Newly-elected General Administration (seated) and Sister delegates to the Tenth Basilian General Chapter in Rome.

Delegates and assistants to the Chapter gathered in the Church of Santa Sofia for the opening Divine Liturgy celebrated by Archbishop Cyril Vasil, Secretary of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches. Preceding the Liturgy, each Chapter participant was presented with a prayer shawl bearing the Chapter logo, date of the event and the country represented by the delegate. The shawl served as a symbol of the unity of the participants.

After processing to the Chapter Hall, the site of all forthcoming proceedings, Archbishop Vasil blessed the hall and each participant. At 4:00 p.m., Sister Miriam Claire Kowal,OSBM, General Superior for the past six years, officially opened the Tenth Basilian General Chapter and the first session began. Sister Katherine Duval,SSND, was introduced as chapter facilitator and Sister Joann Sosler,OSBM, of the Jesus Lover of Humanity Province, Fox Chase, PA, was elected head of the Chapter Steering Committee and Chapter Coordinator.

The following days were devoted to the presentation of reports, the deliberation on submitted proposals affecting the Order’s governing document, “The Kenotic Way”, and engaging in informal social sharing.

Chapter sessions were also interspersed with presentations by various speakers. Father Josaphat Khaimyk,OSBM, Rector of the Basilian Seminary, Bryukhovyci, Ukraine, spoke to the Sisters on the value of the monastic life during the July 9 retreat day. On July 10, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, visited and spoke to the Sisters reminding them that the General Chapter, in addition to carrying out the purpose for which it is convoked, is very much an ecclesial event in the life of the Church.

Members of the new Basilian General Administration.
l-r: Sisters Daniela Stefkova, 3rd Councilor, Mariela Rotzen, 2nd Councilor, Dia Stasiuk, General Superior, Lydia Sawka, Vicar, Nazariya Mykaylyuk, 4th Councilor.

Sr. Miriam Claire Kowal (l), former General Superior, gives the symbols of office to her successor, Sr. Dia Stasiuk.

On the July 14 Community Day, Rev. Dr. Stefan Bartuch presented “Basilian Identity: a manifestation of monastic life in the 21st century”. This day of various activities ended with the praying of vespers during which Sister Dorothy Ann Busowski,OSBM, Provincial Superior of the Fox Chase Province, speaking on behalf of all the Sisters, thanked the following members of the outgoing General Administration for their years of dedicated service:

Sister Miriam Claire Kowal,OSBM, General Superior
Jesus Lover of Humanity Province, Fox Chase, PA
Sister Joanne Lickvar,OSBM, Assistant General Superior, First Councilor
Mother of Perpetual Help Province, Uniontown, PA
Sister Iona Bota,OSBM, Second Councilor
Immaculate Heart of Mary Province, Romania
Sister Naukracia Zavacka,OSBM, Third Councilor
Ss.Cyril and Methodius Vice-Province, Secovce, Slovakia
Sister Ihnatiya Havrylyk,OSBM, Fourth Councilor
Holy Trinity Province, Ukraine

In the days that followed, a new mission statement for the Order was agreed upon and on the Feast of St. Macrina, sister of St. Basil, July 19, the Sisters gathered at St. Sofia for the Divine Liturgy celebrated by Bishop Dionizij Lachovicz,OSBM, Apostolic Visitor for the Ukrainians of the Byzantine Rite in Italy and Spain. That evening, elections for General Superior were held, presided over by Rev. Konstantin Adam,OP, a canonist and Rector of the Angelicum in Rome. Sister Dia Stasiuk, OSBM, of the Holy Trinity Province in Ukraine was elected and then congratulated by all the Sisters.

Balloting continued the next day and the following Sisters were elected to a six-year term leadership with Sister Dia in the General Administration of the Order of the Sisters of St. Basil the Great:

Sr. Dorothy Ann Busowski of the Fox Chase Province extends the Order’s gratitude to the former members of the former General Administration.