Functions that do not require a vowed member are considered
Nine women religious congregations in Wisconsin and northern Illinois have begun a collaboration process that is the first of its kind in the United States.
The newly formed Wisconsin Religious Collaborative (WRC) is designed to help each congregation focus more on its ministries and community life and less on management services. Possible areas of collaboration include: assessing management needs; being a clearing house for available resources; sharing management resources such as finance office personnel, justice and peace coordinator, communications director, wellness coordinator, etc.; identifying potential resources to meet needs including outsourcing beyond member institutes; and initiating new collaborative ventures.
Each congregation will determine for itself which, if any, WRC resources it will use and to what degree. Each congregation will remain independent.
“By forming WRC, each congregation can stay focused on its respective mission,” said Sister Ann Rehrauer, Community President of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Cross. “Where and when appropriate, we can share existing resources or share outside resources.”
To assist with launching WRC, Lyn Korte, CAE, has been hired as the executive director. In announcing the appointment, Sister Pat Cormack, SCSC, Board President said, “Lyn is a well-rounded certified association executive with more than 20 years of experience, excelling at strategy as well as functional leadership and execution. She has proven experience in understanding business needs and driving content, products, services and business models to deliver value and results.”
Most recently, Lyn served as Executive Director of Organizational Solutions at American Society for Quality, leading the new product development and corporate relations functions among other areas. Commenting on WRC, Lyn said: “I am so impressed with the work already done in formation of the Wisconsin Religious Collaborative and I am honored to be joining this ground-breaking endeavor.”
WRC MEMBERS ARE: Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes, Fond du Lac; Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, La Crosse; Servants of Mary, Ladysmith; Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters, Sinsinawa; Sisters of the Divine Savior, Milwaukee; Sisters of the Living Word, Arlington Heights, Ill; Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross, Merrill; Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Francis; and Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Cross, Green Bay.