Current Topics in the Sponsorship of Schools for Religious Congregations Alice I. Hession Director of Formation

Sponsorship Relationships Canon Law –Recognize entity as ministry of the Church –Faithful administration of the ministry –Preservation of ecclesiastical goods Civil Law –The way in which the canonical reality is expressed in civil law. Typically, through reserve powers that control mission, appointment of directors/trustees, alienation of property

Defining Sponsorship “ Sponsorship is a reservation of canonical control by the juridic person that founded and/or sustains an incorporated apostolate that remains canonically part of the church entity. This retention of control need not be such as to create civil law liability on the part of the sponsor for corporate acts or omissions but should be enough for the canonical stewards of the sponsoring organization to meet their canonical obligations of faith and administration regarding the activities of the incorporated apostolate. ” Jordan Hite, TOR

Defining Sponsorship Sponsorship of an apostolate or ministry is a formal relationship between a recognized Catholic organization and a legally formed entity entered into for the sake of promoting and sustaining the Church’s mission in the world. Francis G. Morrisey, OMI Sponsorship usually entails three important elements 1.Use of one’s name 2.Exercise of certain governance responsibilities 3.Accountability to Church authorities

Sponsorship Myths Sponsorship, as we know it, has worked fine It is important that all parties are “on board” Sponsorship is just a mode of governance A good board member makes a good sponsor.

Some definitions … A spectrum of relationships between the province leadership and various institutions (very different from place to place). Basically a North American issue. (Holy Cross brothers and priests) Definitions provided at annual meeting of Directors of Sponsorship Dec Mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between the congregation and an organization in which the SSND charism and educational vision are defining characteristics of the organization. (School Sisters of Notre Dame) Relationship between congregation and our schools that insures identity and charism; not tied to ownership, governance. (CFC Christian Brothers)

Some definitions … Definitions provided at annual meeting of Directors of Sponsorship Dec Relationship between the congregation and its institution/works. Congregation publicly identifies with, exerts influence on and provides various levels of support. (Sisters of St. Joseph, Chestnut Hill) Sponsorship is a relationship between the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart and a particular ministry. The Congregation articulates a vision and establishes structures, policies, and modes of accountability which enable the relationship and the ministry to flourish. The Grey Nuns hold the values of charity and justice as essential dimensions of the mission. We recognize all who work with us as partners. We affirm the dignity of each person and the principles of collaboration, and co- responsibility as the bases for our action. ( Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart )

Some definitions … Definitions provided at annual meeting of Directors of Sponsorship Dec Relationship between the congregation and its institution/works. Congregation publicly identifies with, exerts influence on and provides various levels of support. (Sisters of St. Joseph, Chestnut Hill) Xaverian Sponsorship is a complex of guiding principles, governance structures, formational programs and networking opportunities through which the Xaverian Brothers and their lay collaborators have come to ensure that the schools that carry the name Xaverian live up to their mission “to serve the Church in its work of evangelization, particularly through the ministry of education.” (Xaverian Brothers)Xaverian Sponsorship is a complex of guiding principles, governance structures, formational programs and networking opportunities through which the Xaverian Brothers and their lay collaborators have come to ensure that the schools that carry the name Xaverian live up to their mission “to serve the Church in its work of evangelization, particularly through the ministry of education.” (Xaverian Brothers)

“ Frequently the remark is heard that if we have encountered one model of sponsorship we are knowledgeable of just that: one model. In light of its evolutionary nature no single snapshot of sponsorship actually exists; rather the concept can be imaged as a collage or scrapbook containing various representations and continually in the process of being fashioned. ” - Patricia Smith, OSF

The Evolutionary Waves of Sponsorship Family Business Model Franchise Model Partnership Model The Next Generation After We’re Gone: Creating Sustainable Sponsorship Mary Kathryn Grant & Pat Vandenberg, CSC

Questions for Discussion How do the images of keys, kitchen privileges and privileged information fit your experience? To what extent do we still operate in the mode of “family business” or “franchise”? In your opinion, what does it mean to “sponsor” today?

Movements in Sponsorship [In the 90’s,] the question was no longer “should we sponsor,” but “how can we effectively sponsor with limited personnel and resources” and “how can we leverage sufficient control within collaboration to assure our meaning and mission?” Helen Marie Burns, RSM

Effects of Sponsorship It is probable that religious sponsors have been at least as profoundly changed by withdrawing from their sponsored institutions as the institutions themselves have been changed by their absence. Sr. Patricia Wittberg, S.C. Sociology of Religion, Fall 2000

Some additional questions Whether and how we can make sponsorship the sort of force in our works that can hold them to their purpose … Whether and how sponsorship can provide for our works stability but not rigidity--that is, just enough structural shape to hold up through chaotic times but not so much as to hasten their obsolescence … Whether and how the institution of sponsorship is for us an enabler of life and progress … Whether and how the sponsoring of works is for us a source of both organizational coherence and flexibility and adaptability … Whether and how the sponsoring of works (and not just the works themselves) gives a sense and purpose to the lives of our members and to our life as an institute… Sr. Helen Amos, RSM Mercy Medical Center, Baltimore

Movements in Sponsorship The question today is “how can we co-create with lay stakeholders new images of mission which give honor to the re-framed calls to ministry in the church through our charism?” [In the 90’s,] the question was no longer “should we sponsor,” but “how can we effectively sponsor with limited personnel and resources” and “how can we leverage sufficient control within collaboration to assure our meaning and mission?” Helen Marie Burns, RSM

Endorse – every member’s work, places with historic ties. Operate – own, manage Sponsor – institutions carry name and mission, yet may be separate from congregational corporation.

The Next Generation Control vs. Influence vs. Co-creation Developing/articulating a theology of sponsorship Critical competencies for Future Sponsors

A sponsoring community’s deep story will have to be embedded in lay communities. There will have to be lay appropriations of the congregation’s deep story. It takes a long time for a deep story to be lodged in the heart of a community, lodged so deeply that members have no choice but to enact it. The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults offers a possible model for adult community formation. Religious congregations may have to give up control of the deep story so that it can be developed in a thoroughgoing and coequal lay setting. Bernard J. Lee, SM “The Beating of Great Wings” Formation for the Next Generation

Theology of Sponsorship Built on theology of stewardshipBuilt on theology of stewardship Built on theology of BaptismBuilt on theology of Baptism For Xaverian Brothers Rooted in Fundamental Principles of Xaverian Brothers and the documents of Vatican II on the role of the laity in the churchRooted in Fundamental Principles of Xaverian Brothers and the documents of Vatican II on the role of the laity in the church Vision and values expressed in the Foundational Documents of Xaverian SponsorshipVision and values expressed in the Foundational Documents of Xaverian Sponsorship Connected with mission of Xaverian Brothers as that is lived out internationallyConnected with mission of Xaverian Brothers as that is lived out internationally What is the theology that informs your sponsored works today?

Stewardship  Sacred Trust  Co-responsibility  Active, dynamic, living collaboration

INDIVIDUAL FORMATION ONGOING BOARD FORMATION FORMATIONAL MODEL

After We’re Gone: Creating Sustainable Sponsorship Mary Kathryn Grant & Pat Vandenberg, CSC

Competencies for Sponsors VocationDecision making and oversight guided by Xaverian charism of education Evidence a commitment to ministry of Catholic education and provide a prophetic challenge in decisions that affect sponsored ministries Values Catholic Social Teaching Evidence leadership in advancing Catholic social teaching in evaluating decisions made by sponsored institutions Transformation Evidence a sensitivity to diversity in all aspects of sponsored ministry and serve as an agent of systemic transformation that creates deeper awareness of the common good FocusRelationship with Church - knowledgeable of tradition, history, structure Private school governance – have a clear knowledge ActionAbility to choose effective leaders and to develop leaders Strategic Leadership Adapted from “Mission Centered Leadership Model” Bon Secours Health System

“The laity will be the arbiters of whether congregational identity survives”. Brother Stephen Walsh, CSC

Trends Move by dioceses to limit exposure by creating new juridic entities (public/private juridic persons) Move by Religious Communities to retain fewer reserve powers in corporations Creation of Sponsorship boards or councils who share some of the reserve powers of Religious Community leadership over sponsored institutions Reconfiguration of Religious Communities (through merging of provinces, creation of new national/regional structures) and attempt to develop national models Use of Sponsorship model (as it has been developed by Religious Communities) for bringing together other types of independent Catholic schools Attempt by schools once staffed or administered by Religious Communities to seek affiliation and/or sponsorship Religious Communities looking at various types of relationships: sponsorship, ownership, co-sponsorship; endorsement

Questions Raised Fear of the future –On the part of Religious Communities –On the part of trusted and long term collaborators (faculty, administrators, board members) Is Sponsorship a “stop gap” measure? Sponsorship means we are no longer subsidized by the Religious Community – feelings of abandonment Challenges of developing sponsorship models with diverse ministries (elementary & secondary education, higher ed, social services) Can we really ensure mission?

Future Issues Increased collaboration among diocese and religious communities in meeting the demands of the Church’s mission of evangelization Continued and further development of lay sponsorship, forming lay women and men to claim their own role in the Church and to share in the stewardship responsibilities. Increased networking among institutions – moving away from competition toward collaboration. Creation of sponsorship academies for education, social ministry, spiritual development that can assist people to be formed in the full range of roles and responsibilities of sponsors

Civil and Canonical Realities Civil Realities –Changing climate for non-profits –Liability issues Canonical Realities –Attempt by Vatican congregations to understand Sponsorship in US context Code does not envision issues in US today –Effort to define and reign in sponsorship

Is it Effective? “The purpose of this paper is to suggest that such well-developed models exist and that they are highly appropriate to the needs of those education reformers wishing to generalize their insights and models beyond single effective schools. These models are found in the multischool networks founded and conducted by orders of religious men and women (brothers, priests, sisters) in the Catholic Church. These networks provide excellent models for effective linkage of schools serving students of different socioeconomic and cultural groups in widely separated locations.” “Building and Maintaining Multischool Networks” Mary Beth Celio

6 Characteristics of Effective Schools 1. A clear vision of their purpose, their mission. 2. The leader of the individual school is fully formed (indoctrinated) into the central vision of the schools/network. 3. Teachers and other staff form a community; they have become a faculty. 4. There is a governance system appropriate to the ownership or control of the school. 5. Some central services are provided consistent with the overall vision/mission of the school, but decisions are made at the lowest appropriate level. 6. There is an accountability system appropriate to an essentially site-managed system. “Building and Maintaining Multischool Networks” Mary Beth Celio

Challenges  Interdependence and mutuality - We are the Church.  Co-responsibility and Reciprocal Accountability - Trustworthy and Faithful  Vulnerability and Fragility - We boldly go where none have gone before

Sponsorship is an invitation to the Church to co-create a future even greater than the past; an active, dynamic, creative, living form of collaboration.

Discussion What do you see as the role of Sponsorship structures in the future? What is the role of laity in these structures? What do you see as the most pressing challenges of co-creation in the future?