We are an apostolic community of women, baptized in Christ and vowed to continue the mission of God’s Church.  In the Spirit of St. Vincent de Paul and St. Elizabeth Seton, the congregation conceives its purpose to be an active ministry on behalf of the Kingdom. 

Our service is informed by Gospel values, responsive to the needs of a changing world, guided by the prudent use of available resources,  respectful of human dignity,  protective of human rights,  devoted especially to the poor and oppressed,  supported by the common life, animated by prayer, rooted in faith, and performed in humility, simplicity, and charity.                                                                                         

Celebrating the fruits of sixty-five years of intercultural collaboration, including twenty-two years of distinctive provinces in the United States and Korea, we find ourselves on the edge of discovery of a new way of being into the future. We commit ourselves to be prophets of peace in our world, shining Christ’s light for all people and Creation. It is thus that we:

• Find creative ways to respond to the needs of the time,
• Choose to invigorate the Community as our prime witness of God’s Kingdom,
• Stand in solidarity with organizations committed to the welfare of Mother Earth,
• Share our spirituality by technological means that connect us with the world,
• Embrace an openness to an evolving new model of governance.

The Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill, trusting in the providence of God, find ourselves at a graced crossroads. The United States Province affirms the 2019 General Chapter Statement, and will:

• Intensify, for the sake of the apostolate, our efforts to grow in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ through fidelity to contemplative prayer, meditation on sacred scripture, and spiritual reading (Constitutions, Article 34).
• Explore ways to enable all Sisters in the United States Province to embrace the physical, spiritual, psychological, and intellectual challenges of the next five years.
• Develop strategic actions for education and advocacy to address the critical needs of poor and vulnerable populations.
• Focus on the causes and effects of the racial divide and the exploitation of the environment on the whole of creation.
• Strengthen and extend collaborative partnerships, particularly with those organizations and persons that share the Vincentian-Setonian charism, most importantly the Sisters of Charity Federation.

SHINE YOUR LIGHT FOR ALL
2024 Chapter Logo
Created by artist Sister Mun, Ji Young

Sister Mun, Ji Young provided the following background information about the logo.

I began with the Chapter theme and the narrative. As I focused on them, I felt motivated by Christ’s love for all of creation. As we Sisters age and deepen our contemplation, we have light within us—drawn from Jesus on the cross—to consistently share with all around us. I wanted to express how we are called to share God’s eternal light, each from her respective place in her own life.

I combined three images: the Samtaeguk’s three segments (earth, heaven and humanity), the traditional Korean flame pattern, and the cross found in our community emblem. The red, yellow and orange flames suggest love and light being shared in outward movement through the spaces open to the space/world beyond. The cross rests on it, since there is no love without sacrifice and self-giving. I placed on our community cross the mark of the five wounds of Jesus.

The Samtaegeuk includes humanity (yellow) with the basic elements of the universe, Yin (earth/blue) and Yang (heaven/red). It implies the principles of harmony and the coexistence of all things in the universe.

Vocation

We are called by God, who gives us a mission, shapes our charism, and sustains us. While we may be called individually, we are united as the “Company of Charity,” as St. Vincent de Paul referred to us.

As a congregation of Sisters of Charity gathered and assembled by God, we cherish our call and make a lifelong commitment with one another to God to reveal to the world God’s love and compassion. We embrace a consecrated life with vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience to become more loving, zealous, and faithful to God through prayer and living a common life in awe of God’s love for us.