Letter to Members: CoR Safeguarding Forum 26 May 2026

Dear Members,

We understand that some of you may have queries or questions in relation to recent changes to associated organisations such as the RLSS, CSSA, SCCS etc.  As you may know, Sr Una Coogan CJ is the safeguarding lead for CoR but is also on the CSSA Board as Lead Religious for Safeguarding, so we have asked if she could facilitate an online safeguarding forum to enable Members to ask any questions they may have regarding the provision from RLSS, CSSA, SCCS etc. 

We hope by providing this forum people will feel able to speak openly and ask any questions they have to gain clarity around the changes introduced, including the shift from CSSA being a training body to a regulatory body, but also to get a clear outline of what each organisation is offering it’s paying members.

We are therefore delighted to let you know that our Safeguarding Lead, Sr Una Coogan CJ, will be hosting an hour-long online Safeguarding Forum at 11am on Tuesday 26th May 2026 and Sr Coogan will also remind Members about this online forum following her Safeguarding Report at CoR’s AGM on 6th & 7th May, which we hope as many of you as possible will be attending.

Please feel free to send in any questions in advance to admin@corew.org.  Thank you.

If you wish to join the Safeguarding Forum, please register on the below link and you will then receive the Zoom link for the forum:

Zoom registration link - https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/1fcESVVSR4GhtKcI8DLjsg

Best wishes,

Susan Thomas
General Secretary

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Letter from the CoR Collaboration Committee: 2026 Workshops

6th January 2027

Dear Members,

I hope that you have had a blessed and restful Christmas and a peaceful entry into 2026!

First of all, we want to thank you very much for completing the evaluation forms following last year’s Collaboration workshops. We were greatly encouraged and helped by your appreciation of the individual sessions as well as the annual programme as a whole, and we were most grateful for your suggestions for topics for this coming year. When we met to reflect on your feedback, it was clear to us that one or two topics need revisiting and could appropriately and usefully be held on-line rather than in person. In addition, we noted that issues other than those we have prioritised for the past two years - leadership, governance and management – are also in need of mutual exploration and collaboration.

We are therefore offering the following programme for 2026:

1. Vocations and Initial Formation.

On Thursday 26th February from 10.45am (coffee 10.15) to 3.30pm at Selly Park Conference Centre, Birmingham. This session will be an opportunity to explore the topic in the context of today’s world and the current life of Congregations. Sr. Liz Dodd SSJP will join others in contributing their thoughts and experiences.

2. Archives – a follow-up workshop

On Wednesday 11th March from 1.30 – 3.30pm. This will be held on-line by Zoom and will be led by Ms Jenny Smith, whose practical input was so much appreciated when she spoke at last year’s workshop.

3. Community dynamics and working with challenging behaviours.

On Wednesday 10th June from 10.45am (coffee 10.15) to 3.30pm at Selly Park Conference Centre, Birmingham. A psychologist will explore some of the dynamics at work in community relationships and how these can be better understood and worked with.

4. Transitioning to CIO – managing Governance and trusteeship.

On Thursday 9th July from 1.30 – 3.30 pm. This will be held on-line by Zoom and will be led both by professional advisors and religious leaders who have successfully transitioned to CIO.

5. Spirituality of Ageing.

On Thursday 24th September from 10.45 (coffee at 10.15) to 3.30pm at the Convent of the little Sisters of the Poor, Vauxhall, London.

As previously, we invite up to two representatives of each Member Congregation to attend the workshops. Attendees do not need to be the Provincial or leader, and could also be a lay colleague or collaborator involved in a particular area of the administration, community life, etc.

There is no cost for attendance and sandwich lunch will be provided; this is covered by your annual subscription.

Nearer the time, we will send out invitations relating to each of the workshops and ask you to book your place.

The booking form for the first two workshops is available here and should be completed and returned to admin@corew.org.

We look forward to seeing you at the 2026 Workshops, and to all our Members collaborating together as we move forward into the future.

Wishing you every blessing on you and your Congregation for the coming year,

Jane Maltby RSCJ

On behalf of the CoR Collaboration Committee