« Sensitive to the call of the Church, all the while staying in the world, the Members of the Association share in the ideal, the spirit and the mission of the FCSCJ in the light of the charism transmitted by the Founders, Jean-Maurice Catroux and Rose Giet, adapted to the state of life of the Members. »
Together,
Associates and religious,
it is now up to us
to search for ways to make
the grace of our origins fruitful and to accomplish our mission more efficaciously.
In 2001, the General Chapter decided to officially recognize the reality of the Associate Members in the Congregation and to make the request to Rome.
On December 12, 2001, the Apostolic See for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life declared by Decree that the lay Association called The Association of the Congregation of the Daughters of the Charity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a Work proper to the Daughters of the Charity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
A Brief History of the Association
A first proposition
At the General Chapter of 1971, a proposition was presented to the delegates for “young woman who desired to follow the evangelical Christ but who were unable or did not desire to enter religious institutes as they existed at the time. A study was then undertaken “on the possibility to affiliate or to “graft” to our Institute, groups of young women who, while keeping their professional work, were able to live as they were able, the evangelical life according to the spirit of the Daughters of the Charity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and this with a style of life yet to be invented.
The study continues
At the General Conference in 1988
a working document is proposed to the working groups.
At the General Chapter in 1989,
A first project is formed. It is decided that “ an attempt will be made in our Congregation of an experience of Associates living the evangelical life according to their own vocation and spirit of the FCSCJ.”
At the General Chapter in 1995 :
the evaluation was positive and the experience continues. .
Then an official grouping of women and men desiring to deepen their faith in order to say to the world that God is Father and that his love is universal, began in Canada, Brazil, Tahiti, the United States and in France.
In June 2004 : over 250 Associate Members are distributed in the different countries where we are located : West Africa, Brazil, Canada, France, the United States, Madagascar, and French Polynesia. .
At the general Chapter of 2007:
It’s a first : representatives from the 350 Associates or so from various countries were called to the General Chapter. As well as the Daughters of the Charity, the Associates showed their desire to drink at the deepest of the spring of the charisms of Father Catroux and Mother Marie, and at the one of the tradition of the French School who gave them birth. They were also aware that they had to develop always more eagerly this apostolic zeal of contemplation in order to live the life of Jesus in his mysteries.
In September 2009:
The family grows: there are now more than 400 Associates to the Daughters of Charity of Sacred Heart of Jesus
