Prior to the Vatican II the sole tasks of the Provincial Chapter were "to elect...delegates and substitutes to represent the province at the general chapter and to discuss matters of importance regarding the whole province" (1966 Interim Constitution; cf. 1931 Constitution). This last task consisted in drawing up questions and recommendations for the General Chapter and to responding to suggestions from sisters in the Province. After Vatican II, the American Province obtained a higher degree of autonomy and the Chapter became "the highest legislative body of the Province" when meeting as a Chapter of Affairs (1978 Directory). Chaptershave become more frequent. Chapter delegates meet as a Chapter of Elections to elect Provincial Leadership and as a chapter of Affairs to make policy decisions at least once every three years. Between Chapters, the delegates meet as a Provincial Assembly, a consultative body to the Provincial Council, at least once a year.
The 1966 Chapter, the first of the Vatican II era, was prepared for by the work of five committees: Theology of Religious Life, Formation, Apostolic Works, Common Life, and Government and Organization. These committees took opinions from sisters and formulated recommendations for the Chapter. The use of such preparatory committees became standard for Provincial Chapters.
The 1971-1973 Chapter of renewal was preceded by area meetings in April 1970, and impromptu meetings of sisters in Chicago and Huntington, IN, in May 1970, and of sisters in health care in July 1970. It was prepared for by ten committees which began their work in November 1970:1) Formation, 2) Constitution, 3) Continuing Formation, 4) Theology and Concepts of Religious Life, 5) Prayer Life, 6) Community Life, 7) Apostolic Services, 8) Government and Organization, 9) Retirement and Health Programs, and 10) Finances. The Prayer Life, Community Life, and Apostolic Services committees were subdivided into regional committees. The work of all these committees was coordinated by a Steering Committee.
The Provincial Assembly of June 1974 created a Government Committee to work out solutions to questions which arose with the new governmental structure concerning the method of election of Provincial Leadership and Chapter delegates, the purview of the Community and Social Services Commission, the role of the area coordinators, and the position of the commissioner of the Finance Commission. In 1975 the Committee conducted a survey of sisters' attitudes toward the new government structures. The Government Committee was discontinued after the first session, June 1976, of the 1976-1977 Provincial Chapter.
The Provincial Chapter of 1985 created an Ad Hoc Government Committee to develop a proposal for a new model of government for the 1988 Provincial Chapter. This committee conducted extensive consultations with past and present council members, outside experts, and other communities. It reported to and received feedback from the Provincial Assemblies of 1986 and 1987. The 1985 Chapter also mandated a Govenrment Evaluation Committee to evaluate the new structures. This committee became active in 1993.
What follows is a list of Provincial Assembly and Chapter meetings, beginning with the 1935 Chapter (unless otherwise noted, Chapter means Chapter of Affairs):
Provincial Chapter - June 13-14, 1935
Provincial Chapter - September 8, 1948
Provincial Chapter of Elections - February 2, 1949
Provincial Chapter - August 18, 1954
Provincial Chapter - August 18, 1960
Provincial Chapter - August 13-17, 1966
Provincial Chapter - 1971-1973
Session 1 - July 24-25, 1971
Session 2 - August 8-15, 1971
Session 3 - November 26-27, 1971
Session 4 - December 26-31, 1971
Session 5 - June 16-24, 1972
Session 6 (Elections) - March 10, 1973
Session 7 (Elections) - April 7, 1973
Provincial Assembly - June 20-23, 1974 - "Reconciliation"
Provincial Assembly - November 28-29, 1974
Provincial Assembly - June 16-18, 1975
Provincial Assembly - February 13-15, 1976
Provincial Chapter of Elections - February 15, 1976
Provincial Chapter of Elections - March 27, 1976
Provincial Chapter - 1976-1977 - "Deep Faith Expressed in Simplicity"
Session 1 - June 12-14, 1976
Session 2 - December 19, 1976
Session 3 - May 13-15, 1977
Provincial Chapter - August 1-4, 1978 - "Build Tomorrows in Justice and Hope"
Provincial Chapter of Elections - January 20, 1979
Provincial Assembly - July 7, 1979
Provincial Assembly - April 19-20, 1980 - "Go Forward in Faith"
Provincial Assembly - July 31, 1981 - "Trust"
Provincial Chapter of Elections - March 5, 1982
Provincial Chapter - July 26-31, 1982 - "To be with Him... To be sent"
Provincial Assembly- August 12, 1983 - "Attuned to the Spirit"
Provincial Assembly - June 25-26, 1984 - "Go Forward in Hope and Joy"
Provincial Chapter of Elections - January 18, 1985
Provincial Chapter - June 17-22, 1985 - "Mission Magnified"
Provincial Assembly - June 10-12, 1986 - "Mission Magnified"
Provincial Assembly - June 11-12, 1987 - "Journey into the Future"
Provincial Chapter - 1988 - "Impacting the Future"
Session 1 - January 8-10, 1988
Session 2 (Elections) - March 19, 1988
Session 3 - June 16-21, 1988
Provincial Assembly - June 20, 1989
Provincial Assembly - June 16, 1990
Provincial Chapter - 1991 - "Impelled by the Vision"
Session 1 - January 12-13, 1991
Session 2 (Elections) - March 16, 1991
Session 3 - June 14-19, 1991
Provincial Assembly - June 20, 1992
Provincial Assembly - June 20-21, 1993
Materials for the pre- Vatican II Provincial Chapters include circular letters to the sisters announcing the chapter and specifying voting procedures, lists of sisters by voting district, and announcements of election results; minutes of the Provincial Chapter; communications from the Generalate concerning the General Chapter; and mailings giving questions and recommendations to be submitted to the General chapter, decisions of the Provincial and General Chapters concerning questions and suggestions by the American sisters, and a travel diary by the delegates to the General Chapter. There are no minutes for the 1935 Provincial Chapter, and no travel diary by the delegates to the 1960 General Chapter.
Materials for the 1966 Provincial Chapter include the same kinds of materials found in previous chapters (except a travel diary) plus proposed changes to the constitution sent by the Generalate as well as minutes, questionnaires, survey results, reports and recommendations of the pre-chapter committees.
Beginning with the 1971-1973 Chapter of Renewal the quantity and types of materials increase significantly. The materials for the 1971-1973 Chapter include many circular letters related to the pre-Chapter meetings and committees; minutes, questionnaires, survey results, position papers, reports and recommendations of the committees, as well as material collected for their study; outlines and drafts of the revised constitution by the constitution committee; talks given at a pre-chapter workshop; minutes to all the Chapter sessions; a newsletter published during the chapter, the "Chapter Times"; and "Acts of the Provincial Chapter"which were distributed and included recommendations to General Chapter, and General and Provincial Chapter decrees. There are also delegate ballots on a matter which arose between Chapter sessions concerning the proposed Provincial Assembly.
Materials for subsequent Chapters include circular letters; delegate lists; minutes, questionnaires, survey results, position papers, reports and recommendations of the preparatory committees or work groups;presentations and reports from committees and Commissions given at the Chapter; minutes; and the newsletter "Chapter Times."There were no commission reports at the second or third sessions of the 1976-1977 Chapter, the 1978 Chapter, and after 1988 (when the Commissions were eliminated). Beginning in 1985 there are also reports from on-going concerns of the Province such as Motherhouse renovation, the Catherine Kasper Home, Ancilla Systems and other sponsored ministries. The June 1991 Chapter materials include delegate response forms called listening sheets. The Archives has received no material for the January 1991 Chapter of Affairs. Material for the March 1991 Chapter of Elections is in the box of election materials at the end of the series.
Materials for Provincial Assemblies include circular letters, lists of delegates, suggestions submitted by sisters, reports and recommendations by Provincial and Commissions (before 1988), daily agendas, minutes, and a newsletter, "ThePHJC Assembler."The Provincial Assembly of 1980 was prepared for by two committees and a steering committee, for which there are also minutes, circular letters, reports and recommendations. The Assemblies of 1975, 1976, 1986, and 1987 also received reports from ongoing Government Committees.
Materials for both Chapters and Assemblies were collecte in binders. Beginning around 1986 binders for distribution were produced by the communications office established by the Provincial Chapter of 1982. Beginning in 1989 the binders for the Assembly include the daily agendas, liturgical services, presentations and newsletters for the accompanying Community Week. These include reports from on-going concerns of the Province. All materials have been removed from their binders and placed into folders.
The Government Committees of 1974-1976, 1985-1987 and 1993-1994, the Ad Hoc Elections Committee of 1989-1990, and the Government Task Force on Policy Manual Changes of 1994-1996 all produced correspondence, circular letters, background materials, questionnaires and survey results, reports to Assemblies and Chapters, and minutes.
At the end of the series there is one box of voting materials which includes lists of voting districts for delegates to the 1954, 1960 and 1966 chapters; procedures, circular letters, lists of sisters by voting group, lists of nominees, nominee acceptance forms, and ballots and tally sheets from the elections of Chapter delegates and from Provincial Chapters of Elections from 1971 on; and circular letters, lists of nominees, letters to nominees, and sample nominee acceptance forms for the election of General Leadership in 1988. Some voting returns are also found in Provincial Chapter files.