Subseries 07 - Chapter Meetings

• Textual record

9 cm of textual records

This subseries consists of material on Chapter meetings. Chapters are formal meetings of the congregation held every four years where major decisions are made and elections are held for congregational leadership. Chapters are also where the congregation decides on the Direction Statement, which outlines the goals of the congregation. The Chapter planning committee makes arrangements for Chapter meetings. In between Chapters, every two years, Assemblies are held. At Assemblies, the whole community gathers to discuss their plans, goal, concerns, and give updates on projects. Chapters usually lasts for one week. In 2011, at a Special Chapter, the Sisters in London held a canonical vote to decide whether they would amalgamate with the congregations in Hamilton, Peterborough, and Pembroke, Ontario. In 2012, the four congregations amalgamated to form the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada. The last Special Chapter was in 1968 after Vatican II.

Included in this subseries are correspondence with Sisters who would not be able to attend the Special Chapter in-person, lists of Sisters who acted as delegates at the 2011 Chapter, material Sisters presented at the 2011 Chapter, results of the amalgamation vote, Leadership and Chapter reports, implementation of the 2007 Chapter Direction Statement, correspondence from the U.S. Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph concerning a Leadership Development Program, and material related to the planning and preparation of the Chapters and Chapter reports. There are also morning prayer pamphlets from the 2007 Chapter which highlight Dorothy Day, Hildegard of Bingen, Mother St. John Fontbonne, Etty Hillesum, and the Martyrs of Liberia.

The subseries includes pamphlets, agendas, notes, preparatory materials, speeches, reports, sheet music and songs, histories, presentation slides, meeting minutes, and correspondence.