Returning to Rome, 150 Years Later
June 25, 2024
Mary MacKillop left Rome in 1874 and I returned there 150 years later in 2024. I had only visited Rome once in 2010 for Mary’s Canonisation and was unable at that time to make the pilgrimage of her travels in Rome. I had Mary and her journey in my consciousness as I navigated modern day Rome.
So many times during my 15-day visit, I drew comparisons between Mary’s Rome and my Rome experience. So many things would have looked pretty much the same and so many other things, no doubt, unrecognisable to Mary. I was sitting on a train from Florence that was doing 250km an hour remembering that it took Mary 45 days by boat and then train to even get to Rome. I had gone and come back home in less than that time frame!
On arriving in Rome, I had a data pack on my phone to use Google Maps to get me to the Metro, to get to the monastery which I had pre-booked online and had used WhatsApp to communicate about my arrival time! And if all that had failed, I had a credit card and Uber account to get wherever I wanted to go. And of course, the greatest asset when not being able to speak other languages – Google translate on my phone! Seemingly all too easy in contrast to Mary’s journey.
NAIDOC Week 2024
NAIDOC Week 2024: KEEP THE FIRE BURNING! BLAK, LOUD AND PROUD, is a celebration of the strength and vitality of Australia’s First Nations People and an opportunity to honour the ancient spirituality and culture embedded in the heart of this nation for over 65,000 years.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People have experienced and graciously shared with us sacred creation stories, songlines and profound wisdom that reveal an ancient spirit of God. God who is near us, above us, below us, in us, and with us always.
The spirit of Mary MacKillop burns strongly in Timor-Leste
If one was to try to summarise the spirit of Mary MacKillop, we could possibly say that it is a spirit that is compassionate, one that uses education to “heal, include, untether, set right and serve”, one that loves not only those being ministered to, but also those who work beside us, and one that automatically acts on seen needs. This spirit is alive and pumping in Mary MacKillop Today (MMT), especially in the Timor-Leste region.
Spirituality Ministry – Introduction
After a period of discernment and review, the Sisters of Saint Joseph in 2023 launched a new ‘whole of ministry’ approach to their spirituality and heritage programs – including and going beyond the spirituality and heritage centres across Australia. This whole of ministry approach will continue to respond to the spirituality needs in our community in a contemporary manner.
The first stage of this new approach was the appointment of a Board in late 2023. This Board includes Chair Natalie Acton, Rob Kennaugh, Josie Vescio, Brianna Ragel and Andy Kuppe, and has been meeting monthly. I was appointed Director of Spirituality Ministry, commencing in early March this year, and Xavier Crimmins joined the new enterprise as Chief Executive Officer in April. The transference of governance to the new entity will take place on 1 July 2024.
Human Trafficking – Let the Work Continue to End this Heinous Crime
Talitha Kum group.
The Second General Assembly of Talitha Kum was held at Sacrofano, outside Rome, from 18-24 May 2024. There were 153 delegates, from 71 countries, representing the 60 Talitha Kum networks committed to ending human trafficking on all continents. Two Josephite Sisters formed part of the Talitha Kum Oceania Region Delegation – Sr Annette Arnold, the Talitha Kum Oceania Regional Coordinator and Board member of ACRATH and Sr Margaret Ng, ACRATH member and Josephite Counter-Trafficking Project Coordinator.
Sr Pauline Morgan awarded Order of Australia Medal
June 12, 2024
The Sisters of Saint Joseph are delighted to announce that Pauline Morgan rsj has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in the King’s Birthday 2024 Honours List for service to the Catholic Church of Australia, and to education. Based in Adelaide, Sr Pauline (pictured right) worked as a maths and science teacher and later as student counsellor at Mary MacKillop College Kensington, then as Principal of Caritas College at Port Augusta and at St Michael’s College Henley Beach.
“I loved being a teacher – seeing students’ faces light up when they understood what seemed to them to be a difficult concept or successfully working out their own strategies for problem solving,” says Sr Pauline.” I particularly enjoyed encouraging girls to excel at maths and science – especially in the 1960s and 1970s when this was not a common occurrence.”
Embracing Humanity: World Refugee Day and Living Out Gospel Values
June 7, 2024
On 20 June, the world pauses to reflect on the lives of millions of refugees who have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict, persecution, and disasters. World Refugee Day is not only a time to acknowledge their suffering and resilience but also a call to embody the Gospel values of love, compassion, and justice that lie at the heart of our Christian faith.
Refugee Week 2024 – Finding Freedom: Family
Loved, safe, and cherished…
There is, was and continues to be a crisis in our community whereby people fleeing from danger are shown no mercy. Unloved, unsafe and uncherished, by a nation that prides itself on having ‘boundless plains to share’. Not as refugees, but as people, they have the right to equal care and support, yet when they arrive, they are mistreated and demoralised, due to the incompetence and downright indifference of the Government. Is this the home we’re willing to share? This inhospitable home?