the communities, only later did they begin to be elected during provincial chapters.
The Constitutions state:
“The component members of the General Chapter are thus:
ex officio: the Superior General
the general assistants
the provincial superiors
the regional superiors
Elected: professed sisters representing the different provinces, regions and missions, elected according to the Statutes and in a total number greater than that of the capitulars by right.“
The laity first began to take part in a General Chapter in 1990. During the first Chapters this component was small as only one person from each province participated. The laity have never been present for the entire duration of the Chapter but only for a few days and only when the mission is mentioned since they are directly involved.
In addition, the next General Chapter is attended by a commission that used to be exclusively pre-capitular and was in charge of presenting its work to the General Council; but this commission in the chapters of the past years did not take part in the General Chapter, which will be the case during this XVI General Chapter.
Also from the Constitutions we read that:
“The supreme extraordinary internal authority of the Institute resides in the General Chapter in session. Ordinarily, it resides in the Superior General who exercises it according to the Constitutions approved by the Chapter and the decisions deliberated by the Chapter itself. Resolutions are made by an absolute majority of votes. Modification of any point of the approved constitutions requires the consent of two-thirds and the approval of the Holy See, to which the authentic interpretation is also incumbent. All provisions issued by the General Chapter remain in force until the next General Chapter at which they may be confirmed, modified or abandoned.
The Ordinary General Chapter will be convoked every six years for the election of the Superior General and part of her Council. It may also be convoked earlier if the office of the Superior General remains vacant. An extraordinary General Chapter may be convoked by the Superior General. An extraordinary General Chapter may be convoked by the Superior General only for serious reasons with a deliberative vote of the General Council and the approval of the Holy See.“
General Chapters in the history of the Institute of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
1910:
A General Chapter was not celebrated, but the Assistants, supported also by the requests of all the sisters of the Institute, asked and obtained from the Holy Father, the confirmation for life as General Superior, of Mother Francesca S. Cabrini.
1918: Mother Antonietta della Casa was elected General Superior (because Mother Cabrini herself was said to have designated her to succeed her).
The same women who had assisted in governing the Institute during Mother Cabrini’s time were confirmed as Assistants.
1925: On April 25, under the presidency of Card. Basilio Pompilj, General Vicar of His Holiness, there was the re-election of Mother Antonietta Della Casa as General Superior.
General Assistants: Mother Magdalene Savarè, Mother Maria Gesuina Diotti, Mother Domenica Bianchi Vicar: Mother Andreina Bini General Bursar: Mother Maria Gesuina Diotti.
1937: The Chapter Delegates could not meet due to the critical global political situation; this was allowed by the Holy See through Report No. 4985 of July 17, 1936.
In 1950 Mother Antonietta Della Casa was confirmed as General Superior for life by Decree of the Holy See (through secret ballots sent by mail).
1955: General Chapter started on July 16 and was held to elect the General Superior and Assistants.
Elected General Superior: Mother Valentina Colombo General Assistants: Mother Rosaria Marchesi, Mother Gabriella Baglioni, Mother Augusta Rocchi, Mother Rita Zamproni Vicar: Mother Agostina Rivolta General Bursar: Mother Gabriella Baglioni
In 1966 (before the Extraordinary Chapter) the General Council was composed as follows:
General Superior: Mother Valentina Colombo General Assistants: Mother Gabriella Baglioni, Mother Rita Zamproni, Mother Edmonda Petrucci, Mother Cecilia Bottino Vicar: Mother Agostina Rivolta
1967/1968:
The General Chapter was held in two Sessions, to elect the General Superior and the General Council, and to promote the renewal of the Institute.
The first session was from January 21 to February 2, 1967 in Rome; the second session from July 07 to 12, 1968 in West Park, New York, USA.
General Superior: Mother Chiara Grasselli (elected January 23, 1967)
General Assistants: Mother Lucia Victor Rodriguez, Mother Josephine Migliore, Mother Savina Pozzoli, Mother Regina Casey.
1972: The General Chapter was from July 12 to August 26 for the election of the General Superior and the General Council and for the Study and Revision of the Institute's Constitutions.
The General Superior elected was Sr. Regina Casey and the General Assistants: Sr. Josephine Migliore, Sr. Flora Giovagnoli, Sr. Clemenza Zanotti.
1978/1979: The General Chapter was held in two sessions in Rome for the Election of the General Superior and the General Council and for the Study and drafting of New Constitutions (during 1979 session). Sr. Regina Casey was re-elected in July, 26, 1978. The General Assistants elected were: Sr. Maria Rosa Parma, Sr. Elisa Coelho, Sr. Christine Perazzoli (had succeeded Sr. Josephine Migliore on May 17, 1975)
Session I: July 7- August 25, 1978
II session: 14 May – 4 June 1979
1984:
The General Chapter was held in Nazareth Center in Rome, from July 7 to 28, 1984. The Chapter theme was: “Making Christ the Heart of the World.”
Sr. Maria Barbagallo was elected General Superior on July 12,1984. And the General Assistants elected were: Sr. Christine Perazzoli, Sr. Lina Colombini, Sr. Clarì Corso.
1990:
The General Chapter theme was: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you in addition” ( Mt. 6:33)
The Chapter was held from July 3 to 29, 1990 at the Divine Master House, in Ariccia, outside the city of Rome.
Sr. Maria Barbagallo was confirmed as General Superior and the new General Council elected was: Sr. Patricia Spillane, Sr. Lina Colombini, Sr. Candida Encarnación Soto.
1996:
In 1996, the General Chapter Theme was: “See, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? In the desert I make a way, in the wastelands, rivers.” (Is. 43:19)
Sr. Lina Colombini was elected as General Superior on July 16, 1996, and her General Assistants was: Sr. Patricia Spillane, Sr. Thèrése Merandi, Sr. Raphael Sharkey (since 2000, then Sr. Loredana Manzoni).
2002:
The General Chapter theme was: “Put out into deep water and let down your nets ” (Lk 5:4 )
Sr. Lina Colombini was confirmed as General Superior and the General Assistants elected were: Sr. Loredana Manzoni, Sr. Maria Aparecida Corrêa de Castro, Sr. Joan McGlinchey.
2008:
The General Chapter's theme chosen in 2008 was: “Cabrinian Mission Today. Do not fear! I have chosen you that you may go and bear fruit” (Jn. 15:16)
The General Superior elected on July 20, 2008, was Sr. Patricia Spillane.
Sr. Loredana Manzoni, Sr. Maria Aparecida Corrêa de Castro, Sr. Joan Mc Glinchey were elected as General Assistants.
2014:
The General Chapter in 2014 took place in San Paulo, Brazil. The theme was: “Behold now the favorable time” (2 Cor. 6:2)
Sr. Barbara Louise Staley was elected on May 27, 2014, as General Superior. The General Assistants were: Sr. Maria Regina Canale, Sr. Bernadette Anello, Sr. Maria Concepcion Vallecillo. In May 2016 Sr. Stella Maris Elena took over.
2022:
The 2022 General Chapter was held at La Salle House in Rome from June 26 to July 22, 2023. The theme chosen for this Chapter comes directly from one of the writings of the Foundress, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini: “Free yourself put on wings.”
Sr. Maria Eliane Azevedo Da Silva, was elected General Superior on July 19. She is the first General Superior from Brazil in the history of the Institute of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Assistants General were also elected on July 21: Sr. Stella Maris Elena, Sr. Gilda Mendoza, and Sr. Patricia Godoy.
