CONSTITUTIONS
- Both the sisters in Wuhu and in Spain, as they continue to experience missionary life, are finding it quite difficult to comply with the current Constitutions. They need to be modified. In order to do this, the best thing to do would be presented to Rome for approval. (p. 121)
- Father Vidal is helping us a lot. Besides being an expert in canon law, he’s and advisor to the Sacred Congregation of Religious and for the Propagation of the Faith. We asked that he study each one of the changes that have to be made to the Constitutions, changes that we will present to Rome for approval. Today we received a letter from him responding to everything in much detail. I agree with him that the question of solemn vows is secondary for us and making simple lifetime vows is more appropriate for the missionary life that we have set forth…Since the creation of the new Constitutions requires composure, time, and much reflection, for the moment they are urging us to have Rome consider some minor issues that cannot wait. (pp. 175-176)
- Besides negotiating our matters in the Congregation of Religious, I was also going to Rome to present our plans to the Father General and to speak to him about the necessity of some new (p. 180)
- I finished writing the It was hard for me to accept this responsibility and I resisted as much as I could. The adjustments have now been made. I was very careful to keep intact everything related to the Mercedarian charism of redemption of the Order, the raison d’être of the missionary spirit of Berriz. The writing process has been long and laborious. Father Vidal provided me with some examples. Using this as a foundation, I made a first attempt and then discussed it, item by item, with Mother Nieves. Later, Father Chalbaud examined them carefully and changed a few paragraphs. Days later, I convoked a community chapter meeting where they voted for four delegates who, along with the four consultants, studies the Constitutions in detail. After they introduced some details that I had totally overlooked, each one gave their consent to submit the first Constitutions of the Mercedarian Missionaries of Berriz to the Holy See for their decision. (p. 182)
- Two days have passed during which the worst of the storm occurred. The letter strikes me differently. I recovered my strength and consulted with Mother Nieves and Father Chalbaud who advised me to speak frankly with the community and to propose to them whatever I think we should do. The fact of the matter is that I was already prepared to do so since what hangs heavy on my heart the most is what the community might think and feel about the transformation and the new Constitutions into which many difficult items have been introduced. (p. 184)
- The important thing was that the new Constitutions were to be read by everyone, not just by the delegates and consultors. And, one by one, after having read the documents, the nuns shared their opinions and disagreements with me. (p. 184)
- We sent Father Vidal a copy of the Constitutions by certified mail so that he might carefully review them and tell us what he thinks. Most of all, we want to look carefully at how the vows are worded because the revised fourth Mercedarian vow is written there, the one in which we vow to give our lives is necessary for the redemption of captives. (p.188)
- The community is enjoying what it has achieved to date. Each day we are confident that soon only the approval of the new Constitutions will remain to be accomplished. (p. 194)
- The rescript of the Approval of the Constitutions of the Institute of the Mercedarian Sisters of Berriz has already been issued. (p. 197)
- We now have in our hands a copy of the Constitution with all of the deletion and changes made by the consultants… (p. 199)
- At ten in the morning, in a simple act, the Bishop delivered the Constitutions to us… (p. 203)
- The Constitutions clearly explain how the management of resources of the Institute “must occur”. In order for that to happen, we have to know “what the state of the resources is”, in other words, the current status of the house. (p. 245)
- A made a plan for this year’s work. I will be giving more of myself that ever to the spiritual direction of the entire community and to the formation of the young nuns who are preparing for the definitive commitment. I’ll carefully prepare the weekly meetings and lectures. I’ll impel the missionary education of this Motherhouse. I will write with care to the missionaries and conduct lectures on the (p. 289)
- Tonight, in the council meeting, we decided to begin the study and interpretation of the new Constitutions as soon as possible. We will meet for an hour each day. Beforehand, each nun will take the time that she needs to become well prepared for the chapter that was assigned to her. (p. 292)
- I finished writing the commentary to the Constitutions… Another very Mercedarian subject that I wanted to mention in my explanation of the Constitutions is the presence of Mary… (pp. 300-301)