Later SSND Documents

Documents and the Use of Scripture

Biblical wisdom is a “sturdy root” in the heritage of the School Sisters of Notre Dame. The following scripture quotations are found in more recent documents and give evidence of fidelity to this scriptural tradition.

Quotations come from the Holy Rule of 1865 as well as more recent documents of the 20th century.

Hebrew Scripture

  • Psalms

    Psalm 64:2, Rule of 1865

    ‘O God, incline unto my aid! O Lord, make haste to help me.’
    p. 45-46

    Psalm 130:1, Rule of 1865

    Daily after supper, the Psalm “De Profundis” is recited for all the Sisters departed.
    p. 96

  • Ecclesiastes

    Ecclesiastes 3:7, Rule of 1865

    The Holy Ghost teaches that there is a time to be silent and a time to speak, and a community cannot persevere in conventual regularity and order unless silence be observed.
    p. 75, Chapter VII, Silence

Christian Scripture

  • Matthew

    Matthew 5:16, Rule of 1865

    Praise their Father in Heaven.
    p. 100

    Matthew 8:22, Rule of 1865

    She shall there be neither inquisitive about the transactions of the world, nor even listen to such: she will ‘let the dead bury the dead.’
    p. 52, Enclosure Congregation

    Matthew 12:36, Rule of 1865

    Must fear, far more the judgments of God on account of neglect or voluntary infidelity in fulfilling their Holy Rule of life.
    p. 152, Sisters

    Matthew 16:25, Rule of 1865

    By taking these Vows, they fulfill, in a stricter and higher sense all that Christ our Lord demands of His disciples – to abandon all, take up the Cross and follow Him.
    p. 32, Part II, Chapter 1: Vows & Profession

  • Luke

    Luke 10:42, Rule of 1865

    And thereby choose that ‘better part’ which shall not be taken from them.
    p. 42

    Luke 16:2, Rule of 1865

    Hence they must be so saving and economical with what the Superior allows them for their own use as if it were the property of God.
    p. 38, Vow of Poverty

  • John

    John 6:56, October-November 1968

    “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood lives in Me and I live in him. As I, who am sent by the Living Father, myself draw life from the Father, so whoever eats Me will draw life from Me.”
    p. 10, General Chapter

    John 2:5, 1986, You Are Sent

    “Do whatever He tells you.”
    p. 19, Constitution, Prologue

    John 2:5, 1986, You Are Sent

    We are attentive to God’s call, ready to do whatever he tells us.
    p. 17, #19, Apostolic Obedience

    John 2:5, 1986, You Are Sent

    We honor her (Mary) as mother of our congregation, practicing truest devotion to her when we do whatever he tells us.
    p. 31, #32, Prayer

    John 2:5, 1986, You Are Sent

    Throughout our lives, we strive to do whatever he tells us, to respond affirmatively to God and to his action in us.
    p. 36, #47, Personal Development in Community

    John 15:13, 1986, You Are Sent

    Eucharist urges us to lay down our lives so that deeper communion among ourselves and all humanity be realized.
    p. 32, #34, Eucharist

    John 17:21, 1986, You Are Sent

    To each of us at this moment of salvation history, the words of Christ ring clear: “As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. May they be one in us.so that the world may believe it was you who sent me.” We are called and we are sent.
    p. 20, #1, Mission

    John 17:21, 1986, You Are Sent

    As the desire of Jesus that all be one become more fully our own, our striving for unity embraces all humanity and the whole of creation.
    p. 22, #9, Community

    John 17:21, 1986, You Are Sent

    As community we are sent in the power of the Spirit to continue Christ’s mission, to proclaim him, to be transformed and to transform our world, bringing all to the oneness for which Jesus Christ was sent.
    p. 37, #48, Conclusion

    John 17:21, 1986, You Are Sent

    Our mission is to proclaim the good news as School Sisters of Notre Dame, directing our entire lives toward that oneness for which Jesus Christ was sent.
    #4, Part I: Mission

    John 19:21, 1986, You Are Sent

    As we identify more deeply with Christ, the very pattern of his life becomes ours.
    p. 36, #46, Personal Development in Community

    John 19:25, 1986, You Are Sent

    Mary’s life perfectly models the response to the Spirit, the commitment to Christ and the total gift of self to the Father that we strive for in living the spirit of our vows.
    #21, Vowed Commitment, Summary

  • Acts

    Acts 4:32, 1986, You Are Sent

    Through this kind of presence to and for one another, through our prayer, dialogue and ministry, we become a community of one mind and one heart.
    p. 21, #7, Community

    Acts 4:32, 1986, You Are Sent

    Growth in obedience unites us closer together as a community of one mind and one heart and impels us to fulfill our mission.
    p. 28, #20, Apostolic Obedience

  • 2 Corinthians

    2 Corinthians 12:10, 1986, You Are Sent

    We learn with God’s grace, to trust that his power is at its best in weakness.
    p. 33, #37, Conversion

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