Formation vision
St. Joseph Educational Ministries (SJEM) provides a common foundation on which future generations of leadership, faculty, staff and volunteers can further develop the educational ministry of the Institutions in light of the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, while supporting and encouraging the tradition and charism of their institutions.
“SJEM sponsorship means that the legacy of the Sisters of St. Joseph will be evident in the schools’ ongoing commitment to unifying love and the dear neighbor.”
Susan Lenihan, PhD, Founding Member of SJEM, Professor Emerita Fontbonne University
SJEM is responsible for providing and ensuring the continuing formation of its Members and of the boards of directors/trustees, administration, faculty, staff and volunteers of the Institutions and those served by the Institutions.
Foundational Formation Content
- Understanding of the history and spirituality of the CSJ’s and its impact and influence on sponsorship and the future of SJEM sponsored educational institutions
- Understanding and living Catholic identity as foundational to Catholic education
- Catholic Social Teaching as central to discerning matters related to education
- Understanding sponsorship and its unique role different to and influencing of governance
- Understanding Vatican II and the role of laity
Formation Goals
- Sponsorship with SJEM
- Strengthened relationships among the members and with the sponsored institutions.
- Participation in the educational ministry of the Church.
- Commitment to the common good for all of God’s people by living the charism of unifying love which is informed by an inclusive community with diverse voices of which help to shape and inspire us to own our responsibility to serve others without distinction.
- Preservation and invigoration of the Catholic identity of each participating educational institution based in Gospel values and the Social Teachings of the Church.
“SJEM sponsorship allows schools to innovate and bring social justice to all.”
Maggie Sullivan, President, Rosati-Kain Academy
Purpose
The purpose of the formation program is to insure that persons responding to the call to serve as Members of Saint Joseph Educational Ministries Institutions and those serving in SJEM sponsored institutions:
- Are able to demonstrate an understanding of and ability to apply the Catholic theological tradition as it relates to the Church’s ministry of deaf education, secondary, and higher education
- Can actively apply Catholic social teaching to address the challenges posed to Catholic deaf education, secondary and higher education
- Show a willingness to work with others in identifying and implementing organizational activities that sustain a robust Catholic identity capable of bringing about systemic change
- Are able to demonstrate an ability to grapple with complex ethical issues in the legal, organizational, and poly arenas experienced in deaf education, secondary and higher education
- Take an active role in entering into meaningful and productive discourse with other Church leaders (bishops, sponsors, etc.) in promoting and extending the educational ministry of the Church
- Navigate effectively the highly pluralistic political, ethical, and religious contexts within which Catholic deaf education, secondary, and higher education exists.
- Are able to demonstrate the qualities and competencies of transformational leadership (e.g., exercises prophetic voice, servant leadership, transformational change) in service of the Church’s educational ministry.