Chapter 2008

July 14 – Week 1
What is a General Chapter?

In February 2007, Clare Pratt and the Central Team called for General Chapter 2008. This meeting, which represents all the members of the Society, will be held in the Casa de Espiritualidad of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart in Lima, Peru from July 16th through August 20th, 2008. The central theme of this General Chapter is RSCJ Spirituality: Dialogue around the (Fire, Candle, Well, Meal…). The Constitutions of the Society say, “The General Chapter ensures and promotes both communion and vitality in the Society of the Sacred Heart in view of its mission.”. Its responsibilities include:

• to protect the spiritual heritage, to give orientation to the Society, being aware of the appeals and needs of the Church and the world
• to elect the superior general and to propose to the superior general names of those from whom she chooses her general council
• to propose modifications to the Constitutions if it is necessary
• to review the financial state of the Congregation
• to establish the criteria to be followed for determining the number of delegates to the next chapter
• to ratify the superior general’s choice of secretary general and treasurer general
  
  The last General Chapter was held in 2000 in Amiens, France.

Throughout the next six weeks of the Chapter we will have various audio files available to explain the meaning of different aspects of the Chapter and its various functions. This week, Kathleen Hughes, RSCJ describes What a General Chapter is and the Chief Functions of a General Chapter. Simply click below to download the mp3 files or use the player at the bottom to play the audio directly on our site.
KH - General Chapter Intro (1:16) MP3
KH - Chief Function of General Chapter (4:25) MP3

You are also invited to visit the RSCJ Chapter website at RSCJ International.