PRESENTATION OF THE PROCESS
YOUR TOOLS
1- The video God lives here and now
2- Reference document CRC Prospects 2024-2030
3- Appropriation Guide
4- Send us your comments, your reactions
We are in the season of thanksgiving and a feeling of pride for our history as a congregation fills us.
We are indeed experiencing that our language is losing its value, because it is not always understood. However, we realize that the most important thing, and the one that is more easily understood, is the language of the heart. It is often our “being” that speaks louder than our inaccessible words. This is what is transmitted, often without even realizing it!
We had a wonderful experience of “transmission” through the transfer of the General Administration of our congregation to the Philippines. It was a project prepared jointly by the two administrations, general and regional, and also with all the sisters from the Philippines and Canada. All the steps, and there were many, brought us closer together, allowed us to get to know each other better and to trust each other. It was a long-term preparation, in a continuous back-and-forth movement. This long process facilitated the 2024
final decision, of which we are proud. The general administration is now made up of sisters from the Philippines.
In our community, we receive many testimonies of the values that we have passed on and that we continue to pass on today. We are often told that entering one of our convents is not like entering anywhere else. There is a special spirit… People often express that they feel a sense of peace…
We are aware that there are many challenges to be met in our congregation and in our changing world. We want to remain open to the newness revealed by the Spirit so that we are able to read the signs of the times.
It is all this, and much more, that we want to pass on, while staying focused on Hope. We would like to thank the CRC for giving us the opportunity to share these thoughts.
The Daughters of Mary of the Assumption
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By watching the videos and reading the documents of the Perspectives 2024-2030 approach, I felt like I was in familiar territory in terms of my province and my congregation
I find the same vocabulary, the same concerns and the same calls to action as during our Congregation Chapter in December 2021 and in its current implementation, which will continue until the next Congregation Chapter in 2027.
I find in it the same synodality, the same willingness to consult the members, the same concern to move forward together and slowly in order to allow the transformation of outlooks, hearts and mentalities.
Thank you for the solidarity and mutual support that the Perspectives 2024-2030 approach offers us. Thank you for the high quality and depth of leadership and facilitation.
Sr. Aline Bertrand, Congrégation de N.-D. de Charité du Bon-Pasteur
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Partnership with Collaborators
We concluded that collaboration works to enhance both life and ministry. It is a welcome shift that has taken place over the last number of years as we learned to “let go and let come.” When we collaborate with our staff and other partners, we learn together, and people come to know what our values are. We are helped to see a larger world, beyond our own interests and concerns. The key skill is mutuality.
We believe that clericalism is really a failure in collaboration; the priest is seen as the most important person in a parish, and this mindset is unfortunately supported by Canon Law. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if this could be changed? It would promote a more life-giving atmosphere in a parish.
We suggest that CRC create forums where we can share the wisdom we have gained as religious women with all the People of God. In local areas, we could study the Synodal Report and suggest where doors can be opened. Could we accept the call to de-clericalize the church? When we become accustomed to an atmosphere of mutuality, its absence is felt. Being in partnership promotes a spirit of wellbeing and growth. CRC regional meetings may be an appropriate way to address the issue of clericalism.
We are being called to use the agency and wisdom we have acquired over the years. As we acknowledge our vulnerability, we gain strength, especially in numbers. We have a lot of energy for collaboration. Can we bring that to the church, to the world and to each other? Can this energy be fanned into life? Might the CRC issue a special invitation to our Bishops regarding the Synodal process? As Bishops and religious listen to each other, what might we discover about how Spirit is alive in the church and what is unfolding in the lives of the people? Might we explore the polarization that is so evident in our world? What wisdom can we seek together and offer to the church?
Several Bishops are noted for their ease relating to the people in their diocese. We are thinking specifically of Bishop Michael Brehl in Pembroke who seeks to work with the people in ordinary ways to support their life journeys. Bishop Brehl and others offer new hope to God’s people.
In our conversations, we noted two examples of collaboration within our immediate experience that show the benefits of combining our experience and energy. The Bronson Centre in Ottawa, originally Immaculata High School, is now a hub where the disadvantaged can receive and provide services to each other. St. Joe’s Café in London is a place which provides food, meals and companionship to the poor; the partners who share the building space provide services for HIV/AIDS and to the homeless population. These are both examples of how creativity is harnessed to provide an important service to God’s people.
We realize that we can effect change in our world in a spirit of collaboration. Another example of this is the Office of Religious Congregations for Integral Ecology (ORCIE) which promotes education and action to protect the environment and to address the issues of climate change. Our skills and experience complement each other to create a work we cannot do alone. We look forward to what we can do together as we face the future with honesty and compassionate awareness.
We affirm the CRC for calling us together for conversation and we invite the CRC to continue to initiate conversation with religious, with the Bishops and with the laity. Let us continue the synodal process as we walk together in faithfulness.
The Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada
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Transmission of our charisma and its transformation
Our new situation in Quebec:
We are 98 nuns with an average age of 85. The mother house is closed. From October 2023 to July 2024, 93 sisters have been moved to three locations: 13 to Longueuil to the Jésus-Marie sisters, 26 to the Jardin d’Élodie in Sherbrooke, 10 to the Terrasse Bowen in Sherbrooke. Those who wanted to stay in St-Hyacinthe are in a secular environment, the Chartwell Residences, 26 at the Jardin de la Gare (with end-of-life care unit), 15 at Chartwell Sainte-Marthe. We have one house left in Mont-Saint-Hilaire, with 6 nuns.
We have 8 consecrated laywomen and 31 associates.
In the space of a year, our sisters have been uprooted, and several have recently been integrated into a lay retirement home. What gives meaning to their lives is feeling that they are on a mission. How? Through a presence that creates humanity. Pastoral care with a smile, mutual aid, compassionate listening, words of encouragement and comfort that inspire hope. A presence of peace and serenity. “Being an open gospel where people recognize Jesus Christ between the lines of my life” (Marie Rivier). Each person’s presence according to their gift. Some can offer spiritual encounters that respond to a search for meaning.
For our works, trust those who take over institutionally. Promote the values of Saint Marie Rivier, our foundress. Our consecrated laywomen, present and committed in the heart of the world, exercise a pastoral ministry of compassion by making themselves present to immigrants and the homeless, some in a ministry of psycho-spiritual accompaniment (evangelization of the depths).
Our hope: as long as we remain connected to the Cep, the mission will come naturally in the embodiment of our charism: education in the faith and compassion.
In this new situation, we have to learn to
- Let go for new horizons in our mission.
- Adapt to new languages.
- Become close to the new communities; we have to enrich each other.
We need to sustain our hope to remain on mission until the end.
- For the coming years, it seems relevant to us that the CRC helps to foster an interrelationship between new communities and aging communities.
- It is important that the CRC keeps us connected to the department of consecrated life.
- Help leaders to be agents of transformation in their community environment.
- Bring leaders together around a theme; sometimes group by geographical region.
- Continue training on the themes of ecology, social justice, migrants. Provide accurate information that reflects reality; there is so much fake news.
Sr. Francine Bastien, pour la famille Présentation de Marie
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Following the viewing of the video “God lives here and now” in mid-January, with my council, we realize the importance of being rooted in the present time while drawing on the wisdom of our experiences. To glimpse the future that is already germinating and to which we want to contribute, it is good to continue this process initiated by the CRC, with the grace that spiritual conversation arouses. What a wonderful tool!
What the subject of the video evokes
The content is illustrated by testimonies highlighting the primacy of faith. What is important for us to emphasize is that the testimonies collected in the video are concrete examples of communities which, by opening up to change, have been able, at a certain point in their history, to adapt and to commit themselves to the “not yet”. The skill with which the speakers highlighted the collaboration with the laity demonstrates a way of handing on the continuation of the work, while at the same time being conducive to the transmission of the charism. A challenge for communities that are coming to the end of their journey.
What does this call for?
For us on the council and our members, the mission consists of embracing the “already there” and the “not yet” with a view to the end of the mission. Old age is a gift; we reap the benefits during community events with our older sisters.
For our members, who are still in service, we strive to promote the importance of continuing education. For, in our experience, community activities allow us, with the help of the wisdom of our members, to adapt to changes in religious life. The addition, several years ago, of community spiritual discernment, continues to nourish our hope for the future. This calls for the continuation of activities that promote a spirit of prayer and fraternity. Openness to change and the need to adapt revive the sisters’ hope for the future. Since our community is in the completion stage, our sisters, to the extent of their ability, bear witness to their commitment to live the consecrated life together to the end through their prayer life and fraternal life! What a grace!
The Holy Spirit calls us, with the grace of serenity, to support the mission through prayer, fraternity and sharing. Thus, in faith, and a necessary adaptation to the “not yet”, with one heart, seeking the will of God for our community, our prophetic mission calls for the acceptance of and collaboration with the laity. Hope in the future for our sisters is manifested by the transmission of our values of offering and service in the simplicity and joy that characterize us.
Les Antoniennes de Marie, Chicoutimi.
Les conseillères, Laurette Luneau, Gabrielle Lapointe
Ginette Laurendeau, a.m. supérieure générale
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Our discussion focused on Transition and Transformation. Consecrated life is undergoing profound changes: community life, organized structures (administration, governance, leadership), and mission. The result has sometimes been discomforting and painful to which we must be attentive and offer support. Some forms of religious life are disappearing. New ones have been emerging under the influence of the Holy Spirit, and we need to recognize them. We are learning to welcome the diversity in our conversations and embrace the tensions that can arise from them.
We discussed the transformation and evolution of religious life, focusing on reflection, engagement, and collaboration. We explored ways to broaden our charisms and perspectives, including incorporating more lay people in helping us to continue to live our charism faithfully. We also spoke of the need to talk more about charism with our collaborators and staff. We also reflected on topics such as the changing role of organizations like the CRC, the importance of inclusivity and synodality, and the potential for new governance structures and leadership roles within religious congregations into the future.
Reflections on Transformation
The PEI leadership team mentioned their upcoming chapter this May, with a focus on reflection to deepen engagement with lay collaborators. It was also noted that there have been significant changes in religious life over the past 30 years, shifting from focusing on institutional needs to individual gifts and their development.
Exploring Religious Life and Charism
Our meeting focused on the evolving nature of religious life and our shared focus on hospitality. The ongoing quest to define and understand religious life surfaced, with some expressing a desire to live their lives as well as possible into the future. The importance of collaboration in ministries and the need to spread the knowledge of our charism were also highlighted. Moreover, the concept of Earth, our “common home,” was emphasized as we reflected on how our actions impact Earth. We experienced a sense of anticipation for the future and a commitment to continue exploring and deepening our understanding of our shared charism.
CRC Assembly and Lay Collaboration
Appreciation was expressed for the powerful experience of participation and dialogue at the 2023 General Assembly. Moreover, we shared some of our experiences of lay collaboration. One Sister described the emerging dynamic of collaboration between Sisters and lay people as “the new Us” or “the new We,” and emphasized that this shift represents a new creation and approach to living and not a response to decline.
Evolving Religious Life and Inclusivity
We reflected upon the evolving nature of religious life and the need for more inclusivity and collaboration. Moreover, we acknowledged the importance of the expertise of lay collaborators in addressing the challenges of our new reality. Our conversation also touched on the need to update the foundations of consecrated life and the role of theology in religious life. Furthermore, we considered webinars as opportunities to continue engaging in theological discussions, to increase our networking efforts and to reach out to newer forms of religious life. The discussion concluded with a deeper desire to be more rooted in God’s presence and mission.
Synodal Approach and Ministry of Presence
We discussed the concept of “already, but not yet” in relation to the current era of transition and transformation. We also reflected on our need for a more synodal approach to life, emphasizing the importance of listening and not judging others’ perspectives. The value of collaboration and the need for a generous and hospitable attitude toward others were also highlighted. The importance of practicing a “ministry of presence” surfaced, a way of listening that mirrors the synodal approach.
Evolving Role of the CRC and Collaboration
We considered the evolving role of the CRC and the shift from a process-oriented to a more collaborative approach. It was mentioned that the CRC is now more focused on facilitating conversations and bringing groups together, in addition to presenting issues. We appreciate this evolving approach.
A question was raised about the role of the CRC in bringing together organizations that could assist us. It was mentioned that this is part of CRC’s plan. Increased collaboration with PJPs was noted as potentially helpful. Sister Brendalee noted that the current structure of governance is interim. Commissaries will not be a sustainable solution for us.
Roles, Responsibilities, and Training in Congregations
Our meeting also involved a discussion about the roles and responsibilities of a commissary and a public juridic person (PJP) within religious congregations. We also mentioned the potential for training more people to take on these roles, with a focus on expanding the group of trained individuals. We also talked about the challenges of balancing tradition with innovation in Religious leadership.
Questions for Further Consideration:
- What kind of structural change is needed in the CRC?
- Will CRC provide resources for congregations to help realize necessary structural changes?
Sisters Gemma Dunn; Rosemary MacDonald; Joan Campbell; (PEI Marthas)
Sisters Brendalee Boisvert; Donna Brady; Josie MacLellan; Jovita MacPherson; Claudette Gallant; Liz Riopelle (Antigonish Marthas)
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The charisma at the origin of the congregation remains the same, but our mission is expressed differently in a constantly changing world.
We are experiencing our fragility both in terms of succession and our presence in certain environments where we used to be active. We realize our need to join forces with others to keep our mission alive and adapted to the needs of the world. This alliance urges us to seek partners and collaborators from both the religious and secular worlds.
We have developed partnerships with other religious congregations such as CATHII, with whom we share the mission and whom we still support today with a member of the community and financial support. Through the Foundation for Religious Archives (FAR), we are involved with 14 religious communities in safeguarding our religious archives. The SNJM sisters participate in the activities of the board of directors and one of our staff members is a board member.
We are open to intergenerational cooperation and have included young university students (two young women and one young man) in our Justice and Peace committee. We have hired a young African woman as an accounting technician and a lay person as the director of our financial and administrative services.
We have formed an alliance with community organizations that welcome migrants and refugees to Quebec. In the past, with their collaboration, we have welcomed three immigrant families.
For nearly four years, we have been rethinking the structure of the entire congregation to discover new ways of approaching the future, rooted in our rich SNJM tradition, in the spirit of our foundresses. We are doing this in collaboration with our partners, lay staff, our affiliates. We are aware that the future of our Mission is built on this openness to a diversity of people and skills.
Since the 2010s, we have become aware in our General Chapters that interdependence must occupy an important place in our Mission and we have gradually integrated intercultural (nursing staff, affiliated persons), international (Development and Peace) and intergenerational (Talitha Kum) individuals or groups.
The leadership team of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary of Quebec