On December 7, Edmund Rice Community Services celebrated its launch with an online ritual bringing together over 100 members of the Edmund Rice Community in Oceania. The ritual was closed with a speech by Andree Brown, ERCS CEO. See an extract of her speech below:
Phillip Pinto, a much-admired Christian Brother said a few years ago of the Brothers they are on “a bold journey to a new place” and I certainly feel that happening for us at ERCS. Our expression of mission across the Oceania network is diverse, and wonderful in that diversity. We’re still figuring out how we relate to each other, how we work together, how structures work for us, and how we make sure that structures don’t overly define us.
The call to action that lives so passionately with everybody and within all the hearts of people across this Edmund Rice network is an extraordinary gift to the world.
I want to acknowledge the wonderful Brothers, who walk beside us now, have created and helped us create, have supported and mentored each of the ministries in this network across Oceania over these forty years. I want to thank the Province Leadership Teams, current and previous, who have placed great trust in the Spirit and in Edmund’s people. May we continue to create change together in new ways.
I want to thank the communities who undertake the mission, the leaders who work tirelessly to sustain volunteers, staff and the people who they walk beside.
I want to thank the ERCS Board and the committees of the ERCS Board for their tireless work behind the scenes and in the transition to Edmund Rice Community Services.
We have 150 Local Advisory Council members supporting each of our communities of practice, with another 30+ governing board members of the independent network entities across Oceania, and those people are often hidden because their role is behind the scenes. We talk about the passion of our volunteers on the ground and our staff, but I also acknowledge the passion of those who sit behind and challenge us and cheer us on.
Together, we know we create extraordinary experiences in our everyday interactions, and we describe a common vision for our future together. It is a privilege for us to come to work and be passionate about what we do every day.
I am excited about spreading and growing the joy of our mission, of our relationships together, of the change we know we have made already, and the change we can make into the future.
Andrée Brown, ERCS CEO
