The Installation of the New Salvatorian Sisters’ General Administration

The Installation of the New Salvatorian Sisters’ General Administration

Pilgrims of Hope, Pilgrims of Spirit:

On January 25, 2025, the Salvatorian Sisters marked a significant milestone with the official installation of their new General Administration in Rome, coinciding with the Feast of St. Paul the Apostle. The much-anticipated ceremony took place in the Motherhouse of the Salvatorian Sisters and was highlighted by a solemn Holy Eucharist presided over by Fr. Krzysztof Kowalczyk, General Superior of the Society of the Divine Savior. The event was graced by the presence of various guests, including members from the Society of the Divine Savior, local religious men and women, well-wishers, and friends. The Salvatorian Brothers from the Torre De Cenci community enriched the ceremony with their harmonious voices, making the day all the more memorable.

The new leadership team was symbolically presented with the Jubilee Pilgrim Cross, a sign of their role as Pilgrims of Hope-Pilgrims of Spirit. This cross represents their mission to walk alongside others, sharing in their joys and challenges while carrying their own responsibilities with hope and enthusiasm. The newly installed General Administration includes:

  • Sr. Maria Yaneth Moreno Rodriguez – General Superior
  • Sr. Jacqueline Mwakasu Kona – General Vicaress
  • Sr. Brigitte Thalhammer – General Councilor and General Treasurer
  • Sr. Suneela Polimetla – General Councilor
  • Sr. Ellen Sinclair – General Councilor
  • Sr. Eloisa Adamos Holdiem – General Secretary

Sr. Maria Yaneth Moreno Rodriguez, from Colombia, serves as General Superior for a second term. Her cheerful and approachable nature has made her an exceptional leader since she first assumed the role in 2012.

Sr. Jacqueline Mwakasu Kona, born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is the General Vicaress. Having served since 2018, she is well-loved for her welcoming demeanor, particularly from her years as a formator in Congo.

Sr. Brigitte Thalhammer, originally from Austria, born in Bad Ischl. She serves as both General Councilor and General Treasurer. She has held multiple leadership roles, including travel agent, pastoral assistant, and Provincial Superior of Austria from 2009 to 2018 and is known for her courage and compassion in guiding the congregation. She aspires to accompany the processes of merger in the Salvatorian presence in Europe in a fruitful way: caring well for our elderly sisters, ensuring space for younger sisters to live their mission, and creating space for the new and yet unknown.

Sr. Ellen Sinclair, from the USA, has a background in law. She served as an Army Judge Advocate and a Civilian attorney. She also served in legal matters in the Diocesan Tribunal and with the Public Defender’s Offic. She also has led various leadership capacities in the USA Province from 2009 to 2022. Her humility and openness to the Spirit’s guidance help her deepen the Salvatorian identity and foster intercultural collaboration.

Sr. Suneela Polimetla from India brings many years of experience as a formator and psychologist. She is one of the first five candidates from India to receive Salvatorian formation in Austria. She aims to listen and be a part in all the joys and struggles that come across. To have the courage to let go and be able to make new decisions that help each one to grow in freedom with responsibility and accountability. Her message to the members of congregation is trust in Divine Providence and let God Lead. Her sibling Sr. Amita Polimetla is also a Salvatorian.

Sr. Eloisa Holdiem from the Philippines has been General Secretary for a year, known for her joyful and enthusiastic spirit. She has been pivotal in developing Salvatorian pastoral initiatives for children in the Philippines.

With these dynamic leaders, the General Administration is poised to inspire hope, rekindle the Spirit, and continue the mission of proclaiming the Gospel as true Pilgrims of Hope-Pilgrims of Spirit.

24th Day: XXII General Chapter_A day of rest

24th Day: XXII General Chapter_A day of rest

"Rest must be part of our lives, and our soul needs that rest to not only survive in this world, but also to prepare it for what is to come". Pope John Paul II The capitulars took a day to rest themselves and explore the great history the city of Rome offers. The day...

21th Day: XXII General Chapter_Discernment on the future leadership

21th Day: XXII General Chapter_Discernment on the future leadership

On the feast of St. Matthew, the Apostle, Fr. Johnson V. Kumar, SDS celebrated the Holy Eucharist at the start of the day. As we are in an important phase of the general chapter, discernment on the future leadership of the congregation for the next six years, Fr....

30th Day: XXII General Chapter_Closing Ceremony

30th Day: XXII General Chapter_Closing Ceremony

On the last day of the general chapter, another faith-sharing was done focusing on the gospel of today, and they shared on what gratitude they carry in their hearts in this shared journey of faith. The regular faith-sharing created in the capitulars the sense of the “holy” within them, as starting the day with the words of the Lord is indeed a blessing.

The first half of the day was spent on the two points needing formal voting, after some kind of deliberation and the meeting of the capitulars by continent. This meeting calls for an agreement on some plans and program designs where the different units in the continents strengthen their collaboration in the different areas of concern as Salvatorian religious life.

In the afternoon, the very meaningful closing liturgy was organized by the members of the Steering Committee. It is incorporated in the Holy Mass presided over by Fr. Milton Zonta, SDS– General Superior of the Society of the Divine Savior (Salvatorian Sisters), with Fr. Agustin Van Baelen, SDS – General Councilor/Secretary. In his homily, he spoke of gratefulness too. He thanked the capitulars for their apostolic service and their sense of belonging to the Salvatorian Family, together with the other branches. In regard to today’s gospel, he asks them to be very attentive and not to be carried away by mechanisms that cause division and counter-witness in our relationships with others.

In the evening the sisters cerebrated the joyful sisterly union that eliminated all tiredness and brought them more closer the sisters more closer to each other.

 

24th Day: XXII General Chapter_A day of rest

24th Day: XXII General Chapter_A day of rest

"Rest must be part of our lives, and our soul needs that rest to not only survive in this world, but also to prepare it for what is to come". Pope John Paul II The capitulars took a day to rest themselves and explore the great history the city of Rome offers. The day...

21th Day: XXII General Chapter_Discernment on the future leadership

21th Day: XXII General Chapter_Discernment on the future leadership

On the feast of St. Matthew, the Apostle, Fr. Johnson V. Kumar, SDS celebrated the Holy Eucharist at the start of the day. As we are in an important phase of the general chapter, discernment on the future leadership of the congregation for the next six years, Fr....

29th Day: XXII General Chapter_Keep up the Christian tolerance.

29th Day: XXII General Chapter_Keep up the Christian tolerance.

The day started with the celebration of the Holy Mass presided over by Fr. Alexander Mariadass, Ph.D.  a member of the Vatican Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. He recommended the sisters to keep on to the Christian values especially the Christian tolerance and to keep away from scandalous life examples. The liturgy was prepared and organized by Italy Province with a touch of interculturality, explicitly expressed through the different national costumes of the sisters from five different countries who belong to the Italian Province.

The capitulars were given a recapitulation of the process that they underwent. Now that the general chapter is getting to its close, the decisions, ordinances, and resolutions were reviewed and further finalized. This was done in the morning.

Another important responsibility of the chapter is to re-enact or revise ordinances established by the previous general chapter and to issue new ordinances and to modify, when necessary, in conformity with the constitutions, by a two-thirds majority vote and to interpret the general statutes authentically and to decide by two-thirds majority vote any necessary modifications in the constitutions and submit them for the approval of the Holy See, which alone can interpret the constitutions authentically. In the afternoon, the formal voting over the decisions, resolutions and ordinances was done. The voting body or the capitulars were able to work in an atmosphere were there is an open exchange of ideas whenever clarifications over items to be voted were raised.

24th Day: XXII General Chapter_A day of rest

24th Day: XXII General Chapter_A day of rest

"Rest must be part of our lives, and our soul needs that rest to not only survive in this world, but also to prepare it for what is to come". Pope John Paul II The capitulars took a day to rest themselves and explore the great history the city of Rome offers. The day...

21th Day: XXII General Chapter_Discernment on the future leadership

21th Day: XXII General Chapter_Discernment on the future leadership

On the feast of St. Matthew, the Apostle, Fr. Johnson V. Kumar, SDS celebrated the Holy Eucharist at the start of the day. As we are in an important phase of the general chapter, discernment on the future leadership of the congregation for the next six years, Fr....

28th Day: XXII General Chapter_Put into practice the true mission of Jesus

28th Day: XXII General Chapter_Put into practice the true mission of Jesus

Fr. Agustin Van Baelen, SDS celebrated the Holy Mass at the start of the day. In his short reflection, he shared that the followers of Jesus never ceased to marvel at what Jesus was doing and what his closeness could do to people. However, Jesus points out that their wonder had better not turn into static admiration because he did not come to be admired, rather, he came to open people’s hearts and minds and to make them marvel at what God is really like.

With this words, the day of the capitulars was inspired to work harder and finish the important statements, decisions, proposals and would be enactment of the general chapter. The day was also a time to finalize the non-conventional way of presenting to the congregation, to the members of each unit what is the fruit of the general chapter. There was a rich sharing of one’s abilities, one’s willingness to contribute, one’s openness to listen to what one is sharing and come to an agreement. A beautiful synodal synergy became alive this day.

As Fr. Agustin said in his parting words in his short reflection, “Dear Sisters, may your eyes be opened as capitulars, as well as those of the sisters in your units at home, to recognize and put into practice the true mission of Jesus, together with the people entrusted to you”.

24th Day: XXII General Chapter_A day of rest

24th Day: XXII General Chapter_A day of rest

"Rest must be part of our lives, and our soul needs that rest to not only survive in this world, but also to prepare it for what is to come". Pope John Paul II The capitulars took a day to rest themselves and explore the great history the city of Rome offers. The day...

21th Day: XXII General Chapter_Discernment on the future leadership

21th Day: XXII General Chapter_Discernment on the future leadership

On the feast of St. Matthew, the Apostle, Fr. Johnson V. Kumar, SDS celebrated the Holy Eucharist at the start of the day. As we are in an important phase of the general chapter, discernment on the future leadership of the congregation for the next six years, Fr....

27th Day: XXII General Chapter_Time to ask questions and a time to give answers…

27th Day: XXII General Chapter_Time to ask questions and a time to give answers…

To paraphrase today’s first reading, we could say that there is a time to ask questions and a time to give answers. In addition, in the gospel reading from Luke 9: 18-22, it seems to be a time of asking questions for Jesus when he said, “Who do people say that I am?”. With this question, capitulars once again started the day with faith-sharing.

The whole day once again, is a time of working together, of getting nearer to something that we would like to tale with us to each of our units when we come back from this general chapter. The joy of being together, the commitment finish what has been started, to make improvements to what has been created and to confirm what has been written created an atmosphere of a synodal congregation. At this time, the capitulars prayed, listened, analyzed, dialogued, discerned and agree on making decisions which corresponds as closely to the will of God.

The day culminated with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist presided over by Fr. Vito Patera, CP who reminded us that charity and prayers go hand-in-hand and they are expressions of each another, and in this our lives should be modeled. The delegates from the Polish Province organized and prepared the liturgy.

24th Day: XXII General Chapter_A day of rest

24th Day: XXII General Chapter_A day of rest

"Rest must be part of our lives, and our soul needs that rest to not only survive in this world, but also to prepare it for what is to come". Pope John Paul II The capitulars took a day to rest themselves and explore the great history the city of Rome offers. The day...

21th Day: XXII General Chapter_Discernment on the future leadership

21th Day: XXII General Chapter_Discernment on the future leadership

On the feast of St. Matthew, the Apostle, Fr. Johnson V. Kumar, SDS celebrated the Holy Eucharist at the start of the day. As we are in an important phase of the general chapter, discernment on the future leadership of the congregation for the next six years, Fr....

26th Day: XXII General Chapter_What have I silenced?

26th Day: XXII General Chapter_What have I silenced?

“What voices have I silenced within me during this chapter?, this is the point of reflection in today’s faith-sharing among the capitulars, with basis from the gospel of St. Luke, chapter 9, verses 7-9. In this gospel, Herod imprisoned and beheaded John the Baptist because he wanted to silence him.

The facilitators guided the capitulars, as the day started to move towards decisions that the general chapter aims to finalize. In an “out-of-the-box” dynamics, the capitulars were given the freedom to belong to different working groups. A group of three to four persons who are gifted with the ability to write compelling story is formed and their task is to describe, as in a story or novel the congregation that this chapter wants to give birth to, anchored in the energizing posters made by the capitulars, looking for what is common, using some images or metaphors from the said poster. The second group is composed of eighteen to twenty-two sisters, where they re-grouped themselves into five groups and they were tasked to create decisions as a chapter, and these decisions are linked to a point that came up in the energizing posters. The third group is composed of six to eighth capitulars and their task was to look at the unit proposals that were sent to the chapter and check whether each proposal is actually a chapter proposal or it could be dealt with at another level. The fourth group is composed of six to eighth capitulars and they are tasked to study and see the statutory points that this chapter has to settle and what does these statutory points indicate. The fifth group is also composed of six to eighth capitulars and they are tasked to reflect whether there are other themes, or topics and issues that the chapter needs to address. The last group is composed of three to four creative and artistic capitulars and they are tasked to imagine what would be the output of the chapter would look like. This can be in a form of a document, a video, a song or a prayer, or any means that the spirit would move the group to create.

The whole day is truly a spirit-filled day of working together, of sharing and of inspiration from each other and from the processes that was done days ago. Before the session ended, reports from each group were truly an inspiring output.

Fr. Lawrence Rywalt CP celebrated the Holy Mass which is organized by the delegates from Sri Lanka Province with the theme, being “ONE in the Spirit, ONE in the Lord”. Each capitular was asked to write on a piece of paper what this chapter meant for them. These papers were turned into chains, reflecting unity. During the mass the priest emphasized that the venue of our Chapter holds the 2000 years history and the great devotion of the Sts. John and Paul who stillcontinue to inspire the faithful through their witness to Christian life. All of us are ultimately called to fulfill this duty to be witnesses of Christ’s love.

24th Day: XXII General Chapter_A day of rest

24th Day: XXII General Chapter_A day of rest

"Rest must be part of our lives, and our soul needs that rest to not only survive in this world, but also to prepare it for what is to come". Pope John Paul II The capitulars took a day to rest themselves and explore the great history the city of Rome offers. The day...

21th Day: XXII General Chapter_Discernment on the future leadership

21th Day: XXII General Chapter_Discernment on the future leadership

On the feast of St. Matthew, the Apostle, Fr. Johnson V. Kumar, SDS celebrated the Holy Eucharist at the start of the day. As we are in an important phase of the general chapter, discernment on the future leadership of the congregation for the next six years, Fr....