Council of Women Religious

Minutes of Meeting

April 22, 2009

A.     Opening Prayer … Election Committee …. All Council members made their commitment to service to the sisters through the Council. A beautiful prayer service was prepared by Sr. Gerry and Sr. Joanna.

B.      Attendance: Msgr. Jerry Sherba, Srs. Barbara Marie, Lois, Mary Ann, Joanna, Carol, Shirley, Chris, Gerry, Arcadia, Joan, Mary Agnes, Mary Jean

Absent: Srs. Margaret, Jeanne, Mary Therese

C.      Election of Officers … The Election Committee lead the new members in the election of future leadership for the Council. The results were:

         Chairperson … Sr. Barbara Marie

         Vice-chairperson … Sr. Joanna

D.     Report on the Religious Retirement Collection …..

2007 …  $201,467.60

2008 …  $188,005.13

                  The Coordinator’s work has been turned over to Sr. Anne Heath. The Council

                  thanked Sr. Mary Jean for her 10 years of service as coordinator.

E.      Election committee report and evaluation …. All materials and suggestions for

Future elections are included in the secretaries books. We will ask at the September

gathering if email is acceptable to shorten the time required since we need to do

an election every year.  Election committee will provide to Sr. Barbara a list of sisters who came close to being elected, in case one or more present members need to resign.  At the September meeting all sisters will be asked if they agree that in the future elections are done via email.

F.       Jubilee 2008 … Sr. Mary Agnes reported on the problems of communication regarding the Liturgy we experienced this year. Msgr. Jerry helped us to understand where the breakdown was in communication and suggestion a process for 2010. Sr. Mary Agnes offered to chair the process this year in order to try to establish a pattern of communication that would prevent the problems of the past 2 years.

G.     Pictures … to assist in helping us to get to know each other better we would like to put a picture and short bio of the sisters on the website (the diocese is looking to do this for the clergy also). Srs. Gerry and Mary Jean will take pictures of the sisters at the September gathering to prepare for this to happen.

H.     September 26 gathering with the Bishop … Cardinal Gibbons High School …  possible schedule:

• 10a.m. Mass with the Bishop  

• 11a.m. gathering with the Bishop

• 12:30 p.m. Lunch  

• 1:30-2:30 gathering of the sisters (an opportunity for sisters to get to know one another better)

• Final plans will be set at the August meeting of the Council

I.        Jubilee 2010(2011) … will be at Our Lady of Lourdes, Raleigh

2010 Jubilarians: Sr. Mary Margaret Filan, IHM-40; Sr. Brigid Dunne, SSL-50(will not be resent for Jubilee); Sr. Mary Jean Korejwo, SND-50; Sr. Helene Therese McGroarty, IHM-50.

M.   Announcements from Bishop Burbidge via Msgr. Jerry …

            - congratulations on election process; it worked out beautifully

            - Bishop Burbidge would like to be present at our meeting quarterly (since we only     quarterly meetings we suggested 2 meetings a year)

            -Bishop would like to discuss issues with the Council and have the Council raise issue of concern to the women religious in our diocese to help him to be a good shepherd of the diocese

            - the Bishop wants Council members to also discuss issues with the other sisters

N.    Msgr. Jerry expressed his own personal appreciation for sisters and his desire to Support the Council in any way he can. As soon as his new residence is settled we will provide all of you with that information so that you may have free access to him also.

O. Call to consecrated life …. Joanna raised the need to create new ways of promoting

            Vocations. Further discussion indicated some vocation promotion efforts that are     “happening now” so the Council would like to get further information on “ongoing         happening” at the September gathering. This will then become the work of the             Standing Committee for Community Relations.

P.    Standing committees of Council are: a) Events  b) Community Relations  c) Continuing      Education  d) Elections. Membership is open to all Sisters. Srs. Barbara Marie and Joanna will be sending a letter to all the sisters in the near future outlining the nature of the various committees and requesting information about local vocation work that is already being initiated by sisters. At the September gathering sisters will have   the opportunity to sign up for committees.

Q.    A “thank you” was give to Srs. Joan and Mary Therese for their service on the Council.     Sr. Mary Ann thanked Srs. Barbara Marie and Mary Jean for their service on the Council.

R.    Next meeting … August 20th,  12-3. Lunch at 12. Ruby will schedule room and order Lunch.  We decided to continue to hold our meetings at the Catholic Center.