There is more to moving a Community of Sisters than the physical changing of addresses. Since a religious Community is a canonical entity, in our case under the jurisdiction of our Bishop, it was necessary to obtain the blessing of the Bishop of Erie and the acceptance of the Bishop of Youngstown to make our move complete.
Bishop Donald Trautmann, realizing our need, agreed to the proposed transfer from Erie, expressing only the wish that some of our Sisters remain as teachers in the Diocese of Erie – a most welcome proposal.
Bishop George Murry, S.J. as Bishop of Youngstown asked that we use the transfer of our Community to his jurisdiction as a time to review our foundational documents in the light of Church documents concerning the consecrated life promulgated since Vatican II. A year of intense study gave us a deeper appreciation for how firmly grounded our Community is in church teaching and for how our Founding Superior, Mother Patricia O’Connor, CDS, was truly open to the workings of the Divine Spirit in framing our Community rules.
Bishop Murry approved the Congregation of the Divine Spirit as an institute of diocesan rite in the Diocese of Youngstown with our Motherhouse in Canton, Ohio.
And so, we are spiritually as well as physically here.
