Nostra Signora di Sion

Via Garibaldi 28 - 00153 Roma

Pentecost 2009

In Sion Firmata Sum

Dear Sisters,

During this liturgical season of new life in the Holy Spirit, with much energy, support and encouragement coming from the Spirit, we want to share with you the blessings and fruits of our work in preparation for the 25th General Chapter of the Congregation. The main work and decisions of the plenary council, held in March of this year, have continued into our immediate preparations for the General Chapter of 2010.

The text that has inspired our work, is the text which is inscribed on the ring we wear every day: In Sion Firmata Sum. It is the prayer around our finger. We can touch it and pray the words often during the day. Fr Theodore wanted us to have a ring, with this inscription on it, very early on in the life of the congregation, as we can read in the minutes of the general council of 1867. The question about the ring was postponed until the Chapter of 1872 but was never dealt with.

In Sion Firmata Sum: this important text contains so much for the congregation at this time of transition and renewal. We are offering it as the biblical text for The General Chapter of 2010, which we now convoke.

The four of us have reflected and prayed together with this text,in whichthere is a vast biblical richness that some of you will have explored. It is like a key which opens up to us biblical depths and blessings. Our reflections and exploration led us to several other texts which inspired us,and we would liketo invite you to share similar explorations and reflections. To begin with we suggest the following, though there are many more:

Lev 26:11-12 – Is 56:7 - Joel 3:17 – Sir 24: 7ff.

We reflected on the assurance, stability and faithfulness of God. God has walked, and walks, among us [Lev.26:12 ]. God’s wisdom and fidelity to the congregationover the years is well established: God is with us, guiding and leading us on. We can be joyful in the house of the Lord – it is a house of prayer for all peoples [Is 56: 7]. Jerusalem shall be holy for God dwells there [Joel 3:17]. In Ben Sirach the whole of creation is called to witness to the wisdom of God seeking a resting place.

Each general chapter is a new moment in the congregation’s history. As we reflect on the last five years we have been led to experience the congregation as reflected in the light of the needs of the church and world. We know that in order for us to be more focused for our charism (mission), we must reconfigure and reorganize ourselves as a congregation. Our world calls us more and more to witness to community: how do we live, work and pray together and with others? It is in solidarity with others, with the Jewish people and people of other faith traditions, that we must exercise our responsibility to face and address the challenges of today, in the search for peace. The need continues for dialogue and Jewish-Christian relations. There are enormous challenges of injustice and war, withconstantly increasing numbers of displaced people and refugees. The environmental crisis and global warming surely calls us to work together to change our attitudes and behavior. How do we address these specific issues as sisters of Sion? Jerusalem remains the centre for us. What will this mean for the congregation now and over the following six years? What will be the implications?

In the past, we worked internationally in some areas of our life and mission, but most of our work was done within our provinces. Today we are being called to work together as congregation, and not alone each in our own province or region. There are no borders now, as we look at the great challenges and major threats in our world. No one individual, or province, or region can face these major issues alone. Our survival as a planet, with the cry for a just world that needs community, reconciliation and the resolution of conflict, demands that we work together as a congregation and with others. During this year of preparation for our general chapter we will be exploring together andmore concretely how we might do this. We are being called to think and act ‘congregationally’.

One of the functions of a General Chapter is to “deepen and make more explicit the charism of Sion” (Const. 116). We must look at how we can do this in a new way that will inspire and focus our life together in mission for next six years.

Our facilitators for the general chapter will be: Sr. Bríd Long, SSL (Sister of St. Louis) and Fr. Ignacio Madera Vargas, SDS (Salvatorian) from Columbia.

Our Chapter preparation Team will be:Helen and Darlene from general leadership:Jilvaneide Santos (Province of Brazil ) and Clare Jardine (Province of UK/Ireland).

They will work with our facilitators to guide us, through the preparation and prayer, during the year in the lead-up towards the chapter.

In broad outline the year will unfold as follows:

  • August/Sept. 2009Personal reflection and sharing with others on the issues our

General Chapter must address.

  • Oct 09-Jan. 2010Provincial/regional chapters in preparation for General Chapter

and election of delegates to General Chapter.

  • By Mar. 15 2010Reports to be prepared: General Leadership; La Solitude;

Provincial/regional.

  • By Apr. 15 2010Consultation for future congregational leadership completed.

Throughout these stages you will be invited to participate as fully as possible. This includes prayer, personal and communal reflection, attendance and sharing at gatherings and/or provincial chapters. We would like to suggest a psalm that the whole congregation will be praying together daily in thanksgiving and praise.

Psalm 65 : “Praise is due to you O God, in Sion”

The chapter will be held at:

Suore Divin Salvatore

Villa Maria

Largo G. Berchet, 4

00152 Roma

Tel: +39-06-585-2031

From July 3 – 30, 2010.

For thoseof you who know Rome, it is a small guest house on the propertyof SalvatorMundiHospital, not far from the generalate.

We would like to have a logofor the general chapter incorporating the theme,In Sion firmata sum. We encourage any sister with artistic/digital talent tosubmit alogo/design before June 22nd 2009. The logo chosenwill be used on all future communications for chapter preparations.

Let us pray together as a congregation for the guidance of the Spirit: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, renew the face of the earth and of each one of us.

With our love and great union with you in prayer and courage, as we move forward together.

In Sion Firmata Sum.

Tel.: 39 06 580 04 79 /39 06 581 04 65 - Fax: 39 06 580 94 54 - Email: