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The congregation has an obligation, both moral and legal, to provide care for its members, none of whom have resources of their own, and all of whom have devoted a signi cant part of their lives to the care of the elderly, poor and marginalised in society. As the age pro le of the congregation increases there are more sisters needing a greater level of care, which sees increased costs. At present 24 (2015: 24) of the members of the congregation are receiving care in the charity’s care home, La Verna, Ladywell.
Over the next decade, the trustees expect this number requiring care to reach its peak. As a consequence, the trustees are giving careful consideration to the impact of this on the work of individual members of the congregation, the property requirements of the congregation and the nancial implications.
Example – description of activities
The ministries carried out by the sisters fall into the following main categories:
Education
There are no longer any sisters in a teaching position in a school. However, sisters are still involved in ‘education’ in the wider sense of the word. The trustees are aware that adult education is of great importance.
Social and pastoral work
Many sisters are involved in various forms of social or pastoral work throughout the province of Britain and Ireland.
During the year two of the sisters of salary-earning age received salaries, both from part time employment. One sister earns a stipend on a full time basis and one sister on a part time basis. Nine sisters receive occasional stipends; all these earnings are covenanted to the charity; some sisters work on a voluntary basis, in keeping with the ethos of the institute.
Caring for members of the institute
With an increasing number of frail, elderly sisters, some of our sisters are engaged fully in their own communities in helping to care for these sisters, who
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