Board of Limited
Jurisdiction:
serves in a governance role with policy, planning
and evaluative authority designated in the by-laws
of the corporation. A ministerial role in the
sponsorship of Mercy schools.
By-Laws:
Any of a set of rules adopted by an organization or
assembly for governing its own meetings or affairs;
approval/amendments of By-Laws for Mercy schools is
a reserved power of the Members.
Canon Law:
Canon law is the system of rules and regulations
made by or adopted by ecclesiastical authority for
the Catholic Church. The 1983 Code of Canon Law is
the most recent revision of the Code.
Charism:
A specific gift, a unique gift in and for the
Church. (see
page 18)
Collegiality:
A principle of Church governance by which
responsibility is shared in order to enhance
participation in the life of the Church and instill
an increased sense of ownership and concern for the
future.
Community:
Six Communities forming from the twenty-five
regional communities as a result of Reimagining.
Community Leadership
Team (CLT): The elected
leadership of a Community.
Constitutions of the
Sisters of Mercy: The
document approved by the Congregation for Institutes
of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life,
Rome, December 12, 1991, as the “rule” of the
Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas.
Core Values of Mercy
Education: the
principles and standards consistent with the charism
of Mercy which provide the basis for action and
decision-making in a Mercy school. (see
page 18)
Governance:
A system of relationships that facilitates
participation and decision-making; the sum total of
all the formal structures, relationships and
operating principles. Governance for Mercy education
facilitates the service rendered to fulfill the
teaching mission of Jesus in the tradition of Mercy.
Governance constitutes a formal support system for
relatedness in Mercy, relatedness ordered to fulfill
mission.
Institute Chapter:
“The Institute chapter,
when in session, is the highest authority in the
Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas.
Through the Institute and regional community
(Community) chapters (assemblies) we clarify and
renew our vision, determine our priorities and
respond to changing needs in our mission and life.”
(Constitutions #57)
The responsibility of the Institute chapter is to
preserve and promote our Mercy charism; elect the
Institute president and council; evaluate the
spiritual and material well-being of the Institute;
clarify our role in the Church and in society; set
direction in keeping with our charism; and amend the
Constitutions and the Institute directory.”
(Constitutions #59)
Institute Direction
Statement:
At the first Institute Chapter in Buffalo, 1991, the
Institute Direction Statement was first articulated.
It was affirmed by the Institute Chapter 1995 and in
1999 the Chapter committed all to “live more deeply”
into the elements of the statement. During Chapter
2005 a commitment to “practice non-violence” was
added to the statement. This statement provides the
context for carrying out the Mercy mission in
today’s society. The Institute Direction Statement
was amended and re-accepted (June 2005).
The
full statement can be found on page 9.
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Juridic Person:
(see page 12)
Members of the
Corporation
– the tier of governance of separately incorporated
schools that reserves certain powers, including, but
not limited to, mission, fidelity to charism, and
powers to ensure financial and asset responsibility.
The Members represent the public juridic person
required for Catholic institutional sponsorship by
Canon Law. The Leadership Team of the sponsoring
regional community or Community serves as the
Members.
Reimagining:
The Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the
Americas is in a process of Reimagining the
Institute and reconfiguring its structure. A guiding
statement for these processes: “As Institute, we
function as an organic whole and have organized our
infrastructure so that we are able to continually
intensify our focus on our mission and our
sisterhood.”
Regional Community:
The twenty-five communities of the Institute of the
Sisters of Mercy which formed in 1991. It is these
twenty-five communities engaged in the process of
Reimagining.
Regional Leadership
Team (RLT):
Generally 3 - 5 sisters elected by the
Chapter/Assembly of a regional community for a term
of leadership in the regional community.
Reserved Powers:
Powers which are retained by the Members are called
reserved powers. These powers are stated in the
by-laws.
Sponsorship:
Sponsorship describes a relationship and is named in
the Constitutions of the Sisters of Mercy:
"As Sisters of Mercy we sponsor institutions to
address our enduring concerns and to witness to
Christ’s mission. Within these institutions we,
together with our co-workers and those we serve,
endeavor to model Mercy and justice and to promote
systemic change according to these ideals."
(Constitutions #5)
"By collaborating with others in the works of
Mercy we continually learn from them how to be more
merciful." (Constitutions #6)
"We carry out our mission of Mercy guided by the
prayerful consideration of the needs of our time,
Catherine McAuley’s preferential love for the poor
and her special concern for women, the pastoral
priorities of the universal and local Church and our
talents, resources and limitations."
(Constitutions #7)
Sponsorship Council:
A council accountable to the Community Leadership
Team which would hold certain delegated authority
for schools within a Community. Sponsorship Council
members would be appointed by the Community
Leadership Team. The Members would state duties and
authority.
Subsidiarity:
A principle of Church governance by which decisions
are to be made at the appropriate level.
The links to the
pages reference:
"Sponsorship: Mercy Secondary/Elementary Education"
Revised for 2007-2008 |
