Gumbo ~ The Grail Connection ~ February 2008 MEMBER GIVING ANALYSIS 2007 The 2007 Member Giving figures are in. Here’s a snapshot of how we ended the year. TOTAL 2007 MEMBER DONATIONS = $ 149,475 Reflects donations to: » The National Office » Grailville » Cornwall » Development Loan forgiveness » “Other” donations/in kind services through National Office Does not include $3,950 from U.S. members in other countries # OF MEMBERS GIVING All member categories = 144 of 242 (59.5%) Active & Wider Grail = 125 of 201 (62%) Emerita donations = $32,283 Development Loan Forgiveness = $ 22,375 Donated Salary / WIST training fees = $ 11,000 $ 33,375 MEMBER DONATIONS TO: National Office = $ 71,855 Grailville = $ 24,030 Cornwall = $ 19,240 A SPECIAL THANK YOU! TO ALL WHO FORGAVE THE LOANS THEY MADE TO THE GRAIL IN THE 1990S FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A DEVELOPMENT OFFICE! 1 GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2008: JUNE 23-29 SCENARIO PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE OF THE GRAIL ~ Judith Blackburn ~ for the Council Preparation for this year’s General Assembly is now underway, and a packet of scenarios depicting the Grail of the future has been distributed to members. All of the scenarios are based on the simple fact that the Grail is not now operating on a sustainable model. Your job is to help discern how we might downsize or re-focus. Times have changed. We no longer recruit women who are able or willing to donate their working lives to the Grail. At the same time we have many ongoing obligations to each other, to our properties, and to the Grail itself. One of our strengths has been how comprehensive our programming has been, but at this juncture we MUST either simplify or scale back our operations. We have neither the womanpower nor the financial resources to continue as we are. The materials for GA preparation spell this situation out more specifically. Your job is to study the different scenarios depicting what the Grail might look like five years from now. Each scenario includes a focus and implications for membership, finances, and governance. Your job is to help with discerning which scenario to move forward with—or to design an alternative scenario for consideration. There will be several opportunities to alter and refine the scenarios before we meet in June. Please consider these scenarios with great care by yourself, and where possible, in groups. Work done before the GA may be even more important than what we do together once we gather in June at Grailville. Please see the prep process timeline below and schedule your regional meetings accordingly. The purpose of working from scenarios is to help us see the total picture graphically. It will be tempting to want the Grail to do everything in each of the scenarios, but noting the implications for membership, finances, and governance will add a note of reality. Keep your own life’s reality in mind as you tackle this discernment. Once we have decided on a future scenario, then we can build bridges to it from here. h THE GA REGISTRATION FORM h PROPOSALS is enclosed. The focus of the 2008 GA is planning for the Grail’s future. To best maximize our time at Register early and save $25! the GA, if you are considering bringing a proposal before the Assembly, please call Marian Schwab or Beth Wasmer. h THE PREP PROCESS TIMELINE FEBRUARY 8 GA Prep Packet I of scenarios to U.S. members FEBRUARY 29 Deadline for Responding to Scenario Packet I MARCH 14 Scenario Packet II to U.S. members APRIL 1 Town Hall Conference Call; 7:00 pm EST APRIL 4 Deadline for Responding to Scenario Packet II MAY 16 GA Packets mailed MAY 28 Town Hall Conference Call; 7:00 pm EST US Grail Gumbo 2 February 2008 IN LOVING MEMORY: MARY (GABRIELLE) MINER Mary Gabrielle Miner was born on November 11th, 1919 in Chicago, Illinois, to Arthur C. Miner and Margaret Fitzgerald. She graduated in 1941with a Bachelor of Arts in Library Science from Rosary College, River Forest, Illinois, and joined the Grail staff at Doddridge Farm in Libertyville, Illinois. She moved to Ohio when Grailville was started in 1944. There were a number of young women named Mary, and Jane O’Donnell suggested she adopt the name Gabrielle. She has written: “I loved it!” Following participation in the Year School, she served on the staff until 1950 in various capacities— librarian, assistant to the director, and practical social work in family service. Then followed two years of practical social work in Philadelphia. She was also assistant to the director of the Catholic Interracial Council and chairperson of the Youth Leadership Program for a neighborhood interracial 1955 center. From 1953 to 1958 she was responsible for the Grail Administration Center in Burlington, New Jersey, and assistant to Lydwine van Kersbergen, the national president of the Grail. In 1959 Gabrielle left for Southern Africa where she was Librarian and Dean of Women’s Residence at Pius XII College in Basutoland, now the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland. Pius XII College was the first college for African students in Basutoland. Returning to the United States, Gabrielle was on the staff of the Grail Center in Philadelphia, and coordinator of a tutoring program for neighborhood children until in 1965 she became acquisitions librarian and librarian in charge of the African Studies Collection at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, and counselor to women students at the University. 1970 saw her again on the staff at Grailville, until the 1980s when she joined the library staff of Central State University in Xenia, Ohio. At her retirement she moved to New Mexico where she lived until her health indicated a move back to Ohio. While in New Mexico she edited Gumbo, and was an active volunteer with the Hemispheric Center for Peace and Justice. What a beautiful way to round out her deep care and interest in the marginalized of the world. Some will recall hearing that one of her last wonderful directives was, “Pray for all of humanity.” Christmas Day 2002 US Grail Gumbo 3 February 2008 IN LOVING MEMORY: GABRIELLE MINER Gabrielle was a wonderful Truly Gabrielle was a Gabrielle joins the Angels... May she friend and role model. I gift to us, and now help us all in her marvelous way. My never once saw her lose her she is free at last. fondest memories of Gabrielle .... patience. She was cheerful Alice Dougan she would drive the red truck to the and eagerly helped anyone train station to bring my mother and who needed help. What a me to Grailville for Christmas or wonderful life! May we several weeks during the summer. follow in her footsteps. She was always so cheerful and treated us so warmly. Bless her. Priscilla Rivera Mechana Angele Smith Gabrielle was loving and generous. At no time, in my long friendship with her, was My memory has [Anne Mercier] and she ever judgmental, Gabrielle giving early leadership to negative, or complaining what later became the Liberation about anyone... or, for that Task Force/Network. Also Gabrielle matter, about any situation edited the GUMBO, almost single she found herself in because handed, when she lived in New of her generous heart. Her Mexico. Truly a great spirit among us. identity with the black world Dorothy Rasenberger began with her years in Lesotho (then known as I will never forget Basutoland) and then as Gabrielle's I pray in thanksgiving for Gabrielle librarian at Lincoln University kindness to me in Miner's life and presence to all of us. in PA. At her death the black the late 1960's. May her attitude remain alive among us chaplain at the nursing home Today I have been pushing us towards a future of sang Amazing Grace, in praying to her more commitment and love. admiration for an amazing rather than for her. woman. Isabel Allegro Mary Hughes (Portugal) Anne Mercier I knew Gabrielle and her beautiful Back what seems like a million years ago (before list singing. May God hold her in her arms serves and PDF downloads!), I was honored to for Eternal Peace and Joy. attempt to take over Gumbo for a bit when Gabrielle Ticha Vasconcelos decided she could no longer provide that service. (Portugal) Even though I only was able to do it for a few months, I was amazed at how much work she had done for so long to get Gumbo done and to Grail members. She Gabrielle's death is a loss to so many gave me all her "stuff," from staplers to wax people. The Barbato family feels it imprints...and the most help and advice she could. deeply. When we mention The Grail, I remember her as a marvelous, helpful, kind, caring we see Gabrielle. I passed on your woman who worked tirelessly for the Grail. I will message to them about how you were always honor her memory. She was and continues to gathered around her, praying and be a treasured Grail sister. Thanks to each of you singing and the laying of hands... one who were able to be there to help her on her final daughter said, "...what a way to die!!!" journey! To me, she was cradled by you all, just Thank you, Gabrielle. May you now be enjoying the the way she "cradled" all of us during rewards you so truly deserve! her lifetime. Cindy Everling Veronica Barbato US Grail Gumbo 4 February 2008 IN LOVING MEMORY: GABRIELLE MINER I knew Gabrielle before I went to Basutoland for 3 years, but there I got to know and love her as a sister.