Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston Connecting Neighbor with Neighbor and Neighbor with God VOL 23 #1 Fall 2014 Office of Mission Advancement www.csjboston.org Fiscal Year 2013/2014 Advancement Giving Report For the period July 1, 2013-June 30, 2014 Overview We are pleased to report that you, our donors, have generously This year, we added two new events to our schedule and supported our fundraising activities during the period July 1, are pleased to report an enthusiastic response from sponsors 2013 through June 30, 2014. The Congregation of the Sisters of and attendees. In March, we inaugurated our first annual St. Joseph of Boston received 9,714 gifts totaling approximately Living the Dream Dinner to celebrate the 140th anniversary $1,900,000.00. This includes: individual private donors, grants, of our sisters in the Greater Boston area. This event raised event revenue, foundation support, estate gifts, as well as the $632,765 for the support of our retired sisters and our revenue from our card and In Lieu of Flowers programs. ministries. April saw the fifth anniversary of The Women’s Table which was celebrated with our first annual “A Place at the Table.” This event generated 165 donations for a total of $14,661. Partners in Ministry The Partners in Ministry program recognizes those who have chosen to remember us in their wills and estate plans. This year, we received $317,238 as non-restricted donations from planned gifts and $26,389 designated especially for the care of our elderly and infirm sisters. CSJ Ministries In addition to the funding received for our congregation ministries through the Office of Mission Advancement Semi-Annual Appeals activities, these ministries engage in additional fundraising We received 2,417 donations to the General Fund through activities in order to fulfill their mission. Congregation our Fall 2013 and Spring 2014 appeals and through the use ministries include: Casserly House in Roslindale, The CONNECTING of envelopes from magazine. These gifts Women’s Table and The Literacy Connection in Brighton, totaled $332,526. Of this sum, $17,063 was designated for our and St. Joseph Retreat Center in Cohasset. elderly and infirm sisters. Casserly House raised $40,906 in donations and $42,450 National and Diocesan Collections for Retired Religious in grants. These gifts fund the newsletter, adult literacy and Sisters summer camp programs, as well as other ongoing programs. We receive proceeds from national and diocesan collections The Literacy Connection received $40,700 through grants for retired religious sisters. You may have contributed to these and $16,309 through individual donations. St. Joseph funds through your own parishes. This year, we were awarded Retreat Center received $8,590 in donations for general $325,929 from these collections. support and $3,949 in temporarily restricted donations for Designated Gifts furnishings and various other items. The Women’s Table, Donors contributed a total of $23,920 for the following in addition to the proceeds from its inaugural event, raised projects: Human Trafficking, the Motherhouse Chapel, and $13,250 in gifts for the support and empowerment of Holy Spirit Garden in Brighton. women. In Honor of and Memorial Cards and In Lieu of Flowers Programs We realized a significant increase in support for our Honor Cards for the Living, Memorial Cards, and In Lieu of Flowers programs. We were blessed with 6,087 donations through these programs totaling $102,554. Fundraising Events Our annual October Fall Luncheon for the Allston/Brighton community was well received and realized $5,255 in gifts, which were equally shared between The Women’s Table and The Literacy Connection. 2 CONNECTING From the President Office of Mission Advancement Mission Statement The Office of Mission Advancement of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston Dear Friends, fully supports the mission and ministries of the sisters. We raise St. Paul's greeting in his letter to the Ephesians is funds to support all present and future one which is ours for you. "We cease not giving ministries and to continue the legacy of thanks for you, always making mention of you in our the community. We also provide funds through prayers." As our 140th anniversary year concludes, donor generosity to care for our elderly our hearts are full of gratitude for each of you who and infirm sisters. All donations enable so thoughtfully gift us with your donations and the Congregation to strengthen its remembrances. Your generosity greatly enhances the life mission of unity and reconciliation and works of our sisters and energizes us as we plan for the among the people it serves. present and future life of the Congregation. As Sisters of St. Joseph, we continue to be about many meaningful and Connecting is published exciting things. A good number of our sisters and associates are forwarding the semi-annually by the Office of CSJ mission and charism through their dedicated work in our Congregation Mission Advancement of the ministries: The Literacy Program, Casserly House, the Women's Table, and Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston. St. Josephs Retreat Center. Many of our sisters are also actively engaged in Margaret L. Sullivan, CSJ ministry at our sponsored schools: Regis College, Fontbonne Academy, St. Council Liaison Joseph Preparatory High School, and the Jackson-Walnut Park Schools. Others Carol Mack also bring our CSJ presence to the Bethany Hill School Apartment community Director as well as to their own particular ministries and local parishes. Cheryl Duggan Places of special remembrance are Bethany Health Care Center and Coordinator St. Joseph Hall where, each day, our sisters are about the ministry of Mary Black, CSJ accompaniment and intentional remembrance of you in their prayers. On a Consultant recent visit to Bethany, I once again observed Sister Greta, our oldest sister Joanne Gallagher, CSJ at 103, sitting in her wheel chair praying for her long list of accumulated Director of Communications intentions in which you have a special place of remembrance. Darlene Rogers During the fall, I had the opportunity of co-leading a CSJ Heritage Graphic Designer pilgrimage to Le Puy, France, for sisters and associates from throughout the Claire Archambault, CSJ United States and Canada. As we stood in the simple French kitchen where our Proofreader first sisters began our community, I had a profound awareness that what they began in such an ordinary way has evolved into a powerful presence of Sisters We do not share, rent or sell of St. Joseph and Associates throughout the world. As I stood in this space - so our donor list. sacred to our heritage, our mission, and our spirituality, my prayer was that we Connecting be as open and enthused about God's invitation to serve the “dear neighbor” is produced on recycled paper and environmentally of our time and as courageous in our response as our first sisters, knowing friendly inks at low cost. full well this can only happen through your continued support and generosity. The Office of Mission Advancement With gratitude, makes every effort to list accurately all information from donors who have given to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston during the year. If you find inaccurate information Rosemary Brennan, CSJ,President or want to notify us of a change of address, please call us at 617-746-2114. Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston 3 From the Office of Mission Advancement Welcome to the 2014 Fall issue of CONNECTING! On behalf of all the Sisters of St. Joseph, Associates, and staff, we wish you a Blessed and Happy Christmas Season. s the celebration of our 140th year comes to a close, I am happy to share with you our 2013/2014 Advancement Giving Report for the period July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014. A To all of you who were so generous, supporting our semi-annual appeals, sponsoring and attending our events, using our card and In Lieu of Flowers programs- THANK YOU! I would also like to express gratitude to those kind people who remembered the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston through their wills and estates. Your thoughtfulness makes our continued work possible. You probably know that our sisters who are physically able are fully engaged in ministering to the “dear neighbor” in schools, nursing homes, parishes, social service agencies, one to one outreach and more, in ways too numerous to list on this page! Did you also know that additionally, our sisters connect “neighbor with neighbor and neighbor with God” through four ministries staffed and supported by this Congregation? These are The Literacy Connection and The Women’s Table in Brighton, Casserly House in Roslindale and St. Joseph Retreat Center in Cohasset. In this issue, we take you inside to meet the dedicated sisters, associates, and qualified tutors who staff these ministries and learn about their programs. As you enjoy the crisp air and God’s autumn palette, The front cover photographs represent the following ministries The Literacy Connection, St. Joseph Retreat Center, The know that we hold you in our hearts and prayers and are Women’s Table, and Casserly House.The story of the Sisters of grateful for every gift you bestow on us! St. Joseph springs from a small group of courageous women. They were lace makers who wove a pattern of inclusive love Carol Mack across 17th century France and across the world. Over 360 Director of Mission Advancement years later we continue to weave the threads of God’s generous love in our families, our neighborhoods, and our world. Back If you need more information, wish to make a special gift, discuss cover: Retreat participants gather for welcoming remarks leaving a legacy gift to the sisters in your estate, please call me at before the beginning of a directed retreat at St.