The Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland selected a new leadership team during community meetings recently at Merici Crossings, their Pepper Pike, Ohio residence and congregational center. The five-person team, including a president and four council members, will serve a four-year term, implementing the directional plan set at their meeting.
Sister Ritamary Welsh (center) will assume the office of president in June, succeeding Sister Susan Durkin who served in that role for eight years. Sister Ritamary currently serves as Major Gifts Officer in the development office of the community where she also took on the director role of the recent Ursuline Sister’s Bold Faith Capital Campaign. Her previous ministries include, Educational Consultant for SDG Advisors and President of Beaumont School. This is not Sister Ritamary’s first time on the leadership team, she served two terms on the council from 1992 – 2000.
Newly elected Councilors include Sisters Maureen Doyle (second from left), Laura Bregar (her second term, pictured second from right), Maureen Grady (far left) and Diana Stano (far right).
The election and direction-setting gathering known as Chapter takes place every four years. Through prayer, dialogue and discernment, sisters identify future directions and strategies to advance their mission of transforming society through contemplation, justice and compassion. Their focus centers on empowerment, direct service and systemic change for and among the oppressed, especially women and children, both locally and globally.