English 
On 8 September 2024, on the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we will experience a moment of great joy and spirituality with the opening of the XII General Chapter of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate – PIME. We will be gathered in Rocca di Papa, at the Sacred Heart International Spirituality Centre, to begin this important event of our congregation, which will see us involved until 29 September.
They are forty-five chapter sisters, coming from different parts of the world: Italy, India, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cameroon, Guinea Bissau, Tunisia, Algeria, Papua New Guinea. Together, they will walk in synodality to listen, reflect, share and renew our mission and spirituality, with the desire to follow more faithfully God’s plan for our congregation.
The theme chosen for this Chapter is ‘We live the Gospel as an apostolic body, in fraternal and reciprocal obedience’. With this phrase, we express our commitment to seek God’s will together. As Sr. Antonella, our General Responsible, wrote in her letter of indiction, ‘Is not one of the most comfortable choices, but we believe it’s necessary because, sharing in the charismatic experience of our foundresses, we want to continue with greater awareness and authenticity the mission of Jesus’.
During our journey of preparation for the Chapter, we reflected on obedience, lived as mutual fraternity and not only as a hierarchical process. This desire to walk together is in tune with the synodal path of the universal Church. The apostolic obedience we wish to incarnate invites us to redesign our presence in the world, evaluating what is essential to our charism and courageously opening ourselves to new challenges.
This General Chapter comes at a particularly significant time in the life of the Church: in fact, immediately after the conclusion of our Chapter, the second stage of the Synod Assembly will be held in October 2024. We strongly feel the presence of the Holy Spirit accompanying and guiding us on this journey, and we feel deeply united with Mother Church, in this time of reflection and renewal.
We ask everyone to accompany us with their prayers, so that we may live this General Chapter with an open heart and willingness to listen to God’s voice and His will for our congregation and for the mission entrusted to us.
