Media Release: Sisters of Saint Joseph elect new Congregational Leadership Team
October 23, 2019The Sisters of Saint Joseph elect new Congregational Leadership Team.
Sydney, 17 October 2019 – The Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart has this week elected a new Congregational Leadership Team to take forward the vision and direction of the Congregation for the next six years. Sister Monica Cavanagh has been elected to be the Congregational Leader for a second term. Sisters Josephine Dubiel, Mary Ellen O’Donoghue, Clare Conaglen and Louise Reeves, also for a second term, will be General Councillors.
The new Congregational Leadership Team was elected by a delegation of 63 Sisters from around the Congregation, during the 27th General Chapter of the Sisters of Saint Joseph held at their Spirituality Centre in Baulkham Hills from 29 September to 15 October. The Members of the Chapter considered the skills, experience and current needs of the Congregation as together they discerned the leadership for the next six years.
The new leadership team look forward to continuing the work established over the previous six years as well and implementing the new directions established at the Chapter. The new leadership team move forward in hope aware that there will be challenges to be faced and opportunities to be embraced.
During the past six years, the Congregational Leadership Team have been working with the Sisters in transitioning to establish new Regional Structures; extending our response to mission through the stream-lining of our Incorporated Works and forming a new Congregation through the journey of fusion.
Another exciting part of our leadership has been the growth of people drawn to live the Gospel with a Josephite heart and the gifts that have come through these connections. Our key focus was to listen to the cry of children, the cry of Earth and restore human dignity to those places where humanity is diminished. The women and men who have made a commitment as Affiliates and Associates bring the Josephite spirit into a bigger sphere of influence.
Works such as Mary MacKillop Today are in a much stronger position to respond to emerging needs that face people with disadvantage today. Restoring dignity and building the capacity of local groups is central to the work of our Incorporated Works.
There has been a heightened awareness to the cry of Earth as Sisters and our ministries have made significant efforts to address the issues related to climate justice. Our sisters in their wisdom years continue to keep their mission hearts alive through many voluntary endeavours.
A special time was the celebration of our Sesquicentenary in 2016 with many events being organised around the Congregation. It was a time to celebrate the lives of our sisters and to give thanks for our Founders Mary MacKillop and Julian Tenison Woods.
Congregational Leader, Monica Cavanagh who was born and raised in the small rural community of Allora in Queensland, says that she is humbled to be elected again and looks forward to leading the Congregation as it continues to have a significant impact in communities around the world.
The Sisters of Saint Joseph minster throughout Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Peru, East Timor, Scotland and Brazil. The Congregation was founded in Penola, South Australia in 1866 by St Mary MacKillop and English priest, Reverend Julian E Tenison Woods. The Sisters of Saint Joseph have Ministries that support educational endeavours, prisoner welfare, people living with disability, anti-trafficking and slavery programs, refugees, schools and young people, and indigenous people, amongst other areas.
For more information, please contact:
Kathleen Norman
Communications Manager
Sisters of Saint Joseph
Kathleen.Norman@sosj.org.au
+61 2 8912 2722 +61 438 006 566
Children’s Day Australia
The spirit of Mary and Julian lives on in Catholic Schools where children are focus.
Universal Children’s Day is a celebration of children’s rights, talents and citizenship. It is celebrated on 23 October in Australia and on 20 November around the rest of the World each year.
Mary MacKillop and Fr. Julian Tenison Woods encouraged the sisters to recognise that children as the image of God, had an innate dignity. At St Thomas More Catholic Parish Primary School, (STM), the place in which I am privileged to minister, this legacy is very visible. Children here are given every opportunity to develop their gifts and talents and to gain an awareness of the richness and wisdom of the culture of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders to our nation.
Andrew, a Gamilorio man, is our AEA, he worked with the Year 3 students as they studied first nations life before colonisation, a topic that covered food, water, shelter, tools and implements. He demonstrated the cutting of a coolamon from a tree using traditional tools, the yarning mats[1], a stone axe, bundi (hitting stick) and stone knife. He explained the types of trees suitable, many of which are on the grounds of STM. He explained that while the tree is sacred it heals. He demonstrated how to show respect and thanks to the tree for the gift for the coolamon. This was done by painting and sticking some of his hair to the tree. While working Andrew explaining the meaning of what he was doing, it proved to be quite memorable for the students and staff.
Andrew stated that “STM is very unique, as no one has done this in a very long time and as far as I know, no one in Catholic Schools of NSW are using stone axes anymore.”
Another area where the children develop and enjoy their talents is in the arts. One hundred and two children from Kinder to Year 6, and a dedicated band of teachers spent many months at lunchtime and after school learning to working together using acting, dance and music to tell the story of the Crocodile Hunter, Steve Erwin. This was not only the story of a very interesting Australian, but of man passionate about the environment, something we try to keep in the mind of all members of our community.
It was wonderful to see that both boys and girls were eager to be part of this performing arts activity. Parents, and grandparents were involved making of costumes and preparing the students for the performance. The tradition and spirit of Catholic Schools lives on!
This was all part of the national arts competition Wakakirri. Our students were successful in their round and competed in their section final, where they were named the winning story. STM is now in the running to be named the story of the year, a great achievement for the ‘ordinary’ but talented classroom teachers and students.
Niesha Allport rsj
[1] The use of a yarning circle (or dialogue circle) is an important process within Aboriginal culture and Torres Strait Islander culture. It has been used by Indigenous peoples from around the world for centuries to learn from a collective group, build respectful relationships, and to preserve and pass on cultural knowledge.
Student’s Effort Inspired by Girl Rising Story
October 21, 2019Malaika Boyall is an amazing Year 7 student from Mount St Joseph’s, Altona (Victoria) who organised a very worthwhile sold out charity screening recently.
Here is the story in Malaika’s own words…
A few years ago I came across the book Malala by Malala Yousafzai. I was really moved by her story and her struggles to continue her education. I love reading and could not imagine my life without books. I even went to see Malala talk in Melbourne last year. It was such an incredible experience to see her in person!
Last Christmas when I was given $100 to donate to a charity of my choice, I didn’t know who to donate it to but knew I wanted it to have something to do with helping disadvantaged girls. I was reading the ‘Girl Rising’ book at the time and I was shocked by the statistics of child marriage and the number of girls out of school, and amazed by the strength of these girls. I researched Girl Rising and saw they had a movie that you could screen.
In the movie Girl Rising The Fifth Anniversary Edition, Girl Rising travels to multiple countries to meet nine unforgettable girls, striving beyond circumstance and overcoming nearly unimaginable odds to achieve their dreams. Girl Rising’s goal is to ensure that girls around the world are educated and empowered.
I knew I wanted to raise money for Girl Rising so I started to work out the costs of screening it so that I could raise lots of money to donate. I started organising things and asking people for advice. I promoted and sold tickets over two months and suddenly I had a whole theatre booked with people to come watch my screening. I organised a raffle with prizes generously donated by Clip’n Climb Williamstown, Sportsgirl and Sun Theatre to raise more money.
Everyone who came and watched the movie said it was an eye-opener and a great cause. I raised over $1300 in total with money from ticket sales, donations and selling raffle tickets. I am super happy that I raised so much money for Girl Rising and that I have sparked awareness in so many households!
Well done, Maiaika!
Nicole Magee
Marketing & Communications Officer
Mount St. Joseph Girls’ College
World Food Day 2019
October 16, 2019Belonging
Gethsemane Community Inc has reached out to people with disabilities who are lonely and socially isolated at Christmas since 1994. Stimulated by awareness of the poverty of residents of boarding houses, we packed gift bags of toiletries, socks, underwear and lollies for hundreds of people each year. As reforms took effect, their situation improved, though they remained poor and lonely. We followed former residents to group homes and aged care facilities. Along the way we added other aged care residents who had no family contact. That data base now stands at 960 and all receive a gift bag of toiletries, socks and lollies.
A coded program, which safeguards privacy, allows parishes and schools to send Christmas cards to these people, with each person receiving about 10 cards. Most of them never receive personal mail.
Some years ago, I was visited by a nurse from a team which looks after people with complex mental health issues. She told me that the previous Christmas she had been so worried about the poverty of her clients that she bought a case of mangoes and gave one to each person, so they had something to wake up to on Christmas Day. I thought we could do better than that.
This year, we will prepare hampers for 460 clients of mental health and drug treatment teams around the Inner West of Sydney. We provide enough general food to cover meals for three days: tins of ham, chicken, tuna, salmon, mushrooms in butter sauce, baked beans, spaghetti, then tea, coffee and cracker biscuits. Festive food such as mini Christmas puddings and cakes, long-life cream and fruit in juice is added. A calendar for clients to record medical and Centrelink appointments and a gift of aftershave for men and perfume for women goes on top.
Medical teams collect the hampers and give them to clients just before Christmas. Lonely people are able to celebrate Christmas with the rest of us.
On Christmas Day, we welcome 60-70 people with disabilities to Christmas lunch here. It is a fun time. The invitations say 11am, but people start drifting in by 10am. Some people have been coming to this celebration for many years, and they sit down with others they have come to know here. Early birds start on drinks and nibbles. A bus arrives with 30 residents from a local boarding house and the tables set up under our carport start to fill up. More arrive from group homes all around the area.
Some start to get restless and want lunch, so we start serving the main course, even as others start on nibbles. One man wants to remain on the nature strip so he can have his bourbon with the meal. Some are ready for dessert, so plates are taken to them. When all are finished, it is time for presents. Gift bags are distributed and contents compared. Some guests stand up and start walking down the drive. By 1pm, it is over for another year.
View the Gethsemane Community website
Visit the World Food Day website
Myree Harris rsj
Image provided by Sr Myree Harris. Used with permission.
Newly elected Congregational Leadership Team and Thanks
October 13, 2019
The Sisters of Saint Joseph would like to thank you for your prayerful support for their 27th General Chapter.
Anti-Poverty Week 2019
Anti-Poverty Week is being held from 13 – 19 October 2019.
Poverty is lack of shelter
Poverty is being sick and not being able to see a doctor
LOOK AT THE BLACK IN THE IMAGE
Extreme poverty is living on less than $1.90 per person per day. Ten percent of the world population live in extreme poverty. Of those in extreme poverty half are children.
LOOK AT THE PURPLE AND RED IN THE IMAGE
Relative poverty is living on less than $5.50 per person per day. The problem with relative poverty is that a failed crop, a natural disaster or illness means that a family can tip rapidly into extreme poverty. Nearly half the world population lives on less than $5.50 per day.
LOOK AT THE YELLOW AND THE GREEN
If the richest countries gave $1 per $100 of gross national income per annum it has been calculated that extreme poverty could be overcome. Australia invests 21 cents per dollar of gross national income and is due to reduce it to 19 cents.
Diane Moore rsj
Figures quoted are from antipovertyweek.org.au
A Day in the Life: Spiritual Director
October 8, 2019To live and minister in the tranquil and picturesque rural village of Forth in north-western Tasmania has been a wonderful blessing for me. As I gaze down the valley and across to Bass Strait, I thank God every day!
No two days are the same in this small spirituality centre. I am the sole resident, supported by an office volunteer one afternoon a week and a librarian who volunteers one day per week, so having a plan for the day is not necessarily how it will unfold.
Spiritual Direction is offered on a part-time basis by four female directors, two of whom live within half an hour of the Centre and one lives nearby. Formal spiritual direction is only one aspect of the larger canvas of spirituality in which we are involved every day.
Throughout the year we offer live-in retreats – directed, guided or private – at times that suit retreatants. We have en-suite accommodation for a maximum of two people at any one time. Of course, one’s cooking skills are hopefully enhanced with the variety of opportunities that come from frequent visitors and retreatants. One needs to have an assortment of “goodies” in the deep freeze in preparation for visitors, seminars and afternoon teas. It would be true to say that I’ve had a great deal more “chef” practice here than in my younger days. Along with being invited to trust as part of the spiritual journey I am frequently invited to take a “leap of faith” along the culinary highway!
Two of us have professional supervision training which has enabled us to offer individual supervision for chaplains in Aged Care; ministry students in training and other professionals. In a town approximately forty (40) minutes from the Centre we supervise a 90-minute Ministry Reflection group open to chaplains from aged care facilities, hospitals and ministers. This has continued for many years to nourish women and men involved in these ministries. It has developed to the extent that at times when the facilitator is unable to be present the group nominates an experienced person to take that role. The group has also decided to have a reflection day each year, showing a heart-warming experience and commitment to their ministry.
Another ‘day’ is the Monday monthly – “Spirituality in the Coffee Shoppe” 10.30am-12noon.
There is no booking…people just turn up from the various towns/villages, make a cup of tea or coffee, introduce themselves, find a seat and begin to share some of the issues around faith or Church or morality, that are of concern to them. This is quite a remarkable time as people from all walks of life and experience discuss what’s on their minds with quite some passion at times. We learn a great deal from this time of sharing our questions, experience, our struggles and our faith.
Some days people want a chat on the phone or a time to come and talk or invite you to meet them somewhere. Or it might be the gardener or the cleaner or librarian!!! These unplanned ‘moments’ invariably offer opportunities for friendliness and pastoral care and two of us try to respond to these requests whenever possible. I have come to realise more deeply that hospitality, attentiveness and care are a significant ‘underpinning’ for all that is offered here. God’s Spirit is at work through these expressions of love for one another. In the words of John O’Donohue: “in the kindness of care the Divine comes alive in us.”
Marg Chandler rsj
A Mellow Heart
This month’s foray into the Little Brown Book Too draws us into an incident which shows how Mary’s warm heart and generous spirit helped her to have an impact on another person.
Sister Irene told of a time when Mary sent for her:
“Do you want me, Mother?” she asked.
“Yes,” was the answer. “I want to beg your pardon for the impatient way I spoke to you when you came to me this morning. I fear I have given you pain and I am sorry for having done so.”
She may have felt irritable and thought she had betrayed it in her words or manner, but I had no sense of this and told her so, for she had been most gentle and kind to me.
This little connection came from Mary’s readiness to trust in the goodness of another. It brings to mind Ronald Rolheiser’s wisdom that:‘Sanctity is about having a mellow heart and spirit.’
Most would agree that it was because Mary’s heart was mellow that: ‘she did not lose touch with the people’ (Paul Gardiner sj)
The above is an extract from The Little Brown Book Too (pages 36-37)
© Sue and Leo Kane 2011
Used with the kind permission of the publishers, St Paul’s Publications
Available online and from some Mary MacKillop Centres.
Download the print version of this reflection (PDF)
Image: © Veronika Dimac – InJoy International: Used with permission of the artist.