News

From the arrivals to the Closing Ceremony, this video tries to capture the moments of joy, the moments of warmth and the moments of encounter during General Chapter 2024.

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the various teams that worked behind-the-scenes, supporting the facilitators, the coordinating committee, and the capitulants.

As the Chapter drew to a close, we asked the capitulants to summarize what it was like and what they are going to bring back home.

The General Chapter of 2024 was officially closed on August 31, 2024. In her address, Claire Castaing rscj, our new Superior General, spoke of courage and risk-taking, of the value of vulnerability, and of transformation.

The International Society of the Sacred Heart is pleased to announce the nomination of the new General Council: Ananda Amritmahal (IND), Noellina Namusisi (UGK), Francisca (Paqui) Rodríguez (ESP) and Sheila Smith (USC).

Thursday was a day of much reading for the capitulants, as their task in these days is to give content and form to the General Chapter Document.

On Wednesday, as the capitulants came back to the chapter room after their free day, they saw that the seeds have sprouted and the plants are growing.

Tuesday was the last opportunity for the capitulants to go on outings together.

The Liturgy Team is made up of three RSCJs from different continents, who take turns preparing the daily prayers so that different cultures are represented. On Monday morning, the capitulants prayed in an unusual way, watching an animated film by Korean-American artist Edwin Chang: Wind.

On Sunday morning, the capitulants prayed with a poem of Jan Richardson: “…take the vows the pilgrim takes:
to be faithful to the next step…”

On Saturday, the capitulants continued their in-depth discussion on the four themes: governance; apostolic priorities; shared resources and community of goods; and formation.

On Friday, the Chapter entered the next stage, in which the capitulants had the task of developing the four main themes.

Watch the video to walk through the Centro Ad Gentes: the capitulant room, the chapel, the dining room, and the common areas.

Thursday began with the second “Expand Your Tents” session, where the whole Society was able to join via Zoom to get a more in-depth presentation of the events of the past few days.

The life-giving experiences of Tuesday and Wednesday gave the capitulants an opportunity to “recharge their batteries”.

The General Chapter 2024 is happy to announce the election of Claire Castaing RSCJ as Superior General for a period of eight years.

On Saturday, the process of electing the new General Superior of the Society began. The capitulants will spend the next three days in prayerful, silent discernment. Please accompany them with your prayers.

Friday the capitulants were invited in the morning prayer to open their eyes and contemplate the reality in which they live, with faith, so that together they can continue on the path along which the Holy Spirit has guided them.

Listen to the capitulants talk about what their countries, their cultures, and their missions will bring to their proposed new provinces and on what experiences they have already shared with the other members.

On Thursday, the morning prayer was about true fasting (Is 58,5-9). The meditation on this text was an appropriate introduction to the day.

Another week having passed, Wednesday was a day to rest, to do something else, to relax. They could visit nearby historic sites: Frascati and Grottaferrata, Fossanova Abbey or have a tranquil day at Lake Albano in Castel Gandolfo.

On Tuesday, a new stage of the Chapter’s process began. The capitulants now focused on how to embrace a common vision, values and guidelines that will guide the Society and the provinces in their way of living the new organisation, and to set the necessary landmarks for the next eight years.

Monday was a very memorable day for the capitulants. Pope Francis received four religious congregations (who were holding their Chapter in Rome) at a private audience.

On Saturday, the capitulants started a new stage of the Chapter, where the focus shifted to organisational issues.

The capitulants spent the morning in personal prayer, followed by a plenary in the afternoon. The day ended with a Eucharistic celebration, followed by a pizza dinner and a party to close the first third of the Chapter.

On Friday, the capitulants connected via Zoom with the sisters of the Society.

On Thursday, the capitulants prepared themselves to welcome the conversations of the day in a tone of openness, listening, honesty, truth, compassion, and mercy.

The first week of the Chapter has already passed, and the capitulants deserved some rest. They had the opportunity to spend the day in Nemi, enjoying its tranquillity, or to take part in one of the excursions to Castel Gandolfo, Subiaco or to the beach of Anzio.

On Tuesday, the feast of the Transfiguration, during the morning prayer the capitulants asked for the Lord’s help to make room for grace.

On Monday, the morning prayer invited the capitulants to return to the source of Madeleine Sophie in Joigny, to surrender our lives and our world to the action of the Holy Spirit. Each capitulant was then able to continue her visit to the Tents of Encounter to discover the realities of the possible new provinces,…