Day 4

M. Daum once again reminded the Capitulants that they have been  engaged in an ongoing discernment process  reaching back even beyond the 2018 and 2019 Enlarged General Councils and  the Pre-Chapter meeting of Feb-March 2021…

Reflection and group interaction on day 3,  around WHICH SISTERS HAVE THE CAPACITY TO LEAD THE INSTITUTE and animate it to live its purpose at this particular “crossroads” in its existence resulted in a long list of names.

Today, then, was a space for “Murmuratio” based on this list –  a structured time, with specific rules to facilitate fair, honest and brief one-to-one question and answer conversations  in order to seek the information necessary to proceed to the Elections.   First, however,  the Facilitator opened the floor for dialogue around any issues that individual Capitulants considered important for all to hear at this stage of the discernment.  Thus it was that several points were raised, including:

  • The Institute is at a decisive moment in its history – a time of opportunity
  • The time has come to for the Institute to ACT, to implement the options taken.
  • To be aware that, where there is fragility, there is a strong need for accompaniment
  • Is the age of the candidates an issue?
  • The need to risk, to take a radical step, so something new can emerge for Mission
  • We need leaders who have a vision of the future, and who can lead and hold the whole Body..  who can develop and extend our Charism, and are capable of finding and urging new responses.
  • Structures that are flexible and are life-promoting.

The accent was on being open to the new, being ready to let go of the secure and familiar, not being tied to what we have always done…

The rest of the day’s Session was given to personal reflection and “Murmuratio”, in preparation for the election of the Superior General on day 5.