USA Associates Hold Assembly 2016

Jane Maurer has been Coordinator of Associates for past three years as well as acting facilitator to her local Associate community, Jeanne de Matel.

As Coordinator, It fell to Jane and her helpers to organize the 2016 Assembly which was very timely ahead of the Sisters’ April Assembly and also since it has been six years since the last Associate Assembly was held.

While all Associate members were invited to Assembly, many found themselves unable to attend for a number of reasons. The group of thirty in attendance was representative of nine of the fifteen Associate Communities.

Sister Tere Maya, Congregational Leader gave the Opening Presentation which focused on the Associate Structure and the Relationship with the Congregation.

In presenting “Right Relationship” Sister Tere explained that “the vowed religious Sisters belong to and are members of the Congregation; the Associates, according to Canon Law, are not members of the congregation, rather the Association is an extension of the structure; Together with the Sisters, Associates share the Charism of the Incarnation, Christian Baptism, discipleship with the world, spirituality, mission, apostolic expression.  

Associates make their commitment to the Association and annually renew this commitment within their Associate community.

Meeting time included some discussion of finances and recommendations were made to assist in ways to improve the financial picture for future planning and expansion.

Sister Margaret Snyder, Associate liaison, assisted the group in moving forward with their vision and earlier suggestions- such as the selection of a full time director to become effective in Dec 2016 and the updating of the Associate Handbooks for better communication among all the Associate groups in US, Mexico and Peru.

The evening ended with a Group Photo Session on Brackenridge Balcony--all aglow with red scarves, and this was followed by a Fiesta Dinner in Heritage Hall.

Before departure for home, all joined in the closing Liturgy in the Chapel of the Incarnate Word on Sunday, April 10. The sermon was especially geared to the Charism in the lives of the Associates also adding prayer for deceased Associates.