The Role, Function and Responsibilities of Boards of Mercy Sponsored Ministries
(Revised March 1995)

Boards share with the Congregational Leadership Team the overall responsibility for the stewardship of particular ministries sponsored by the Congregation.  The ultimate responsibility for governance of Mercy sponsored ministries resides with the Congregational Leadership Team as the trustees of the real and personal property of the Sisters of Mercy, Perth Congregation.

Sponsorship 

Religious institutes are said to ‘own’ various ministries to further their mission.  The word ‘own’ is usually put in inverted commas because it is different from the common way that ownership is thought about.  In our culture, to own something means that one is free to do anything with that which is owned, to dispose of it, for example, in any way that the owner wishes (subject to the law of the land, of course).  But in the eyes of the Church, all property is held in trust on behalf of the mission of the Church.  So instead of using the word ‘ownership’, we say that a religious institute ‘sponsors’ a ministry to convey a notion that goes beyond the concept of ownership.  Sponsorship as the term applies in our context is a canonical relationship that must be given a civil law effect.  The following is a good definition of sponsorship as it applies to the relationship between a Congregation and its sponsored ministries:

Sponsorship consists of the support of, influence on and responsibility for a project, programme or institution which furthers the goals of the sponsoring group.  Sponsorship further implies that the sponsoring group is publically identified with the project, programme or institution, and makes certain resources available to them.  

Just as the religious congregation grounds itself in the religious charism passed on from the founder/foundress, the same expectation carries over into sponsored works.  Organisations, like individuals, find their identity within their history.  Well-run organisations are known to be clear about their identity and the ideals that they seek to integrate into operations.  Sponsorship, then, is concerned with the understanding and articulation of, and fidelity to a religious charism, as well as the issues of governance and management with which the ‘owner’ of an enterprise is usually concerned.  This places a great responsibility on the Congregation for the following functions:

• Establishing, communicating and updating the philosophy, values, mission of the Congregation in regard to a particular ministry, eg health care, education.
• Controlling and directing policy making in the ministry in accord with the philosophy, values and mission of the Congregation.
• Ensuring the fiscal solvency of the ministry, especially against an improper alientation.

The first two of these requirements are sometimes called the ‘faith’ obligations of sponsorship, the last an ‘administrative’ obligation.  In former times, when Sisters themselves formed the great majority of those working in a particular ministry, it was much simpler for the Congregation to carry out these responsibilities especially in regard to numbers 1 and 2.  Today, when few, if any, Sisters may actually work in a sponsored ministry, it is a very different matter.  It is important to ensure that Board members and those employed in key positions in a ministry understand the philosophy, values and missions of the Congregation and are prepared to integrate them in all aspects of the ministry’s operations.  It is also important that the Congregation in setting up structures of governance and management in its ministries, keep sufficient control over the decision-making processes to enable it to meet its canonical obligations of faith and administration in regard to the activities of the ministry.