Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ) and members of the family of the Sacred Heart worldwide gathered via Zoom on Wednesday, November 10, to celebrate the opening Mass of the Special Chapter, which was held in Rome at the Society of the Sacred Heart Motherhouse. The Mass marked the formal beginning of the Chapter.
From November 10-December 2, RSCJ nominated to represent their area/district/province – capitulants – will be meeting via Zoom to address and discern two issues: how the Society will reconfigure its way of being One Body, and share its resources for the future of its life and mission.
Provincial Suzanne Cooke, RSCJ, and Juliet Mousseau, RSCJ, are representing the United States – Canada (USC) Province. In addition former Superior General Kathleen Conan, RSCJ, of the USC Province is attending as an ex officio member.
While the Society of the Sacred Heart typically holds General Chapters every six to eight years, a Special Chapter may be called by the Superior General to address a specific matter. A Chapter is an assembly of RSCJ, representative of every area/province/district within the Society of the Sacred Heart and involves voting and in the case of a General Chapter the appointment of a new Superior General. This Special Chapter is the second of its kind, since the first Special Chapter of the Society was convoked in 1967.
The 2021 Special Chapter was originally slated to take place in Malaga, Spain in February of 2021, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic was delayed and then moved to a virtual platform. Over the past year and a half, each area/district/province has held their respective Chapters in preparation for the Special Chapter.
The Society of the Sacred Heart invites the entire family of the Sacred Heart to continue to pray for the whole Society during this time and also to join in two additional Masses that will be streamed live on the Special Chapter Website on Sunday, November 21, and at the conclusion of the Chapter on Wednesday, December 2.
Prayers, including a Novena video series, and additional information about the Special Chapter can be found on the Special Chapter website.
Opening Mass Recording
Official Song of the 2021 Special Chapter
