In an historic moment for the Missionary Sisters of Service (MSS), Archbishop of Melbourne, Peter A. Comensoli, has issued a decree appointing Good Samaritan Sister, Veronica Hoey, as the Canonical Delegate for the MSS for the next three years. This marks a new model of leadership and governance for the MSS as the community continues its journey toward completion and fulfilment as a congregation.
Archbishop Comensoli issued the decree on 10 October 2024, with the appointment of Sr Veronica Hoey as Canonical Delegate commencing from 11 October—a significant date for the MSS community. The date marked the 62nd anniversary of the commencement of Vatican Il and is also the Feast Day of St Pope John XXIII, both sources of great inspiration for the MSS community and its founder, Fr John Wallis.
The appointment of Sr Veronica as Canonical Delegate marks the completion of a 12-year period of discernment for the MSS, along with extensive community consultation, which saw the community looking ahead and preparing for the time when the congregation would no longer be able to elect a ‘full general government’, or leadership team from within its own members.
Stancea Vichie, former congregation leader of the MSS for 12 years, says, ‘With the reality of diminishing numbers of people joining religious communities, coupled with an ageing congregation, the MSS began formal preparations for changes in the way services were provided to our community of women, as well as exploring changes in our leadership and governance, some time ago.
‘As our community of women journeys toward completion—or fulfilment, as we like to say—we have continued to work toward good governance and administration to ensure the ongoing life, mission and charism of the MSS into the future. We are thrilled that Sr Veronica accepted our invitation to be Canonical Delegate for our community of women for the next three years, and perhaps beyond that. It simply means that she will have oversight of our congregation, to ensure that the life and mission of the congregation is moving forward in a good way.’
Sisters Stancea and Bernadette Wallis from the MSS, along with members of the MSS Stewardship Council—Prof. Gabrielle McMullen AO, Sauro Antonelli, David Alcock and Mary O’Dea—and Emerging Futures Collaborative MSS Business Manager, Glenn De Souza, met with Archbishop Comensoli and Annie Carrett, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Melbourne and Sr Veronica Hoey SGS before the official handover of the decree of appointment. In the decree, Archbishop Comensoli writes:
‘I pray that these arrangements that I have decreed will draw deeply from the inspiration of the foundation’s vision—ensuring the ongoing nurturing of the fruits of the ministries of the MSS lived out among God’s people, and of the well-being of every sister to fully live out her religious life. I invoke the blessings of Almighty God on all those involved.’
Ritual provides opportunity to give thanks and pray for new canonical delegate
To mark the momentous occasion, the MSS hosted an online ritual on 16 October, to formally acknowledge the appointment of Sr Veronica Hoey SGS as Canonical Delegate of the congregation, and to provide an opportunity to formally welcome and thank her.
Forty people joined the Zoom, including MSS from across the various states in which they live: Hobart, Tasmania; Toowoomba and Mackay, Queensland; Port Pirie, South Australia; and Melbourne, Victoria. There were members of the MSS Stewardship Council, Highways and Byways board members and staff (including former staff); Emerging Futures Collaborative Ltd staff, and other friends and colleagues who contribute to the MSS’s work and mission.
The ritual’s theme was based on the words of Spanish Poet, Antonio Machado—‘Wanderer, there is no path, the path is made by walking—which resonates strongly with the MSS’s pioneering spirit, and the fact that this change in leadership and governance has unfolded over the years, led by the Holy Spirit, and the wise counsel of many.
Congregational Leader of the Good Samaritan Sisters, Catherine McCahill also attended. Commenting on the ritual, she said, ‘The Missionary Sisters of Service have courageously discerned this new form of Canonical Governance, and with Sr Veronica, her willingness to commit to this role.
‘The Good Samaritans and Missionary Sisters of Service have a long and rich story of friendship and collaboration in ministry in Whyalla and Port Pirie, South Australia, and Toowoomba and North Queensland. We pray for the MSS and Sr Veronica as they continue to make the path by walking into the future towards fulfilment of their life and mission in Australia and beyond.’
Sr Stancea echoed these sentiments, sharing, ‘We MSS are so pleased for many reasons, one of them being that the Good Samaritan Sisters are also an Australian-founded congregation who began in Sydney in 1857, the first religious congregation to be founded in Australia. And Sr Veronica has long experience in governance and leadership, so she will be there for the coming three years if there are any canonical issues which arise.’ To Veronica, she said: ‘We thank you for your wonderful commitment and companionship as we all move along together as a “caravan of pilgrims”. May you know our trust in you, and our gratitude for taking up the responsibility in this new time for our congregation.’
Sr Veronica also expressed her deep gratitude at the conclusion of the ritual and gifted Sr Stancea with a jug, symbolising the ‘bringing of the oil of compassion to each other and to those who most need our presence’, which she said, ‘is central in my own Good Samaritan congregation’s life and mission’.
‘As I take up my role as the MSS’s Canonical Delegate and as you all embrace this next part of your MSS journey, I offer this symbol of the oil of compassion and the oil of nourishment and wisdom shared around the table of hospitality in your MSS homes and around the Stewardship and Highways and Byways Board tables. I hope that in this ministry of Canonical Delegate I will, through my presence in your unfolding life and mission, be a wise, listening and compassionate companion.
‘I hope I will share my gifts gently and generously in serving the MSS for the Church in Australia. Our future is unknown but may we all with trust and confidence and great peace in our compassionate God, make the path by walking together into the future.’
For more information about the role of Canonical Delegate and the process in achieving this change in leadership and governance, please contact Sr Stancea Vichie MSS.