Ministry Office reflects on 10 years

By Sister Joan Andert, Director of the Ministry Office

“What is the best way forward for our ministries?” asked Blessed Theresa of Jesus Gerhardinger, foundress of the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND). Asked Mother Caroline Friess, Commissary General of SSND in North America. Generations of SSND have asked.

Ten years ago, the province asked what is the best way forward for our ministries, those we hold in common, those who bear our name, those who carry our spirit and values, those who give public witness to what we hope for the future and those with a less formal relationship.

In great SSND style, we searched together for a plan:

• 2013 – new Central Pacific Province appoints committee to look at the future of Sponsored, Co-Sponsored and Supported Ministries
• 2014 – Assembly of the Whole approved establishing committees on mission formation, governance, planning and sustainability and funding related to the Sponsored, Co-sponsored and Supported Ministries of the founding provinces
• 2015 – committees began working

The committees worked diligently:

• 2016 - 2018 – four committees and a coordinating committee worked to bring forward eight recommendations to the sisters in the form of a Ministry Report looking at the best way forward for our corporate ministries
• 2018 – the Ministry Report recommended a new framework to hold all the relationships and a Ministry Commission to be formed to support our ministries with mission formation, governance, planning and sustainability and funding. The Ministry Report also called for the establishment of a full-time Ministry Office. The sisters supported these recommendations and others at the summer Assembly of the Whole.
• 2019 – The ministry work group asked sisters to suggest potential members of the Ministry Commission; the response was enthusiastic!

So now, in the second year of the Ministry Office and Ministry Commission, Sister Carol Jean Dust, commission chairperson, and Sister Joan Andert, director of the Ministry Office, realize they are standing on the shoulders of many great SSND and colleagues. Each day the pages of the Ministry Report get a little more worn, the commission gets stronger and the ministries grow more closely connected.

It is all about relationships! Ten years have taken us a long way! And we continue to keep asking!

Learn the full history of the Ministry Commission and Ministry Office, along with each ministry.

Read more reflections and stories celebrating our 10 years as the Central Pacific Province.

Gratitude for 10 years