The communications department’s primary responsibility is to tell the story of the province to people outside the Society.

 

Primary accomplishments in the 2012-13 year include:

✻ The launch of a redesigned RSCJ.org. This was very much a team effort, with input from the provincial team, the designers and the website task force to plan the site. The new site has several enhancements over the previous version:

✻ Improved navigation

✻ More appealing appearance

✻ More relevant content, including the links to RSCJ blogs and the prominence of RSCJ profiles

✻ A livelier vocations section, thanks to the work of Annette Schmeling and Irma Dillard. These pages are still under development, but will soon be highly interactive and appealing to inquiring women.

✻ Two issues of Heart magazine, with themes based on the Chapter priorities of Dialogue and Contemplation.

✻ The Philippine Reflections project in February. The emails and daily postings on RSCJ.org were well-received by both internal and external audiences; the “open rate” for these messages exceeded 80%. Since its inception, we have acquired more than 1,500 email addresses, and new traffic to our website increased tremendously.

✻ The Formation to Mission First Friday emails, which are sent by the communications department.

✻ Enhanced internal communications via the Team Reports, which come out after each meeting of the provincial team. This responsibility is new to the communications department this year.

✻ Expanded use of social media, including:

✻ The launch of a provincial Facebook page, with regular posts. There is also a vocations-specific page, also administered by this department.

✻ YouTube, which we hope to use more in the coming year.

✻ Pinterest, which is especially useful in vocations ministry. Thanks to Annette Schmeling for creating and managing this for us!

✻ Flickr

✻ Prepared and disseminated news to media outlets including obituaries, Jubilee announcements and provincial news, including the announcement of the new province.

✻ Collaborated with other communicators for women religious congregations in the Communicators for St. Louis Sisters and National Communicators Network for Women Religious (membership committee and conference planning committee). The St. Louis chapter completes several projects each year, including online ads during Advent, print ads on relevant dates (Day of Prayer for Vocations, welcome to Pope Francis, Martin Luther King Day, etc.), stories in the St. Louis Review and a booth at the St. Louis Earth Day Festival.

 

Reflection:

The province has a great story to tell. The challenge, as always, is using the right medium to reach the right audience. With a limited staff, we have to set priorities and use our resources wisely. As we move forward as the United States – Canada Province, we need to consider anew the important questions:

✻ Who are we?

✻ What are we about?

✻ Who are our partners in Mission?

✻ How do we meet them where they are to share our story and our Mission?