SAN ANTONIO — The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word concluded their Chapter of Elections on Sunday, May 31, 2026, in San Antonio, electing a new General Leadership Team for the 2026–2030 term. Delegates representing Sisters from the United States, Mexico, and Peru gathered for the sacred process, which occurs once every four years.
The Chapter of Elections ended with a closing liturgy and the first blessing of the newly elected leadership team at 3 p.m. inside the Chapel of the Incarnate Word. Following the blessing, the congregation held a solemn procession to relocate sacred relics containing the preserved hearts of Mother St. Pierre Cinquin, a foundress of the order, and Reverend Mother Ignatius Saar, a former General Superior.
The relics, which have been housed in the congregation’s archives and museum since the demolition of the original Motherhouse and chapel in 1985, were moved to a newly established place of prayer and veneration in the chapel at Brackenridge Villa. Mother St. Pierre Cinquin’s heart was brought to Texas from Lyons, France, after her death, and Reverend Mother Ignatius Saar’s heart was preserved following her death in 1894. The tradition of preserving hearts as relics dates back centuries in the Catholic Church.
During the Chapter of Elections, delegates cast paper ballots behind closed doors, relying on prayer, reflection, silence, and dialogue rather than campaigning or politics. The new General Leadership Team will guide ministries across the United States, Mexico, and Peru, including the University of the Incarnate Word, Incarnate Word High School, healthcare ministries, schools, social service organizations, and international mission programs. The team officially begins its four-year term following the conclusion of the Chapter of Elections, with a formal installation ceremony scheduled for July 2026.