AGM – Committee of Management Report
The past year has been exciting and fruitful for JAN Qld Inc. It has been a period of growth, of learning, and of achievements. Major highlights have been completion of our Strategic Plan, signing the Memorandum of Understanding with the Qld Province of the Sisters of St Joseph and some successful fundraising ventures.
Following on from our Incorporation, we have obtained an Australian Business Number. We now need to follow up this process to register as a Charitable Organisation for taxation purposes.
From a spiritual perspective, a meeting was held with Canon Lawyers Fr Frank Morrissey from Canada and Sr Mary Casey to discuss the process required for Canonical recognition from the Church by becoming a Private Juridic Person.
After much discussion, many letters and a meeting with Sr Margaret Robertson and the Qld Province solicitors, the Memorandum of Understanding between JAN Qld Inc and the Qld Province of the Sisters of St Joseph was signed on Mary MacKillop Day this year. This was a significant milestone and the MoU has been well received and acknowledged by other members of the Josephite Congregation throughout Australia.
With the help or our mentor Janet Hughes, our Strategic Plan has been completed. This is a “living” document which will need to be updated every couple of years. With the assistance of Sr Moya Campbell, work has commenced on development of our policies. To fit in with the Memorandum of Understanding, these are being done in a format similar to that used by the Qld Province.
With the help of a grant of $5000 from CLRIQ, development of our long awaited Spiritual Companioning Program has commenced and a framework has been developed. Following issues with copyright, it has been decided that we will continue to develop this program “in house.”
There has been a steady growth in membership over the past year with the acceptance of 17 new members. Our membership now stands at 33, with 14 Life Members, 17 Ordinary Members and 2 Organisational members. A promotional tour to Millmerran was undertaken last November by Guido DeGlas and Eileen Armstrong and another is planned for early next year.
In August, along with other Josephite Associates and Friends of the Sisters, we were invited to a morning of facilitated conversation with the Sisters of St Joseph as part of their Provincial Chapter. This gave both us and the sisters the opportunity to exchange views and ideas and for us to promote JAN Qld Inc. It was a most informative and successful session.
Throughout the year we have held a number of successful fundraising events. The major purpose of these is to ensure that we have the funds to cover our annual Insurance costs, which are currently around $4000 per year. We have also been blessed with a number of generous donations to assist with these costs.
At one of our Strategic Planning sessions last year, one of the participants used the phrase “With a Josephite Heart”. By that evening, Mary Fletcher had written a song with that title and put it to music. This culminated in the production of 500 CDs of which over 300 have been sold or otherwise distributed. Our sincere thanks to Mary for generously donating this work to JAN for our fundraising
In July we held a very successful Soiree featuring Mary’s mother, Rita Miles, the eCCCo’s from Corpus Christi College and other artists. This raised over $900 and the feedback received about the evening was such that we will probably hold another one next year
At the Soiree, we launched our Art Union. Books of tickets were sent to all members and the response has been most pleasing. The Art Union will be drawn today and is expected to raise about $1300. Our next fundraising venture, the brainchild of Guido, is a Silver Circle which is run over a 10 week period. If we can run 4 of these per year, the funds generated will pay for most of our Insurance costs
Also being launched today is our booklet “In the Spirit of Mary MacKillop” which has been developed by Guido DeGlas, Eileen Armstrong, Sr Therese Wilson and Sr Joan Finucane. Thank you to these generous people for the effort they have put into this booklet
Our sincere and heartfelt thanks must also go to Sr Margaret Robertson, the Provincial Leadership Team and the Sisters of St Joseph here in Queensland for the support and encouragement which they have given to JAN Qld Inc over the past year. Our particular thanks to Sr Annette Arnold, the PLT representative on our Committee of Management and Sr Joan Finucane, for their willingness to be there whenever we needed them.
I would like to thank the Committee of Management for the support that they have given to me and the effort they have put in to making this a successful year for JAN Qld Inc. It has been a lot of hard work, with quite a few challenges, and lots of fun times along the way.
In conclusion, I would like to thank you the members for your support throughout the year. I encourage you to continue your support of JAN in whatever ways you can, whether that be by supporting our fundraising ventures, coming along to meetings and Formation Days, your prayerful support or helping out in whatever other ways you are able.
- Faye Walsh 11/11/07
Sr Helen Barnes is the author of a book and original painted illustrations which depict the 'stations' of the people of our land who share in the sufferings of Jesus.
