What is a Chapter? -- Part I

The Sisters of Christian Charity of the North American Eastern Province will hold our Provincial Chapter from February 14-18, 2019.  Yesterday, we asked you to join us in the "Prayer for Our Provincial Chapter."  Today, we begin a series of posts to share the history of Chapters in religious life, in general.  Subsequent posts will journey toward the specific goal of sharing the meaning of a Chapter for the Sisters of Christian Charity in 2019.

We are grateful to the Wheaton Franciscans for this description of the "History of Chapter in Religious Communities":

"Preparing for Chapter is a function unique to religious orders.  A Chapter may be held at a general, provincial or local level depending on the structure of the religious community; whether general, provincial, or local, Chapters have a long and respected history within vowed religious life.

The term 'chapter' originated with the early monks who gathered daily as a community to listen to a reading from the Rule of St. Benedict.  Little by little this gathering of the monastic community became known as 'the chapter' of the monastery and the place where it met the 'chapter hall.'" 

. . . 

"The term "General Chapter" was established by the Cistercian Monks in 1195.  All the Cistercian Abbots, from their various locations, met once a year at their founding Abbey in France.  In 1215, the fourth Lateran Council established that all religious Orders should celebrate 'Chapters' at regular intervals after the example of the Cistercians as a means of promoting the reform of the religious life."

...

"In the early days of the Franciscan Order, St. Francis would call his brothers together at the Portiuncula in Assisi for the purpose of formation, support, reflection and renewal.  During its founding years the Franciscans held a 'General Chapter'' twice a year:  at the feast of Pentecost (May-June) and at the feast of St. Michael (September 29).

"In 1216, St. Dominic decided his Dominican friars would govern themselves through regular chapters.  In the early years, the Order was small enough that all the communities of brothers could gather together, but by 1221, the Order had grown to a size that the General Chapters were no longer able to address all the issues from the various parts of the world.  That year a decision was made to divide the Order into provinces, or geographic regions."

_________________

Do you have questions you would like us to address in these posts?  Reply to/comment on this post and let us know!