Page 67 - SJC Constitution

132 The Superior has to act in the community as a symbol of
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unity and bond of love. It being so, the role of the superior
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is to keep and promote the community as a loving fraternity
united in love with God, with each other and with the people
of God. Therefore, the superior has to be, above all, a person
living united with God in prayer, capable of providing
spiritual leadership to the Community.
133 The superior is bound, in the first place, through her living
example, instruction and leadership given to the community
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committed to her care, to foster the spirit of the SJC, to make
the members grow in prayer life both personal and collective,
to strengthen the bonds of mutual relationship and love in
the community, and to lead the community towards the
people of God in the spirit of our apostolate of merciful love.

134 Superiors have to be persons respecting the individuality of
the members, having the readiness to talk to the members
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individually and collectively, and showing attention and
interest in inquiring about and meeting out the needs of each
individual, especially, of the sick and the aged.

135 While ensuring that the Constitutions and directives of the
Superiors are faithfully carried out, the superiors are to have
the ability to correct the erring members with love and
prudence, to provide courage and consolation to the weak
of mind and to deal with all with patience and human
consideration. 16

136 Collegiality, decentralization and subsidiarity, which facilitate
seeking the will of God, are to be manifest in the style of
exercising authority by the superiors. Collegiality postulates
that authority be exercised in mutual love, unity and
consultation by the superiors themselves as well as by the
superiors and members of the community. Decentralization
entails that the higher superiors entrust other superiors and

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