As the Western Province prepares for Assembly 2027, members of its Provincial Leadership Team reflect on their responsibilities and what future leadership might require. In a recent podcast, Sister Barbara Flores, Sister Michelle Grgurich and Sister Camille Panich discussed accompanying Sisters, supporting the mission and managing the province’s daily operations.
Being Present to Sisters
The leaders described being present to Sisters as central to their ministry. That may mean helping a Sister consider a change in ministry, a sabbatical or a higher level of care, or accompanying her through grief. It also means celebrating jubilees, birthdays and other important occasions.
Sister Barbara outlined how the province has changed. When the team’s term began in June 2022, the province had 186 Sisters. At the time of the conversation, it had 128. She said the team had accompanied 58 Sisters through death and approximately 63 through discernment and transitions to higher levels of care. This work can include conversations with Sisters’ friends, family members and health care surrogates, along with discussions about living in community.
Sister Barbara described this ministry as sacred and grace-filled, while acknowledging the pain that can come with it.
Responding to Changing Needs
The leaders’ calendars include regular meetings, committee work and administrative duties, but much of their work happens outside those schedules. Sister Camille said phone calls and visits with Sisters often become the most important parts of her day. She also makes time for prayer, liturgy and walks on campus.
Sister Camille’s responsibilities include staying in touch with Sisters in several areas, attending meetings involving Nazareth Villages, the Global Exchange Committee and the Associates, and working with the director of Sister services and local nurse managers. Sister Michelle described quarterly meetings with Sisters in Louisville, liaison work with seven directors, and responsibilities involving committees and employees.
The team meets about every two weeks, alternating between full-day and half-day sessions. Meetings begin with prayer and updates about Sisters before moving to other business and planning. Even with careful scheduling, the leaders said, they must be ready to respond when a Sister or a situation needs immediate attention.
Keeping Sisters Informed and Connected
The Western Province Weekly is one of the team’s main ways of sharing provincial news and keeping Sisters connected to wider events. Province-wide meetings, often offered both in person and online, provide opportunities to share information and hear Sisters’ perspectives.
Monthly, quarterly and other meetings help maintain those connections. The leaders emphasized that retired Sisters remain active in community life and mission, even when they are no longer in direct ministry.
Working With the Wider Congregation
The team helps the province carry out General Assembly commitments, including work for peace, ecological justice and stronger community life. Members also participate in Executive Committee and NLBI meetings, work with the Central Leadership Team and contribute to congregation-wide gatherings.
Sister Michelle and Sister Barbara discussed the value of connections with the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and the Charity Federation. These organizations offer resources, leadership development and opportunities to consider changes in religious life and the wider church.
Sister Barbara also described her work with LCWR’s Occasional Papers advisory committee, which considers current issues in religious life and topics for further reflection.
Simplifying Structures
Following the province assembly, the team responded to calls to simplify operations, encourage collaboration and try new approaches. One result was the Office of Charity Connections, which brought the vocation ministry, Associates and volunteer groups under one office.
Other changes included reducing the Western Province board from five members to four and creating the Healthcare Companions group. The companions support Sisters during hospital stays, hospice care and other difficult times, sharing work that had relied more heavily on Sisters.
The team also dissolved the Nazareth Campus Service Board and the Nazareth Retreat Center advisory committee. Accounting responsibilities for both moved to the Province Office of Finance Administration. Sister Michelle said these changes reduced layers of approval, reporting and meetings while keeping services in place.
Office space was consolidated near Nazareth Home, and the finance office assumed financial tasks previously handled locally for Sisters at the Motherhouse. The goal was to make daily processes simpler for staff and Sisters.
Putting Mission Into Practice
The leaders described the mission as both formal ministry and everyday service. Sisters in Louisville have organized meals for Sister Visitor, collected gifts for a family in eastern Kentucky, and supported women in prison and people recovering from addiction, including by providing basic clothing.
Other efforts include collecting children’s books, contributing to food pantries and making materials for water filters. Retired Sisters continue to serve through prayer, advocacy, donations and community projects.
Sister Barbara also pointed to the Office of Social and Environmental Justice, which supports education, prayer and advocacy rooted in the Gospel. Its work helps Sisters address the causes of injustice and remain involved in the province’s mission as fewer serve in direct ministry.
Considering Future Leadership
A smaller membership does not necessarily mean less work, the leaders said. Decisions about care, community life and provincial resources will continue to require time and discernment.
The team discussed possible leadership structures without presenting them as settled decisions. Options included part-time leadership roles, appointing a treasurer who is not an elected leader and hiring a lay executive leader to oversee directors and serve as a liaison to committees and ministries.
Sister Michelle suggested these approaches could ease administrative demands and give elected leaders more time for what the team calls “the heart of the province”: the Sisters and the mission.
Preparing for What Comes Next
The leaders returned to the importance of flexibility. Sister Camille said leaders must be prepared to set aside a to-do list when a Sister or an urgent situation needs attention. Sister Michelle emphasized the need to keep adapting as the province changes.
Sister Barbara spoke about the personal work leadership requires: listening closely, respecting different perspectives and seeking unity. As Assembly 2027 approaches, those responsibilities will help shape discussions about how future leaders can care for Sisters and support the mission.