Sponsorship Member Committee
Sr. Mary Beth Glueckstein, O.S.F., Chair
Sr. Beatrice Hernandez, M.D., O.S.F.
Sr. Jane Madejczyk, O.S.F.
Role
The Sponsorship Member Board’s role is to exercise the Sponsorship authority of the Wheaton Franciscan Provincial Council* as delegated to them. They exercise their role by influencing, stewarding and evaluating how outcomes and services achieved by Corporate Ministries directly respond to the Wheaton Franciscan Sisters’ mission: “In the spirit of Francis of Assisi and our foundress, Clara Pfaender, the MISSION of our Province is to live the gospel life, discovered in prayer and community. Through loving presence and service, we foster personal and community growth as we respond to the needs of the church and the times.” (Book of the Province, BP 5) The Sponsorship Member Board works with the WFSI Board of Directors and many others to fulfill their role.
The Sponsorship Member Board shall have the following responsibilities and such other responsibilities as are or may become necessary or helpful to fulfillment of their role and authority:
- To work together as a group in identifying those strategies, processes and interventions that would bring Wheaton Franciscan presence and influence to the Corporate Ministries.
- To lead an ongoing process that ensures the continuity of sponsorship beyond the vowed members.
- To lead or to cause discernment of the most pressing needs in today’s society, the Gospel response to those needs, and how these responses could be addressed by the sponsored Corporate Ministries directly or collaboratively.
- To become actively involved in defining and evaluating sponsor expectations and outcomes of the Corporate Ministries.
- To become actively, though selectively, involved in key ministry dimensions that involve such aspects as: articulation of the Wheaton Franciscan mission and values; mission integration; leadership selection, orientation and development; governance involvements; church relationships; major system relationships; spiritual care services; ethics; human resource policy; and Sponsor/system identity.
- To provide oversight to the stewarding of financial, material and human resources used for achieving mission.
- To exercise all of the sponsorship reserved power of Corporate Ministries retained in current and new legal arrangements.
To accomplish the above, the Sponsorship Member Board acts as an advisor to the Provincial Council and is accountable for the exercise of its delegated powers. Throughout the process of exercising its critical leadership role, the Sponsorship Member Board affirms and celebrates the Wheaton Franciscan System’s success in living out its mission.
Sponsorship Member Committee
Appointment
The Sponsorship Member Committee is selected by the Sponsorship Member Board Chair.
Composition
The Sponsorship Member Committee consists of those Sponsorship Member Board members who are able to give additional time to sponsorship issues beyond the time required by the board as a whole.
Accountability
The Sponsorship Member Committee is accountable to the Sponsorship Member Board and through the Sponsorship Member Board to the Provincial Council.
Aim
The Sponsorship Member Committee focuses its attention on issues that pertain to how the mission of the Sisters and of the Church are being lived out in the corporate ministries with which the Wheaton Franciscans are identified.
Responsibilities
- Articulates the mission of the Wheaton Franciscan System and sponsor expectations relative to it and recommends these to the Sponsorship Member Board.
- Participates in developing the vision and articulates sponsor expectations relative to it and recommends these to the Sponsorship Member Board.
- Participates actively in the mission accountability processes for the System.
- Serves as advisors to System leadership, staff and boards, as requested.
- Surfaces and researches, if necessary, issues that pertain to Wheaton Franciscan Sponsorship of the corporate ministries and develops recommendations for the Sponsorship Member Board and appropriate others.
- Researches and unpacks the multiple facets and potentialities of Sponsorship as a ministry.
- Provides support to any activities, initiatives or priorities in the province or congregation pertaining to the ministry of Sponsorship.
- Develops and recommends a strategic Sponsorship Plan for the Province that can be considered by the Sponsorship Member Board and the Provincial Council.
- Participates as individuals and as a group in those system activities impacting Sponsorship or in those forums where Franciscan presence and participation would be mutually beneficial to WFSI and the Sponsor.
- Receives system feedback, which results in continual improvement of the Sponsorship ministry.
- Determines the most effective communication processes for keeping Wheaton Franciscans and the System abreast of ministry developments.
- Develops and implements plans for the ongoing education of Wheaton Franciscans which would prepare them to exercise Sponsorship leadership for the corporate ministries.
- Helps remove barriers to effective Sponsorship.
Procedures
- Meets at least monthly and as needed.
- Develops recommendations for the Sponsorship Member Board.
- Keeps record of meetings to be shared with the Sponsorship Member Board.
- Partners with WFSI leadership and respects sponsor v. operational boundaries.
* Both as Provincial Council and as Members of corporate ministries.
