What is “Chapter”? Looking Ahead to the Institute Chapter of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, April 12-22, 2023
The Sisters of Mercy of the Americas have spent months in preparation for their upcoming Institute Chapter, to be held April 12-22, 2023, in St. Louis, Missouri. This article is intended for lay members of the Mercy Education community to help explain the significance of this event and its impact on our education ministries.
First, what is “Chapter?” The Institute Chapter, when in session, is the highest authority in the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. The Institute Chapter convenes every six years. This year it will consist of 123 elected delegates and 18 alternates. Many other sisters are present at the event as committee members. Among the responsibilities of the Institute Chapter are electing a new Institute President and Councilors and setting a direction for the future that is driven by mission.
The Institute Chapter is a body, though you’ll also often hear it referred to as an event. For example, “At Chapter, sisters participated in an impactful session on nonviolence.”
What can you expect from the 2023 Chapter? As noted above, one duty of the Chapter is to elect a new Institute President and four Councilors, who together comprise the Institute Leadership Team. The elections will take place April 21-22. The other responsibility is direction-setting. This will evolve from a series of processes that take place during the gathering; members of the Chapter body hear from many voices across the Institute, engage in contemplative dialogue and respond to the needs of their time.
For example, the Critical Concerns of the Sisters of Mercy were developed by the 2005 Institute Chapter, and today are integral to how the mission of Mercy is expressed within our schools. The calls of the most recent Chapter in 2017 – including “to strengthen our relationships with one another through reverence for our international and intercultural community” and “to become better educated and to participate in engaged dialogue on gender identity and sexual orientation” – have helped inform the work of Mercy Education, including events, cohort meetings, resources and more.
How can you support sisters who serve on the Institute Chapter? The best way to support the sisters is through prayer! You are invited to use or adapt the following prayer: Holy Spirit, please fill the members of the Institute Chapter with the graces of their sacred duty. Direct and inspire them in this holy time of Chapter. Keep them open to the surprises of God’s grace. Amen.
If a Sister of Mercy at your school will be a part of Chapter, consider making time as a school community to pray for her with a simple announcement such as: Today we pray for (name of sister) who is serving her community of Mercy as a delegate/alternate to their Institute Chapter. Your school community might also remember in prayer a number of the delegates during each school day during Chapter, reading several names each day. A complete list of delegates and alternates is available here.
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