Basilian Sisters convene in Rome (09/09/01)

Basilian Sisters convene in Rome

by Sister Maria Rozmarynowycz

ROME - The Eighth General Chapter of the Sisters of the Order of St. Basil the Great convened in Rome at the Pontifical Seminary of Pokrov on July 9-23. Forty-five sister delegates from around the world took part in this event which also marked the 50th anniversary of the centralization of the order when it was granted pontifical status.

Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, leader of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, opened the General Chapter with the celebration of the divine liturgy in St. Sophia on July 9. Cardinal Ignace Moussa Daoud, prefect of the Congregation of the Oriental Churches, presided and preached the homily.

Eastern spirituality, the revitalization of the monastic life and remaining faithful to their rich liturgical heritage were among the more important items on the sisters' agenda. In other meetings delegates focused on updating the constitutions of the order and the general directory.

During the course of the chapter the sisters celebrated the anniversary of the union of all the Basilian monasteries throughout the world. The sisters relived their history by a symbolic pilgrimage.

Various stations on the grounds marked the growth of the order chronologically: Lviv, Ukraine; Philadelphia; Krizevci, Croatia; Osijek, Croatia; Uniontown, Pa.; Presov, Slovak Republic; Mariapocs, Hungary; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Gorlice, Poland; Middletown, N.Y.; Albano, Italy; North Melbourne, Australia; Curitiba, Brazil; Krefeld-Traar, Germany; Cluj-Napoca, Romania; and Secovce, Slovakia.

The pilgrimage concluded at the minor basilica, St. Sophia, with the service of vespers.

Elections for the next general administration took place during the final days of the chapter. Sister Alphonsa Danovich, (Uniontown, Pa.,) was elected general superior. The following councilors were elected: Sister Maria Rozmarynowycz, (Philadelphia), first councilor and assistant general superior; Sister Mariela Rotzyn (Argentina), second councilor; Sister Josafata Bubnjak, (Ukraine), third councilor; and Sister Jozefa Simova (Presov, Slovakia), fourth councilor. Installation of the new administration took place at Vespers on July 23, the concluding day of the chapter.

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