News & Events
A New Associate Team
Kathy Teahan, CSJA
Left to right: Kathy McCluskey, CSJ, Dorothea Masuret, CSJ, Juanita Campos, CSJA, Kathy Tighe, CSJA, Mary MacGillivray, CSJA, Mary Rita Weschler, CSJA, and Marian Batho, CSJ
Twenty-six associates walked into the Motherhouse Chapel on September 14, 2024, and took our places at tables marked with programs, prayer cards, sunflowers, and symbols of light and joy. Behind us were rows of sisters, agrégées, and associate candidates supporting our new path in the Associate Relationship. As Kathy McCluskey, CSJ, said in her opening remarks, “For the extended associate community, and especially for the committed associates, this has been a year marked by many thresholds, many new understandings and stretches, many moments of anxiety and many moments of moving with grace, individually and together.”
After months of work by the Ad Hoc Committee, guidance from Dorothea Masuret, CSJ, about discernment and help from Kathy McCluskey, CSJ, communicating and clarifying leadership models, we Associates had decided upon a three member leadership team with one of the members serving as director. In August, each of us had the opportunity to affirm three associates in whom we saw gifts needed for a team who would guide us in love of God and the dear neighbor.
Above: a moment from a small group discussion…
Seven affirmed Associates spoke about their hopes, visions, qualifications, and availability for leadership. Four of these expressed their willingness to remain in the selection process. This led to an unexpected motion for us to accept the four remaining affirmed Associates as our leadership team! We listened intently to the Associates and kept our hearts open to God’s Dream, “That All May Be One.” Realizing that we had much work ahead and the unique gifts of each affirmed Associate would facilitate that work, we, then, voted to affirm a four member leadership team. We left the Chapel with hearts full of joyful gratitude for our new leadership team – Associates Juanita Campos, Mary MacGillivray, Kathy Tighe, and Mary Rita Weschler!