Statutes
DOMINICAN SISTERS INTERNATIONAL (DSI)
CURRENT
Part I NATURE AND GOALS/OBJECTIVES
1.1 Nature of DSI
a. Dominican Sisters International (DSI) is an international movement of Dominican Sisters which seeks to create links between all Dominican Sisters of Apostolic Life throughout the world for the sake of the mission of the Order.
b. The official name of the movement is “Dominican Sisters International” (DSI).
1.2 Goals/Objectives
a. To support one another in living out the Dominican Charism and to claim and promote our
identity as women preachers
b. To facilitate communication and networking among Dominicans at national, regional and international levels
c. To foster a more compassionate world order through the promotion of peace and justice, the integrity of creation and human rights, especially those of women
d. To explore and foster collaborative initiatives within the Dominican Family
Part II STRUCTURE
2.1 Membership
The members of Dominican Sisters International are all Dominican Congregations of Apostolic Life who choose to belong.
2.2 Organization and Operation
a. The General Assembly, which meets every three years
b. Continental groupings of Prioresses General: Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America and Caribbean, and North America
c. The Coordinating Council, made up of the five Continental Coordinators and the International Coordinator
d. The International Coordinator
2.3 General Assembly
The General Assembly is a body that discerns, deliberates, makes decisions and acts. It is the ultimate authority of DSI.
2.3.1 Members
The members of the General Assembly are the Prioresses General or their official delegates, the International Coordinator and the Continental Coordinators. The Coordinating Council may invite other representatives of the Dominican family.
2.3.2 Functions
a. To approve, and/or revise the statutes and interpret them
b. To evaluate and approve the reports of the Coordinating Council
c. To elect the International Coordinator for a six-year term, renewable for three years
d. To approve the election of the Continental Coordinators
e. To approve the Financial Report and determine the annual membership fee
f. To organize into Continental Groups for selection of Continental Coordinators and to conduct other business. Continental Coordinators serve a three-year term, with a possible additional three-year term
2.3.3 Voting
a. Only the Prioresses General of the member Congregations or their official delegates present at the General Assembly have the right to vote.
b. Non-voting members are:
b.1 The International Coordinator and Continental Coordinators whose terms as Prioresses General have expired
b.2 Invited representatives of the Dominican Family and others who participate at the invitation of the Coordinating Council
2.3.4 Election of International Coordinator
a. Those eligible to be elected International Coordinator are ex-Prioresses General, General Councilors, or ex-General Councilors of Congregations who are members of DSI
b. The International Coordinator is elected by an absolute majority on the first or second ballot or by a simple majority on the third ballot. The ballot is secret.
c. The Coordinating Council proposes a list of nominees to facilitate the election.
2.4 Continental Groupings
2.4.1 Members
a. The DSI member Congregations are grouped according to the following geographical divisions: Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and North America.
b. The congregations that have a majority of Sisters in another continent outside the continent where the Generalate is located may choose the continental grouping to which theywish to belong. The Prioress informs the DSI International Coordinator of the choice of continental grouping.
c. Each grouping may prepare statutes for that continent. These are confirmed by the Prioresses General of the continental groupings.
2.4.2 Functions
a. To promote the goals of the movement
b. To animate the sisters of the Continental groupings with the DSI spirit.
c. To recommend to the General Assembly a Sister who will serve as the Continental Coordinator.
2.5 Coordinating Council
2. 5.1 Members
The members of the Coordinating Council are the International Coordinator and the five (5) Continental Coordinators.
2.5.2 Functions
a. To attend the annual council meetings convoked by the International Coordinator
b. To present a report of the activities of each Continental Group
c. To appoint those Sisters who serve as Director of Dominican Volunteers International, as International Promoter of Justice and Peace for DSI, as members of the International Dominican Commission of Justice and Peace, and as directors of other DSI programs; to recommend to the Master of the Order those Sisters who serve on various boards and commissions of the Order
d. To present nominations to the General Assembly for the election of the International Coordinator after they have carried out the widest possible consultation of the members of DSI
e. To assist the International Coordinator in planning, preparing and implementing the DSI General Assembly every three (3) years
2.6 International Coordinator
2.6.1 The International Coordinator must be an ex-Prioress General, a General Councilor or ex- General Councilor. She has particular responsibility for the general operation of DSI.
2.6.2 Functions
a. To work with the Coordinating Council in carrying out the priorities laid down by the General Assembly
b. To represent the DSImovement among Dominican and ecclesial bodies
c. To convoke meetings of the Coordinating Council at least every year and the General Assembly every three years
d. To maintain communication with the Congregations, the Continental groupings and with the other branches of the Dominican family
e. To supervise and accompany those Sisters who serve as Director of Dominican Volunteers International, as International Promoter of Justice and peace for DSI, and as directors of other DSI programs.
f. To collect data and interpret statistics about the Congregations and to maintain the Archives of DSI
g. To employ workers for the DSI office
h. To attend the principal Continental Assemblies
i. To prepare for the General Assembly, with the Coordinating Council:
i.1.1 The reports of activities of the Coordinating Council
i.1.2 The Financial Report
j. To oversee the disbursement of the Solidarity Funds
2.6.3 Vacancy
In case of a vacancy in the position of the International Coordinator due to illness, resignation, death or dismissal by the Coordinating Council, the latter will appoint a substitute who fulfills the necessary criteria. She will serve until the following General Assembly and the election of another International Coordinator.
Part III APPROVAL OF THE STATUTES
The approval of the Statutes requires a two-third majority by secret ballot. The Statutes are subject to revision by the General Assembly. Proposed amendments to the Statutes should be sent to the International Coordinator six months before the General Assembly. Any doubts about interpretation are to be resolved by the Coordinating Council whose decisions hold until the next Assembly.
Part IV FINANCES
DSI provides for its ordinary operational expenses by means of the annual membership fees paid by its members. The amount of these fees is determined by the General Assembly. DSI may ask for donations from its own members or from other organizations for special projects and for the Solidarity Fund.
APPROVED BY
THE SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
MAY, 2010
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