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POLICY STATEMENT
SFIC GENERAL CHAPTER 2009
"Called to Unity in Loving Surrender
to the Living God"
Introduction
The Triune God, Father, Son and Spirit is the basis of our unity as a Congregation. This call to unity is a call to communion with God, with one another, with others and with the whole of creation. As SFICs, the spirit and charism of our foundress, Mother Teresia van Miert, serves as the basis for our unity in formation, community life, mission and prayer.
We, the Capitulars of General Chapter 2009 came together in Veghel, the Netherlands on May 18 to 31 to reflect on the call to unity in loving surrender to the living God and its impact on our life as a Congregation. It is also to examine the reality of our life vis-a-vis the ideal and to address our general concerns.
FORMATION
Formation is a life-long process of conversion and transformation into the likeness of Jesus Christ. It is an initiation, deepening and interiorization of the spirit and charism of the Congregation for loving surrender to the living God.
The General Board, in collaboration with the Provinces and the Kenya Mission, will animate the interiorization of the Spiritual Basis of our Constitutions by all the Sisters to help us live the spirit and charism of the Congregation as witnesses of God'
s presence wherever we are. The formulation, implementation and animation of a wholistic, integrated, contextualized and multi-cultural Franciscan/SFIC formation program for all our Sisters in all levels will be facilitated in the same manner.
The role of formators is crucial in our growth towards the fullness of God'
s image and likeness. A Franciscan spirituality of accompaniment shall be given to all those who are involved in formation so that they may be able to exemplify the Franciscan values in their life. Preparation for the last stage of life shall be made integral to our life-long process for a meaningful and peaceful passage to eternal life.
The General Chapter deems it appropriate to provide an inculturation program in the Kenya Mission for formators in initial formation to deepen and enrich our formation to mission and community life with a multi-cultural perspective. The General Board shall provide the Guidelines for this inculturation program.
All leaders/local superiors in the Provinces and the Kenya Mission shall be provided with the necessary formative assistance to enable them to exercise their functions.
A contextualized Franciscan/SFIC formation program for our lay personnel/mission partners will be formulated, implemented and sustained by Provinces and the Kenya Mission so that we share the same vision and spirit in our service.
Our Franciscan spirituality lived in love, simplicity, humility, joy and gratitude serves as our contribution in promoting the sense of the sacred in the world today.
GENERAL CHAPTER AND GENERAL BOARD
The highest authority in the Congregation is vested on the General Superior and her Council (C 97). The General Superior has direct authority over the individual members, the communities and the Provinces. The General Board promotes the spirit and charism of the Congregation, the religious life of the Sisters, the apostolate and matters of government (S 146 a ,b).
The seat of the general government of the Congregation has always been in Veghel, the Netherlands . The General Chapter believes, in accordance with the signs of the times, that the seat of governance be transferred to countries where the Congregation is flourishing. The General Board will consult the Sisters regarding this transfer. The result of the consultation will be reported to the 2013 General Chapter for deliberation and decision.
The determination of our patrimony as a Congregation and its maintenance for posterity is a general concern which the General Chapter delegates to the General Board in collaboration with the Netherlands Provincial Board. The Netherlands Provincial Board will continually inform the General Board regarding the development-plans for its future.
A visible sign of unity in the whole Congregation will be the adoption of the original logo from the history book of Mother Isidora de Rooy.
The venue for the next General Chapter will be in Veghel, the Netherlands where the roots of the Congregation are located and to insure the participation of the delegates of the Netherlands Province . There will be three (3) elected delegates from the existing Provinces to the 2013 General Chapter, and considering the size of the Philippines-South Province , it shall have one (1) elected delegate (S116).
The sharing in the interest of the Solidarity Fund will include the new province in the Southern part of the Philippines to be erected in 2010. In support of the General Government, S 81 of the Constitutions was invoked so that the Provinces and the Kenya Mission will give a part of their share in the interest of the Solidarity Fund to the General Board.
KENYA MISSION
The Sisters will consider it a grace to be allowed to deal with people of other cultures and thus to experience that the works of God are wonderful. Together with the people among whom they live, the Sisters will continue searching for those values and norms which enable people to give more shape to the Kingdom of God . ( Constitutions, Spiritual Basis , Ch. 7, Lines 96-103 )
The General Chapter considers it fitting that the Kenya Mission be prepared for provincial status by the General Board. A General Councilor is appointed to guide the Kenya Mission Board in the exercise of its function. The Mission Superior and her Council are appointed by the General Superior with the consent of her Council after an advisory nomination of the Sisters, for a period of four (4) years. By virtue of her appointment as Mission Superior, she becomes the observer to the General Chapter.
To be eligible for election, the candidates for Mission Councilors have to be perpetually professed. The term of office for which they are appointed coincides with the office of the Mission Superior. The first assistant serves as the substitute of the Mission Superior.
The Kenya Mission is given the opportunity to participate in the Provincial Chapters with an observer who is chosen from the rank and file. The observer may be elected only once.
To insure the voting rights of the Sisters, the first and second year professed Sisters can elect their observer to the Provincial Chapters. All the perpetually professed Sisters and those with at least three years temporary vows have both active and passive voice in the election of observers. All the professed Sisters exercise their voting right in the advisory nomination for the Mission Board.
The Mission Superior shall be chosen from the members of the Kenya Mission. The choice of Mission Superior will consider her qualities of being imbued with the spirit and charism of the Congregation and with a missionary heart. She has adequate knowledge of and openness to the different cultures, with sufficient skills for governance. To qualify for the office, she has to be perpetually professed for ten (10) years and in residence in Kenya for four (4) years.
The General Superior convenes a General Assembly every two years in collaboration with the Mission Board for the purpose of bonding, assessment and perspective setting. Every four years, the General Assembly includes the advisory nominaton for the Mission Board. The Mission Board, together with the Sisters, strives to work for financial stability given the possiblities in their area.
COMMUNICATION
The General Superior maintains regular communication with the Provinces and the Kenya Mission through her General Letters and an annual letter on the spirit and charism of the Congregation. The COM-IN and IN MEMORIAM, SFIC World-Wide Data Base and translated significant archival documents will be shared. The Provinces and the Kenya Mission will maintain communication through an exchange of General Letters, Newsletters and other informative materials.
Concluding Statement
We acknowledge that everything comes from and belongs to God. That makes everything sacred. Where we tread is sacred ground, who we meet are holy, who we are and what we do are hallowed in His Name.
We pray for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who empowers us to make our aspirations for the Congregation a reality. We humbly ask the intercession of our Blessed Mother, our Father Francis, Mother Teresia van Miert in our journey towards unity in loving surrender to the living God.
The General Chapter
Of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception
of the Holy Mother of God (SFIC)
Deken van Mierstraat 8
Veghel, the Netherlands
May 18-31, 2009
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