From left, (Regional Coordinators) Sisters Sheila Brosnan, Mary Ann Daly, Mary Ellen McGovern, (President) Sister Jane Iannucelli, (Assistant to the President) Sister Margaret O’Brien, and (Regional Coordinator) Sister Kathleen Byrnes. (Photo courtesy of Sisters of Charity NY)

The Sisters of Charity of New York, Associates, and Companions gathered in Tarrytown, N.Y., for Assembly 2015 on April 7, 2015. With 120 delegates present, Sister Jane Iannucelli, SC, was re-elected to serve a second four-year term as President on April 11. Representing Cardinal Dolan, Sister Catherine Cleary, PBVM, Vicar for Religious, witnessed the election and received Sister Jane’s consent to serve as President of the Congregation. Sister Margaret O’Brien, SC, who currently serves as Treasurer, will serve as Assistant to the President.

Four Regional Coordinators were also elected by the delegates; Sisters Mary Ellen McGovern, Sheila Brosnan, Mary Ann Daly, and Kathleen Byrnes, will serve four-year terms. Elections for Regional Coordinators were conducted on April 11 and 12.

Sister Dominica Rocchio, SC, who will complete eight years of service as Regional Coordinator on June 30, reflected on the process of electing new leadership. “Electing leaders in a congregation is an exciting, deliberate and prayerful experience. The election is always framed in light of the realities of the world, church, and congregation. The question then is what are the specific qualities and abilities needed in congregation leadership for the coming years? The question is answered by delegates who reflect on the realities and choose the appropriate leaders.”

As is the tradition of the Congregation, the women who are elected to leadership come from a pool of Sisters who were invited to consider leadership by other Sisters in the congregation.

Prior to elections, the Congregation established direction calls around mission, community, membership, governance, and leadership, which will guide implementation once the new Leadership Team takes office on July 1, 2015. A Transfer of Leadership ceremony will take place on June 30, 2015 in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception at Mount Saint Vincent.

Assembly 2015 closed with a prayer service on April 12, 2015.