Edited from a submission by Partner-in-Mission Maureen Jenkins, New Direction Committee Facilitator

The New Directions Committee held its final face-to-face meeting in Rome from June 20–25, 2026. This meeting marked a significant moment in the Congregation’s journey toward a nouvelle structure de gouvernance,, a journey that began with the Calls to Action that we courageously and wholeheartedly committed to at the 31st Congregational Chapter.

The New Directions Committee was appointed by the CLT in September 2022 in response to the Direction Statement of the 31st Chapter:

«We commit to the New Governance Structure having mission at the center, fostering communities characterized by inclusivity, reconciliation, and healing. »

The Committee was asked, “to create the processes and materials needed to guide the implementation of the new governance structures and to work with the Units in their response to this call to action. »

This work formed part of a wider transformation in the Congregation: the movement from Provinces to Regions, the development of Extended Leadership Teams at Congregational, Regional, and, where desired, local levels, and the strengthening of shared responsibility for mission among sisters and partners-in-mission.

Over the past years, the Committee has accompanied the Congregation through six phases of implementation. The journey began with interim Zoom meetings and reflection on the history of each Unit, inviting Units to “enlarge the place of your tent.” This was followed by the creation of Circle Implementation Teams and the gathering of Unit information, as the Units began to look beyond existing structures.

In the third phase, Units entered a deeper process of discernment around possible Regional configurations. Conversations were arranged with selected Units, opening space to listen, ask questions, and consider new relationships. In the fourth phase, attention turned to local communities, with Units discerning local realities in light of the emerging Regions and establishing Local Leadership Teams and, where needed, Local Extended Leadership Teams. These phases invited the Units to “stretch the cords” of their tent, creating room for new ways of belonging, leading, and serving together.

The fifth phase brought Units to final Unit Assemblies, where sisters and partners-in-mission discerned a shared vision with the selected Units that would form each Region. This was a time to “lengthen the cords,” strengthening the vision, relationships, and commitments needed for the new Regions to take shape.

The Congregation is now moving into the sixth phase. All eleven intended Regions have set the dates for their Regional Chapters. The implementation of the New Governance Structure is now in the hands of chapter preparation committees across the world. During this phase, each Region will hold its Regional Chapter, elect or appoint its Regional Leadership Team, and consult on and appoint its Regional Extended Leadership Team. In this way, the stakes of the tent are being strengthened so that each Region can carry forward the Good Shepherd mission with renewed participation, accountability, and optimism.

As Units prepare across the world for their Regional Chapters, the New Directions Committee now turns its attention to consulting within its own Circles as needed. The recent meeting in Rome was therefore both a conclusion and a handover. It gave the Committee time to reflect on its life and work together and to review the six phases of the implementation process, as shown in the diagram.

The Committee told the story of its experiences with each phase. Through this sharing, the work with sisters and partners-in-mission came to life once again. The team was able to write a comprehensive report, gathering what had been lived and learned so that it can be shared as part of the preparation for the 2027 Congregational Chapter.

It was then time for celebration. The CLT held a beautiful ritual of closing for the team, including reflection from each person, both from the CLT and the NDC, on what learnings they are taking away from the project and what they are called to let go. Deep mutual gratitude was expressed.

Although this marks the end of the New Directions Committee’s implementation work from the center, it is not the end of the journey. The work now passes more fully into the life of the Regions themselves. What began as a Congregational call to reimagine governance for the sake of mission is now becoming a lived reality in and through the Regions, as the Congregation continues to respond to the new that is emerging.

See you in the Region!