Series 3 - General Chapters

1 m of textual records

The records of first 11 General Chapters were held in the offices files of the successive Sisters General, and were transferred in 1988 upon the establishment of the congregational archives. The records of the final five chapters were transferred to the archives following the Chapters.

Fifteen years after the founding of the Institute if the Sisters of Service, the first General Chapter was held at the Toronto Motherhouse in May 1937 to elect a Sister General and an administrative council. This electoral event marked a departure from the tradition of appointing the governing council and Superior General by higher ecclesiastical authorities. Since 1928, the Toronto archbishop appointed the Sister General and the council on the advice of Rev. George Daly, the institute’s director.

Subsequently, the Sister elected delegates as representatives to elect their governing council of up to five members for a six-year term and discuss/decide on changes in their customs, rule and constitution.

The records of the Chapters series, which were arranged alphabetically and chronologically, document the two sections of the Chapter. From the Chapter of Affairs, records include correspondence, minutes of the proceedings, talks, studies, reports, and decisions. In the Chapter of Elections, the leadership of Sister General and General Council are elected.

Members of the sixth General Chapter in 1966, one year after the end of the final session of the Second Vatican Council, undertook to review their apostolates and renew their religious life in response to the Vatican Council’s instructions for religious congregations to examine their roots. A total of 13 briefs were presented, including on the topics of religious education, immigration, prayer, public school teaching, women’s residences and vocations. The chapter delegates decided that the governing council term be reduced to four years and Chapters be open to all Sisters.

From that Chapter in 1966, changes in the institute’s direction were seen in subsequent recommendations by Chapter committees. More consultation also was found in the pre-Chapter meetings and studies were presented on the community’s sociological survey, (1968), sociological analysis (1970) and charism (1990). Three sessions of the Ninth General Chapter were held in consecutive years to draft a revised constitution, which reflected the contemporary focus of the institute.

As the institute’s membership declined, the agendas of the Chapters since 1990 have been dedicated to the care of the senior and retired Sisters, a Circle Governance, financial legacy and eventual diminishment. Following the decisions of the 16th and final Chapter, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto were approached to serve as administrators. A sponsorship agreement was signed in late 2011.

The series is divided into the following subseries:

1. First General Chapter, 1937
2. Second General Chapter, 1943
3. Third General Chapter, 1948
4. Fourth General Chapter, 1954
5. Fifth General Chapter, 1960
6. Sixth General Chapter, 1966
7. Seventh General Chapter, 1970
8. Eighth General Chapter, 1974
9. Ninth General Chapter, 1978-1980
10. Tenth General Chapter, 1982
11. Eleventh General Chapter, 1986
12. Twelfth General Chapter, 1990
13. Thirteenth General Chapter, 1994
14. Fourteenth General Chapter, 1998-1999
15. Fifteenth General Chapter, 2003
16. Sixteenth General Chapter, 2007

No future accruals expected.

Series arrangement maintained as received during transfer to USMC.

Files are restricted for 30 years after the date of creation. Where restrictions exist, these are indicated at the file level.

Records from those elected by General Chapters: the Sister General, General Council, and Circle Meetings, can be found in F30-2 - Governance and Administration.

Created by F Rousselle, 4 November 2024.
Revised by F Rousselle Aug 15, 2025.

Archival History and Content descriptions by MC Havey, congregational archivist, and inherited upon USMC transfer.