GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Associates
Women and men who share the Dominican charism and are associated with a religious congregation but who are not canonical members of the congregation
Canonical
Aspects of religious life governed by Canon Law, i.e. rights and obligations
Closer/Deeper Union
The term being used by Dominican women of the Northeast who are committed to link their energy, resources and personnel to more effectively preach the Gospel through the creation of new structures
Collaboration
Individual congregations coming together for the common purpose of strengthening Dominican Life and Mission
Competent Authority to Approve
According to Canon 582, approval for mergers, unions and federations of all religious institutes (both pontifical and diocesan) is reserved to the Apostolic See, i.e., the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
Consensus
A decision-making process in which communications have been sufficiently open and the group climate sufficiently supportive to make everyone in the group feel she has had a fair opportunity to influence the decision. If, at the end of the process, some members’ preference is different from that of the group, consensus exists if they can honestly take the position that “This is not my preference but I will let go in faith and support it.” (Adapted from Schweickert, Standing at the Crossroads, pp. 85 and 98.)
Discernment
A process for decision-making in which one is open to God’s spirit within herself, within others and within the group as a whole. Experience, prayer, contemplation, and listening to other’s wisdom are part of this process used in both personal and communal decision(s).
Federation
“A federation occurs when certain institutes sharing the same nature and spirit join together for common purposes while each institute retains its autonomy.” (Rose M. McDermott, “Part III: Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life,” in Beal et al., New Commentary on the Code of Canon Law, New York, Paulist Press, 750.)
Institute
The term used in Canon Law for a congregation
Juridic Person
Provides a legal identity or standing in Canon Law, similar to a corporation in civil law.
Learnings
What has been gleaned from conversations, research, experience, study and prayerful reflection
Merger
A term used to describe the extinction as a separate juridic entity of one or more smaller institutes and their absorption into a larger institute. “A merger occurs when one institute remains intact while a second is absorbed into it. The first institute (referred to here as the receiving institute) retains all its rights and duties as a juridic person and as a religious institute while the juridic person of the second institute (referred to here as the merging institute) ceases to exist. For those belonging to the merging institute membership is transferred into the receiving institute.” (Catherine C. Darcy, “Restructuring Religious Institutes: A Canonical Perspective,” in Bulletin on Issues of Religious Law, v. 15, 1997, 2.)
Non-Canonical
Aspects of religious life not governed by Canon Law
Reconfiguration
The outcome(s) of Congregations’ exploration of structuring new ways of being together for Dominican life and mission
Structure
The organizational relationship that facilitates our collaboration with one another
Supreme Moderator
Term used in the Code of Canon Law (Canon 622) to designate the major superior who has authority for the entire institute.
Union
The legal extinction of all of the institutes involved with the simultaneous establishment of a single, entirely new juridic entity. “A union occurs when a new institute comes into being. Unions may take place between two or more institutes. The juridic personality of each of the institutes ceases to exist. An entirely new juridic person comes into existence. For all forming institutes, membership is transferred into the new institute.” (Catherine C. Darcy, “Restructuring Religious Institutes: A Canonical Perspective,” in Bulletin on Issues of Religious Law, v. 15, 1997, 2.)
