Retiring Executive Members

Ann Cunningham OP - Vice President

As well as being the CoR Vice President, Sr. Ann represented the CoR Executive when she served as a member of the then newly formed National Catholic Safeguarding Commission - NCSC. Ann presented a very helpful resumé of CoR’s safeguarding journey on behalf of Religious at the AGM last March. This summary of safeguarding matters for the Religious is available in the AGM Business Minutes.

She was particularly interested in all aspects of Formation and was on the Board of Compass and the steering committee of the Religious Life Institute when it was being established at Heythrop. As the Major Religious Superior of the Dominicans (Natal) at Bushey in Hertfordshire, she represents her congregation at the International UISG meetings and has been re-elected for a second term of leadership within her own congregation. As the Conference of Religious Vice President she so often signified the ‘voice’ of the apostolic women religious in England and Wales with candour, realism and vision, we are most grateful to Ann for her distinguished service to the Conference.

Patricia Bell RSM

Patricia has come to the end of her second period of service on the CoR Executive. As the leader of one of the largest congregations in England, Wales and beyond she is well renowned for her generosity in sharing legal and financial expertise gained in this role with the Conference and members. Sr. Patricia has produced beautiful liturgies for the AGM and GM , taking the prayer time at these meetings to a whole new level while displaying her many creative gifts and talents. She serves on the Mixed Commission on behalf of CoR and as an ex teacher and headmistress has a particular interest in all matters to do with education. An interest she is willing to share at future meetings.

Patricia is a great raconteur and has her audience rolling in the aisles at meetings as she describes her early experiences as a young sister. One famous outing for novices accompanied by their novice mistress and ending in the now famous phrase “are you alright dear Mother” has entered into the folklore of everyday life in the novitiate. Patricia is the current leader of the branch of UISG (International Union of Superior Generals) here in England. We are indebted to Patricia’s most generous level of commitment and wish her well as she embarks on a busy schedule of visitation, both at home and internationally.

Barbara Bailey RSHM

Barbara has been a lively, welcome addition to the Executive Committee, bringing considerable vision and humour to the meetings. She has a balanced and insightful knowledge of the issues facing apostolic women religious in particular, and is always a sought after facilitator and adviser. She particularly enjoyed the networking aspect of being on the CoR Executive.

Her particular area of expertise was Social Justice as she perceived her role as a religious to be ever present through service on the margins of society. She was the liaison officer with JPIC (Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation) attending meetings and encouraging them to communicate with CoR and send in information of events for the website. She also participates in CoR’s social action liaison with the work of CSAN (Caritas Social Action Network) Barbara is gifted in many artistic and creative ways and has a wonderful ‘heart warming’ sense of humour - when five of us from CoR got stuck in the lift for an hour at the Bishops’ Conference headquarters at Victoria, Barbara’s banter was a welcome distraction. The young man from CSAN who was attempting to take us to the Caritas meeting learned more about Religious Life in that hour than most people do in a lifetime! We wish Barbara joy as she embarks on her well earned sabbatical later in the year.

Sr. Catherine McGovern OSF

Catherine is an ex - President of CoR and has served two terms on the Executive. I had the privilege of working with her as President at Mill Hill. In her most recent term Catherine has been a member of the Executive Advisory Safeguarding Group and has generously agreed to continue with this role. She has liaised with CSAN and was part of the working party looking at the culture of safeguarding/vigilance required by the Cumberlege Commission for both dioceses and religious. Catherine was also a liaison member of the Advisory Council of Bishops and Religious Communities of the Anglican Church and has been involved in discussions about the Ordinariate. The Foundress and first five sisters of her own order were Anglicans.

She has always been actively involved in the work of UISG and attended their recent conference in Holland. She has been a member of the planning group for expanding CoR’s social action outreach through liaison with Caritas. In this role Catherine, Anne Thompson and our present President Martin Shipperlee have represented CoR at their meetings both in Liverpool and at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers working closely with the Bishops’ Conference as they unfold their programme “ A call to deeper social engagement”. Catherine is the CoR liaison with the Senior Religious Association and Chair of the North London Regional Group. This is quite an extensive catalogue of some of the things Catherine ‘does’ but it is who she ‘is’ for all of us that has made such an impact on her time with the Executive. For her generosity, sound counsel for membership and her true representation of their needs we are deeply grateful.

Sr. Anne Thompson DJ

Anne has a varied and interesting background, with extensive experience as a midwife, of working in Africa and as a Bursar. As part of her time on the Executive Anne has adopted a strong advocacy role and has always been willing to share her experience and expertise on a number of matters, from Public Benefit to Care Home registration and all aspects of finance. She has been the Treasurer of CoR and in this capacity has built up close links with the Bursar’s Association as our liaison officer. She has a very keen analytical mind and has helped us considerably with the complexities of Charity Law.

Anne is a great ‘change agent’ with much wisdom and sound vision. She is a gifted and articulate facilitator, a talent seen at meetings for CoR, the Bursars Association and CSAN. Most especially she has overseen our finances, working closely with the Secretariat on day to day financial matters - giving direction from the Trustees to accountancy staff on budget planning and looking to the future. Anne has kindly agreed to remain in this role for the period of transition, we are most grateful to her for the generous sharing of all her many talents.

A great debt is owed to them all by the Executive, the Secretariat and the Members of the Conference of Religious. These tributes were paid in farewell at the AGM, but it seemed appropriate to share with the wider membership their quiet, inspirational contribution to Religious Life through their experience as members of the Executive.

Many of the above feature in video clips from the Executive on the Leaders page speaking inspirationally about what it has meant to them.