(SPRINGFIELD,
IL) After nine days of intensive
discussion on various items among over 20 delegates, the first official General
Assembly of the Association of
Monasteries of Nuns of the Order of Preachers in North America concluded
Wednesday, September 24, 2008 in Springfield,
Illinois with several new
directives adopted.
In 2000 the Congregation for Religious urged the nuns to move from a
non-canonical status as a “conference” to canonical status as an
“association.” The group, which had met
every four years since its inception in 1975 as a conference, received approval
from Rome in
2006 to form an association. This
new canonical status makes it possible for the nuns to gather together and make
decisions which will foster and strengthen their monastic, contemplative life.
The 2008 General Assembly, which
focused on the theme: “Liturgy, the Heart of Our Life,” brought together the
prioresses, delegates and observers from several Dominican monasteries. In the course of the assembly, the nuns
created a “directory” or bylaws for the new Association. They formed three new standing committees and
elected a leadership council. Sister
Mary John, from the Monastery of the Infant Jesus in Lufkin, Texas,
was reelected president of the Association for another four year term.
“It’s been a very good meeting,”
Sister Mary John said. “We’ve been open
and honest, facing some serious issues troubling us. The discussion has created unity and a
hopeful atmosphere for the future.”
Also elected to the new leadership
council were as vice president, Sister Miriam of
the Monastery of Mary the Queen in Elmira, New York; and as general councilors:
Sisters Mary Thomas of the Monastery of the Blessed Sacrament in Farmington
Hills, Michigan; Mary Catharine of the Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary in
Summit, New Jersey; and Mary of the Sacred Heart from Corpus Christi Monastery
in Menlo Park, California.
“I feel wonderful! It’s been so exhilarating and exciting for
the possibilities,” Sister Mary of the Sacred Heart said about the formation of
the Association and the bond it has created.
“Monasteries all over the world live by the same rule of life– one mind
and heart in God. We live it out in
slightly different ways and places – but in unity.”
Formation, Communications, and
Healthcare were the three new standing committees formed at the assembly. The Formation committee aims to assist the
nuns with new-member issues and provide a program which will provided resources
for the monasteries on various topics.
The Communications committee sets out to continue the publication of the
Association’s two periodicals: Association Sharings, which is an
exchange of thoughts and ideas between the monasteries, and the Dominican Monastic Search, a theological
journal authored by nuns from various monasteries. The Healthcare committee was established to
address the ethical and sensitive issues facing healthcare today.
The Dominican Sisters of
Springfield, Illinois provided their motherhouse as a gathering place for the
assembly. Sister Mary Dominica Brennan,
a canon lawyer and member of the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Illinois,
was present during the assembly as an advisor and consultant.
“Our Association is so closely
connected with the Springfield Dominicans because the first gathering of the
nuns from various monasteries was here in Springfield,”
Sister Mary of the Sacred Heart said.
“That was when they first came together.
Now the Association has come together for the first meeting – back in Springfield – where it
began.”
“It has been a privilege to be the
host sight for this historic event,” said Sister Rose Marie Riley, Prioress
General of the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Illinois. “We strongly
believe in the value of collaboration for the sake of the mission. This was a unique opportunity to connect with
our Dominican nuns and provide the space for their collaboration. It was hard to say ‘good-bye’ but we know
that our connection will continue. We enjoyed their presence so much.”
“We like to call ourselves the
Dominican family and I’ve experienced that very strongly here,” Sister Judith
Miryam from the Monastery of our Lady of the Rosary in Summit, New Jersey
said. “Sister Dominica has been
wonderful to have because we’ve been talking about legislative documents and
law and wording is very important.
What’s great about her is that she is a Dominican, so she has certain
knowledge of our life and our way of doing things, which is always collegial in
Dominican government.”
“What has been one of the great
blessings of this particular meeting is that the Sisters have welcomed us to
their facility and really just opened the whole facility and just said: ‘anywhere you want to go you’re welcome, just
call us and we’ll help you out in anyway,’” Sister Mary John said.
The goal of the Association is to
strengthen Dominican monasteries and the unity between each one. Toward that end, the leadership council will
gather annually to discuss issues and make recommendations and decisions. Individual committees will meet at their
discretion.
“I think what we will have to do
in the coming year is build on trust, increase trust between the monasteries,”
Sister Mary John said. “As they see the
Association working, and hopefully they will see that it’s nothing really
threatening them, other monasteries will feel encouraged to join.”
By Nathan Mihelich
The following images are Thank You cards from the
Cloistered Dominican Nuns for the hospitality of the Dominican Sisters
of Springfield.
Click on the thumbnail images to view the card in its entirety.
"Viewing
these cards online doesn't do them justice as to how beautiful they are
in actuality." Multimedia Specialist, Bonnie Hobson, said.
Cloistered Dominican Nuns' appreciation song(Click on the image above to read the lyrics)
Monastery of the Infant Jesus -
Lufkin, Texas
|
Monastery of the Blessed Sacrament -
Farmington Hills, MI
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Corpus Christi Community
| 
Dominican Nuns - Elmira, NY
|
Moniales Dominicaines de
Berthierville, Quebec
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The Monastery of the Angels -
Los Angeles, CA
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Monastery of the Immaculate Heart of Mary -
Lancaster, PA
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The Rosary Monastery -
Trinidad, West Indies
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Corpus Christi Monastery -
Menlo Park, CA
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Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary -
Summit, NJ
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