Correspondence from Phyllis Manda to Eduardo Cardinal Martinez Somalo

In this letter written by Phyllis Manda to Eduardo Cardinal Martinez Somalo, she requests him to clarify to Federation members what a public juridic person is and also what categorizing the Federation as one would mean for the common novitiate.

JUL 31 '01
7-31-201 d:18PH

04:21P~1

P.3

VIA CHRISTI SR SVCS VCHS REG AFF

P.2

FROM CUA CANON LAW DEPT. 202 319 4187

July 30, 200 l

His Eminence Eduardo Cardinal Martinez Somalo
Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life
and Societies of Apostolic Life
Piazza Pio XII, 3
00193 Rome, Italy

Re: Rescript Prot. N. 16~73/2000

Dear Cardinal Somalo,
This past year, the .Executive Committee revised the Sta'hlles of the Federation ofthe
Sisters of St. Joseph of the United States and sent them to the majors superiors 3;nd councils of
each of the twenty-three member congregations belonging to the Federation. On May 22, 2001,
we sent the Sl.alutes to your dicastery. Rev. Jesus Torres carefully reviewed the nonns and made
helpful recommendations (Prot. N. FS 55-1/2001). We sent Father Torres' suggestions on to the
major superiors ofthc twenty-three member congregations ofthe Sisters of St. Joseph.

It was apparent from the responses to the recommendations that many of the major
superiors of the member congregations of the Federation are unfami1iar with the concept of a
public juridic person. Questions were asked regarding the nature ofthe structure and its
implications for the autonomy of each of the member congregations. We have been advised that
we should have a canonist meet with our major superiors and their councilors in order to explain
this canonical structure and its effects in the Code of Canon Law.
Since this meeting will take place in November 2001, we are requesting that the following
novices validly spend approximately eight months oftheit canonical year in the novitiate erected
in the Provincialate ofthe Sisters of St. Joseph ofCharobery, 27 Park Street, West Hartf6t'd,
Connecticut, under the direction of Sister Katherine o•Brien, SSJ (Boston):
(Names of novices., superiors general, congregations)

P.03

JUL 31 '01
7-·31-281

4: 19PH

P.4

04=22PM VIA CHRISTI SR SVCS VCHS REG AFF
FROM CUA CANON LAW

DEPT. 202 319 4187

P. 3

Lasl year, the twelve novices. the formation personnel and the major superiors of the
respective congregations all found the common novitiate to be a most enriching ex.perience for the
understaxtding of religious vocation and the specific vocation to the charism ofthe Sisters of St.

Joseph. In addition to the fine course of studic::s, the experience of communal life seems
indisp(;nsable for novices as they gradually assume the obligations of religious life.
We regret that the member congregations are not yet prepared to petition for the erection
ofthe Federation ofthe Sisters of St. Joseph ofthe United States as a pubficjuridic peroon with
the faculty to establish a valid common novitiate for those novices whom the general ~poriors
decide to send to the Federation institutes. However, we would want all of the major superiors
and their respective councilors to be well informed as to the nature and effects of public juridic
personality in the Church.
Thank you, Yaur Eminence, for the time and concern you give this matter. We ask God to
bles!; you for your dedication and service to members and institutes of consecrated life and
societies of apostolic life throughout the world.
Sincerely yours,

Sister Phyllis Manda, C. SJ.
Executive Director
US Federarion of Sisters of St. Jo-seph

97%

P.04



Phyllis Manda

U.S. Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph archival records

113.04 Correspondence with Canonist

Martha Smith Archives and Research Center

Avila University

30 July 2001

Images are provided for non-commercial, research, educational, and personal use only, and are not intended for reproduction or redistribution. For the above purposes the user may reproduce these materials (by download, printing, etc.) without further permission, on the condition that proper attribution of the source is provided by clearly acknowledging the name of the Library, the title of the web page or resource and the URL at which it was located, please credit as follows: Martha Smith Archives and Research Center, Hooley-Bundschu Library, Avila University, Kansas City, Missouri. For questions regarding use of digital materials contact the Martha Smith Archives and Research Center at 816-501-3620.

pdf

English

Text

FCNCANONIST_003-004