The Third General Chapter was celebrated from March 21 – May 3, 1981, at the new site of the PDDM General House in Via Gabriele Rossetti 17, Rome.
In this event, the “priority choices” were developed on themes regarding: the spirituality/lifestyle of the PD, the renewal of community life, vocational promotion/integral formation, apostolic renewal, the meaning of Pauline poverty. This last theme anticipated by twenty years the reflection of the 8th General Chapter, raising awareness of the need to be better enlightened on the “meaning of Pauline poverty” in its five functions indicated by the Founder.
Among the other decisions taken by the Chapter were: the preparation of the text of the Constitutions at the conclusion of the time ad experimentum begun after Vatican Council II and based upon the dispositions of the Church, bearing in mind the work of the Chapter. Also there was the introduction of the regulations for the erection of provinces and delegations, the constitution of a Center for the coordination of the apostolate; the change in the duration of the mandate for the General Government from 12 years to 6 years. The request of the Interchapter was reaffirmed and granted by the Sacred Congregation for Religious and Secular Institutes: the novitiate would last two years (cf Acts of the III General Chapter, 1981, p. 92).
In the Third General Chapter, M. M. Tecla Molino was elected as the Superior General. The Government was completed with M. M. Immacolata Parrotta as the Vicar General; the Councilors were: M. M. Clelia Arlati, M. M. Piercarla Consonni, M. M. Tiziana Dal Masetto, M. M. Christiane Gervais, and M. M. Paola Mancini, who also served as General Secretary. Sr. M. Rosalia Rossetti was nominated as Treasurer.
In his greeting to the new Superior General, His Eminence Cardinal Eduardo Francisco Pironio, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for Religious and Secular Institutes, recalled the work of Madre Maestra, M. M. Lucia Ricci, writing: “I hold dear to offering my praise to the out-going Superior General, who, in faithfully following the will of the Founder, has guided the Institute since its first years of life with the criteria of goodness, equilibrium, and understanding”.
The new text of the Constitutions and of the Directory would be prepared in the following years. The competent ecclesiastical authority approved it on December 8, 1984, and on April 4, 1985, Holy Thursday, it was promulgated by the Superior General, M. M. Tecla Molino.