Association General Assembly

Prioresses and delegates attending the 2022 General Assembly

In mid-September, our prioress Sr. Mary Martin along with Sr Denise Marie and Sr Judith Miryam traveled to attend the General Assembly of the North American Association of Dominican Monasteries, held from September 12-17 at the St. Emma Retreat House in Greensburg, PA. Prioresses and delegates from all the monasteries in our association attended, and together they discussed and voted on various proposals and heard talks from canonist Sr. Nancy Bauer, OSB on Cor Orans and Vultum Dei Querere, the latest Church documents concerning women’s contemplative life. They also elected a new president and council for the next six years. Two sisters from our monastery will be serving on the association council: Sr. Denise Marie as a councilor and treasurer, and Sr. Mary Catharine as association president. Of course, Sr. Mary Catharine is currently in the Bronx, NY monastery serving a term as their prioress, but she should be back home here in Summit before her 6 year term as president concludes.

While all the member monasteries of an association remain autonomous in their internal government, the association provides support and means of collaboration among the monasteries. For example, our association provides formation resources and opportunities for sharing wisdom among the novice mistresses to help them with the task of forming young women in the contemplative life. It allows the monasteries to be a means of mutual support to one another while respecting our cloistered, contemplative way of life and the unique autonomy of each community.

St. Emma Retreat House in Greensburg, PA where the General Assembly was held