Enactment Update: Dominican Collaboration
The Collaboration/Reconfiguration Committee. Front row, from left: Srs. Mary Ellen Green, Joan Murray, and Mary Catherine St. Martin. Back row: Srs. Judy Parent, Mary Hopkins, Barb Dannhausen, Mary Ellen O’Grady, and Sue Brodeur.by Mary Ellen Green
In our 2006 Chapter we articulated two Enactments that highlight ways of deepening our value of Dominican collaboration. Enactment 31 recommends that we increase our efforts through existing Dominican organizations. Enactment 32 recommends that we find ways to engage in conversation with other Dominican congregations about the topic of reconfiguration.
Since January 2008, a committee of nine of our Sisters has been meeting regularly and exploring the implications of these two Enactments. Members of the committee are Sue Brodeur, OP, Barbara Dannhausen, OP, Mary Ellen Green, OP, Mary Hopkins, OP, Joan Murray, OP, Mary O’Donnell, OP, Mary Ellen O’Grady, OP, Judy Parent, OP, and Mary Catherine St. Martin, OP.
The focus of our February 2009 meeting centered on the past and current picture of the involvement of our Congregation with other Dominican entities. It is clear that Sinsinawa has been and continues to be at the forefront of Dominican collaboration in the following collaborative ventures: Collaborative Dominican Novitiate, Dominican Alliance, Dominican Association of Secondary Schools, Dominican Colleges Colloquium, Dominican Institute for the Arts, Dominican Leadership Conference (DLC), Dominican Sisters International, Dominican Volunteers USA, Federation of Dominican Sisters USA, Parable Conference for Dominican Life and Mission, and Visioning Dominican Retirement.
In all of these groups, our Sisters and, in some cases, Associates, have been actively involved not only on the membership level, but also in very significant ways on the leadership level. We can feel proud about the contributions we have made over the years, yet we cannot rest on our laurels. We have received from our co-laborers as well as given. We have gained, grown, and benefitted by virtue of our involvement. There are new collaborative movements that beckon us to reach out and link with other Dominicans in this country and around the world―all for the sake of our preaching mission. What are we called to next?
One of our current opportunities is to engage in the 20/20 Vision for 2020 process that has been developed by the DLC. All of the materials are available on the DLC web site at www.domlife.org/DLC. The username is “2020” and the password is “VISION.” This process is particularly effective if done with members of several different congregations. Where do we want to be as Dominican Sisters?