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Daily Summaries
Week Three
March 26- Day Fourteen
March 27 - Day Fifteen
March 28 - Day Sixteen
March 29 - Day Seventeen
March 30 - Day Eighteen
March 31 – Closing of Assembly
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The School Sisters of St. Francis have elected a new International Leadership Team, to take office on July 1, 2006 and serve until June 30, 2010. SSSF General Assembly delegates from all five provinces of the School Sisters in the United States, Latin America, North India, South India and Europe elected the Team on Saturday, March 25. They were officially announced during a solemn Vesper Service in the St. Joseph Center Chapel in Milwaukee, Wis., the Motherhouse for the Congregation.
The new International Leadership Team members are:
Sisters Patricia, Arlene, Rita and Kathleen |
Sister Kathleen Kluthe, President;
Sister Patricia Baier, Vice President;
Sister Arlene Woelfel, Vice President;
Schwester Rita Eble, Vice President.
We thank them for their “yes” to serve in Congregational leadership and we ensure them of the love and support of the School Sisters throughout the coming years. Thank you for your prayers during this time of discernment and election.
After a well-deserved day of rest on Sunday, the delegates met today to continue direction setting for the Congregation. The opening prayer was led by the Sisters from the Latin American Province (ULAF). “We wish to express our gratitude to the Lord for the experiences we have had these past weeks. To do this we have chosen symbols that the Sisters from each province will bring forward,” said Hermana Carmen Romero. With marimba music in the background, Hermana Juana Hernández processed into St. Joseph Hall carrying incense. Other Sisters brought forward candles, a Bible, sandals, a copy of Response in Faith, and a carving of Jesus and laid them in a circle on the floor. “We give God thanks for all that has been and all that will continue to be at this Assembly,” said Sister Toni Gradisnik, chairperson for the day.
Sister Toni acknowledged again that Saturday was a wonderful day as a new International Leadership Team was announced during a solemn Vesper Service. The Sisters celebrated afterwards with a reception in the dining hall.
Today’s business was conducted in province groupings in the morning as the delegates reviewed the drafts of the critical questions. In the afternoon the delegates met in interest groups and discussed the feedback they received from province groups. This input will continue to be integrated into the writings to help shape the future Congregational direction.
The evening was spent at Alverno College as the delegates participated in a dinner in their honor and listened to a presentation by School Sisters that are Alverno College students and alums.
Hermana Enelly Ortiz of the Latin American Province (ULAF) welcomed everyone to the work of the day. The U.S. Province Sisters began the prayer by asking everyone to extend an Indian greeting with gently bowed heads and hands clasped with fingers pointing to the sky – namaste. Sister Felicia Wolf reminded delegates that our bodies are more than 70% water. “When we bless each other with water we are blessing ourselves and those connected to us,” she said. The prayer continued with a ritual involving water as one Sister extended a blessing to another Sister.
The Sisters thanked Sister Jane Russell of the U.S. Province, an International Leadership Team nominee, who was leaving the group today. With arms outstretched in a blessing, the Sisters sang to her in three languages.
Co-facilitator Sister Pauline McGrath asked the delegates to review the behaviors for sharing and listening at their tables – an important exercise in successful interpersonal communication. Sister Bridget Ehlert outlined the three aims for the day: choosing synthesizers to assist with the writing; coming to consensus on the third draft of the four remaining critical questions; and deciding the format for the future direction statement. The Sisters spent the morning talking about promoting international relationships across provinces and strengthening the SSSF international identity.
Following a group photo taken after lunch, the delegates continued their discussion and direction setting related to the critical questions. Great attention was paid to the power of words as Sister Bridget expertly led the group through a process of consensus-building. Delegates talked about important concepts such as their own self-education, education within the Congregation, and education, advocacy and action extending outward in society on important issues of justice, peace, the environment and Franciscan spirituality.
Following the ratification of each critical question, the delegates expressed their thanks to the members of all the interest groups for their hard work.
"Today is not a sunny day … so it is a good day for work,” teased Sister Lisieux Maria Madhavappally of St. Francis Province as she welcomed delegates. The day was overcast and cool and it was a good day to concentrate on the
remaining tasks during the final days of the G.A. Sisters from Assisi Province in South India led the prayer by recalling the beginnings of the Congregation and the hard work and service of the foundresses. The Gospel was read in three languages and Sisters demonstrated seeds being planted and growing. “I’m sure our ministry as School Sisters will continue to grow and flourish,” one of the Sisters read. The name of the Congregation and of each province was brought forward and placed on a banner with a large tree trunk and limbs.
Sister Lisieux Maria acknowledged that the days are moving fast and the group has accomplished many good things such as electing a new International Leadership Team and completing the direction setting process.
Co-facilitator Sister Bridget Ehlert outlined the components of the day: clarify what Response in Faith is saying about the G.A. committees (to help the delegates prepare to nominate and eventually elect committee members); return to the reports and see any recommendations made to the G.A. that haven’t been addressed; and have the provinces discuss a plan to share the G.A.
Schwester Erna Maria Zimmerer and Sister Toni Gradisnik recalled the discussion about tasks, procedures and qualifications for committee members. They referred to what had been said earlier about the talents and skills needed for successful work on the G.A. Steering Committee, Finance Committee and Government Committee. Time was also spent talking about how to surface people for the committees.
After lunch the delegates were led in a dance from South Africa entitled, “ Beautiful Mountain.” Sister Pauline McGrath encouraged everyone to see themselves climbing a high mountain and being with one another on the journey. “When you reach the top of the mountain, visualize what gift you are receiving and what gift you need,” she said. “Take it yourself and then share it with another person.”
The afternoon was spent discussing recommendations that had not been previously addressed including: reviewing Response in Faith upon its 20th anniversary (2006); writing the history of the Congregation from 1950 to the present; and looking at the Nomination Committee process.
“This morning we are taking a glance back at the places from which we came and our Sisters with whom we live and work,” said Schwester Anna Maria Weinmann of the European Province, as she began the morning prayer. “Each Sister is a light and we also bring light from this Assembly back to them. We are united in one light – Jesus – our light and our hope.”
Sister Mary Ann Meyer was the chairperson and acknowledged today was the second-to-last day of the Assembly. The agenda included a number of business items as the Sisters voted and approved by-laws and amendments to by-laws from various provinces. They also approved changes to one supplement item in Response in Faith.
Delegates discussed writing the history of the School Sisters of St. Francis from 1950 until the present. They talked about the importance of capturing this history and how that might be accomplished across provinces. They affirmed that undertaking this project would be “ … a beautiful way of working together to come up with our history,” and agreed that there are new members around the world who do not know this history, including the impact of Vatican II on the Congregation.
Also discussed today were recommendations about the nomination process. Over lunch a “synthesis group” worked to weave together the wording of the G.A. direction. After lunch the delegates planned how they want to take the G.A. home to the Sisters in their province. Province representatives presented many ideas for carrying the message home in the coming months such as newsletters, meetings, letters, email messages, photos, Power Points, small group gatherings, press releases and presentations at convents and Provincial Assemblies.
In addition to the meetings and business sessions, the delegates want to share other aspects of the G.A. experience with their Sisters. They expressed appreciation these past three weeks for the social times, special liturgies, birthday celebrations, visits around Milwaukee and said that they looked forward to relaying these experiences too. Some Sisters mentioned that they learned new skills for “listening and sharing” at meetings, and leadership skills for discernment and decision making. These too will benefit the work of their provinces.
March 31 – Closing of Assembly
The 2006 G.A. came to a close today. Sister Kate Brenner led the U.S. Province morning prayer for the group and said, “These past weeks we have been light to each other, to our Sisters back home and to those people who are vulnerable in the world.” Practical matters of the day included discerning and electing Sisters to serve on the Steering Committee for the next G.A. in 2010; discerning members for other G.A. committees; evaluating the G.A. experience and bringing it to closure. The closing liturgy was held in the evening in the St. Joseph Center Chapel.
As if assembling an intricate puzzle with hundreds of pieces, the delegates have spent nearly three weeks painstakingly fitting together a final product to carry home. The “product” is much more than the 
tangible reports and minutes of meetings the delegates will relay. To really “take on the heart, mind and soul of the whole Congregation,” as was encouraged the first day of the G.A., Sisters immersed themselves in all aspects of this gathering. Forging new friendships and relationships, the delegates got to know each other during social times, by worshipping together at multi-cultural liturgies, over meals, in discussions in hallways and lounges, and by accompanying each other on visits around Milwaukee. Unity and networking across provinces was nurtured in the formal dialogues as well as in walks around the Motherhouse garden and celebrations of birthdays and special events. One delegate said the small, informal conversations meant so much to her and will change her forever.
Like any large gathering of this nature, the Assembly was not without its frustrations and tensions. Meetings held day and night for 19 days, with two free days, challenged participants to adjust, compromise, speak honestly and in a forthright manner, and to refine their own interpersonal skills while sharing and listening to each other.
The Sisters will take back their experiences from the G.A. and integrate them into their own lives and ministries. Some learnings can be measured and others are more intangible. A common denominator for all delegates was feeling a true sense of “internationality” by being a School Sister of St. Francis. Clear too, was the desire to strengthen this piece. Delegates reflected deeply on how they are the “face of the Gospel.”
“The G.A. provided the best time for me to know my Congregation, province to province, and person to person, including different cultures, languages, difficulties and joys,” said Sister Lisieux Maria from North India. “The G.A. helped me to think about how great is my call to be a member of this international community of Sisters, and how it demands of me to be the Franciscan face of the Gospel.”