New Province Formed
By Sister Carol Crosby, Ingenbohl, Switzerland
October 4 was a historic day for the Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross. On this day, six European provinces and one vicariate became one province called the Middle European Province.
Sister Louise-Henri Kolly stated that what we see in the European society in general is also reflected in our communities—fewer younger and more elderly members. We don’t want to close our eyes to this reality, but to go step by step into the future using new structures and organization so that we can continue to share our values and meet the needs of the time in the places where we live and work.
In the last years, the realities of fewer women joining us, the aging of our communities and the growing lack of available sisters for leadership positions was often a subject of discussion. Every six years members from all parts of the world come together to discuss the realities of the world and of our community and to elect the international leadership for the coming years. In 2002, the decision was made to further study ways to respond to the needs of the time and our own needs and to make the best use of our energies and personnel in these European Provinces and Vicariate.
After an intense process, led expertly and sensitively by Sr. Basina Kloos, a Franciscan Sister from Waldbreitbach, Germany, the decision was made to join the Provinces of Upper Austria-Salzburg, Styria-Carinthia, Tyrol-Vorarlberg, Lower Austria-Vienna, Hungary, Bavaria and the Vicariate of Slovenia into one province.
Jeremiah 29:11—I know my plans for you, I want to give you a future and hope.
This verse was chosen by the group during the process and it was a source of strength during the years of planning and meetings involving sisters and leadership persons in our ministries. Naturally there were stones in the road along the way and also a few small mountains to move or go around since there are about 80 communities and 800 sisters involved. During one of the sessions in preparation for the joining, a symbolic map was used. Each country was drawn and the provinces within the country marked. The boarders were made from 800 small pieces of chocolate, each of which had a Sister’s name written on it. The sisters then chose a piece and automatically had a prayer partner! (see photo)
After consultation with the sisters, the new provincial team was appointed in March 2007. All of the sisters were members of the provincial teams of the former provinces. The new provincial leader is Sr. Maria Bosco Zechner, her assistant is Sr. Gabriele Schachinger, and the councillors are Sr. Imelda Fritz, Sr. Karin Brandstätter, Sr. Johanna Maria Lothring, Sr. Verena Maria Oberhauser and Sr. Francesca Fritz.
The new provincial team of the Middle European Province with the Bishop of Linz. l. to r. Sr. Imelda Fritz, Sr. Karin Brandstatter, Sr. Verena Oberhauser, Bishop Dr. Ludwig Schwarz SDB, Sr. Francesca Fritz, Sr. Louise-Henri Kolly, Sr. Gabriele Schachinger, Sr. M. Bosco Zechner, Sr. Johanna M. Lothring.
The place of residence for the new provincial team will be Wels, Austria. Again it was a difficult decision. Since some provinces were bigger and some smaller, it was decided that the residence should not be in a provincial house of a former province/vicariate. It needed to be in a neutral place. After much searching for a suitable place and house, it was decided to use a piece of land in Wels owned by the sisters and to build a center for the new province there. It is of interest that the very first sisters sent to Austria-Hungarian Monarchy by our founder Father Theodosius went to Wels in 1860. There they began a small health care facility which has now grown to a well known hospital with 1300 beds.
The celebration on October 4 included a Eucharistic celebration during which a new Middle European Province choir sang for the first time. Each group involved practiced at home and then came together just before the Eucharist for one practice together. One of the decorations in front of the altar was a glass cylinder filled with seven different colors of sand. The colors were in layers but not mixed together.
(photo) The former provinces and vicariate were reminded that they didn’t need to give up their identities to become one province. The color theme was also carried out on the flagpole outside and on the ambo inside the church where seven streamers made of seven different colors were hung from a wooden pole and then tied together at the bottom.
At the end of the celebration Sr. Louise-Henri gave each of the members of the new provincial administration their official letter of appointment. These letters represented the trust of the general administration and all of the sisters of the province, and the readiness of these seven sisters to serve.
As we left the church we were each given a key chain with a cross made of small tiles that was assembled in Austria in a home for the physical and mentally challenged that is one of our ministries. Next stop was a beautifully decorated large banquet hall in the hospital where we enjoyed dinner together. (photo) In the evening the new provincial and general administrations sat together and reflected back on the day—truly one for the history book of our community.