Plenary Council

Plenary Council – a journey, with the Spirit and one another, of discernment, dialogue & renewal.

When the date for the Plenary Council assemblies was pushed forward a year, because of the impact of COVID-19, I did wonder how this might affect everyone’s involvement and commitment to the journey, begun in 2018. My own involvement took a different turn as I became a member of the Facilitation Team. My personal reflection then led me to ponder the opportunities this change of date might create for all of us.

My first task was to spend time reading the thousands of responses that had been sent in from the listening/dialogue and discernment phase. This certainly gave me a deep sense of the enormous diversity of understanding that exists, amongst the faith community, across all age groups, of how we, as church, can best be renewed. I wonder now, how these responses might be shaped by the experience of living the past ten months under the cloud of a pandemic and how this influences the living of one’s faith as a member of the Catholic church community. I have found it helpful to reflect on the six Thematic Discernment Papers, brought together by six writing teams and provided to us on the Plenary Council website (provided below). What a challenge it must have been for these six teams to honour the responses of the Australian catholic community. For me these papers say so much about the longing in our hearts for our church community to be radically inclusive, where each person finds a home from which to go out and live our ‘faith in action’ for the common good. Pope Francis constantly calls us to be a more ‘synodal and outgoing Church.’ I live with the hope that, the path of our Plenary Council journey will lead us to this place, with a renewed understanding of the central place of God’s mission in our world.

Another aspect of being a member of the Facilitation Team, which has truly inspired me and given me hope for our future, is the opportunity the role has provided to be in conversation with the 65 Local Coordinators from across Australia. Each one of these coordinators has been working away at the grassroots to encourage the participation of their local communities in the diocese of which they belong.

I do believe this extra time to work towards the first Assembly is providing us with an opportunity to further discern what God is asking of us and to act on what can already be achieved in our local parishes. It takes all of us working together to do this, with hearts and minds open and transparent in our willingness to appreciate the gifts each one brings. It has given us time to draw strength and encouragement from the theme of Mary MacKillop’s 10^th Anniversary of canonisation – ‘Take Fresh Courage.’ Let’s look for ways we can do this so that we will continue to be open to what God is asking of us at this time.

Marion Gambin rsj

Plenary Council website

International Day of People with a Disability 2020

St Anthony’s Family Care supports children and young people with disabilities to achieve their greatest potential.

St Anthony’s Family Care (SAFC) support children and young people with disabilities through our ‘EPIK’ Disability Services, an acronym for Encouraging Potential in Kids. Our commitment to deliver EPIK services goes hand in hand with the mission of the organisation which is to continue the work of Mary MacKillop in caring for children and young people.

SAFC offers a portfolio of services to meet individual needs, these include both one to one and group services that can be delivered in-home, in the community or onsite at SAFC. In addition, SAFC provides Short Term Accommodation to allow participants the opportunity to develop skills and independence away from home. SAFC services operate 365 days per year and 24 hours a day.

The year 2020 presented many challenges to us all, and we were fortunate to have a strong culture and mission at SAFC, which despite the many hurdles, enabled us to fix our sights firmly on the needs of our service users and their families and persist through adversity in delivering much needed services.

As the new year commenced, we had a clear vision for the coming months which was to continue with the major site development of SAFC grounds and to work towards external accreditation.

As we watched the news from abroad and how the COVID-19 pandemic took hold of the world, little did we know that this too would quickly become our reality. As we pored over the constant emails and advice from government bodies it became apparent that we needed to prepare for what lay ahead.

We considered immediately how we could continue to support participants despite the various restrictions being placed on our movements and way of life, whilst continuing to ensure the safety of our participants, families, and Support Workers.

Our mission was at the forefront on our minds as we determined how to move forward. We considered our services to be “essential” and devised strategies and implemented systems which would enable us to continue to deliver services uninterrupted. Changes were necessary to ensure we abided by restrictions – we ceased group programs and community access and increased our efforts for in-home support. Armed with facemasks, sanitiser and antibacterial wipes, we were able to support the families to continue to work, shop for groceries and conduct other necessary tasks while our Support Workers cared for their sons and daughters.

We prioritised families based on a hierarchy of needs. Those children and young people most at risk, siblings with disabilities and parents who were essential works were assured the support they needed. With many of our participants having parents who are front line hospital staff, we committed to ensuring that they could continue to work at this critical time.

As the situation began to ease, we were able to re-establish our group programs and community access and are pleased that we are now largely back to business as usual, albeit with lots of additional precautions in place.

As we reflect on the year, it has been both challenging and rewarding. Keeping in mind the new climate, it has kept us present and, in many ways, added depth and understanding to the importance our services provided in the community.

Simon Bartholomew
Manager, Disability Services.

Wilcannia Sisters Amalgamate with North Sydney Josephites 1902

Sisters of the Diocese of Wilcannia Amalgamate with North Sydney Josephites

Among the many twists of history and blessings of divine providence associated with the Sisters of Saint Joseph, is the story of those sisters who were appointed from The Vale (Perthville) to several small towns in western New South Wales. This is their story.

From the time of the first foundation from The Vale to the remote town of Bourke, the sisters in the western part of the state experienced extreme isolation. That community did not return to The Vale for the summer holiday for three and a half years after the foundation was made in 1881. After Nyngan was opened the two convents naturally formed their own group that later expanded to include Nymagee and Balranald. Far removed from the authority of the bishop of Bathurst and the sister guardian at The Vale, the “western group” lived according to the early traditions of the Institute, and directives, if indeed they reached the area, were generally only taken up if they were consistent with those traditions. Prior to his death in 1889, a number of the sisters had maintained a regular correspondence with Father Woods for whom they held a deep affection. In many instances the Book of Instructions, prohibited at The Vale, was carefully followed.

When the diocese of Wilcannia was constituted in 1887 under the leadership of Bishop Dunne, those sisters already working in the area remained there forming their own diocesan Institute separate from The Vale. Sister Stanislaus Fitzpatrick was appointed sister guardian by the bishop who made it clear that he wished the sisters under his authority to observe the Rule, custom and directives issued from Perthville.. However, life in the convents went on much the same as prior to the arrival of the new bishop.

In 1891 the Sisters of Saint Joseph left Bourke and were replaced by the Sisters of Mercy who were able to provide secondary education which by that time was required by a number of Bourke students. Hillston was then chosen as the mother house of the Sisters of Saint Joseph. At the conclusion of that year, Sister Ursula Dunning was appointed sister guardian after Stanislaus Fitzpatrick had resigned due to ill health. Balranald was also given into the care of the Sisters of Mercy.

Isolated and without much expectation of expansion, the small diocesan Institute of Josephites continued in just three centres. They felt their isolation very keenly. Some were in poor health and others required attention for their eyesight that had been neglected. In Nymagee two of their number died. Sister Aloysius Kelly was only twenty-eight when she died of tuberculosis in 1890. Sister Ambrose Sullivan was the same age when she died in 1894 of typhoid fever. There was nowhere the Sisters could escape the heat during the summer holiday. They recognised their need for sound professional training and ongoing spiritual formation if they were to be a viable religious Institute. Furthermore, the revised Rule, which one of the sisters saw by chance, required changes that they had already found unacceptable.

However, that sighting and presumably some contact with other diocesan groups, made the sisters of the Wilcannia diocese aware that according to the terms of the 1888 decree from Rome, they were free to either remain under the authority of the bishop or to join with the Sydney Josephites. By August 1899, they had initiated moves to amalgamate, stating to Mother Mary MacKillop their desire “to establish on a firm footing the spirit of our early sisters of whom you were the first.” (Sister Margaret Mary Lyons to Mother Mary MacKillop 28.5.1901).

After Bishop Dunne’s return from Rome and negotiations that included the continuing presence of the sisters in the Wilcannia diocese, arrangements went ahead. Sister Joseph Dwyer, who had played a significant part in the withdrawal of the sisters from The Vale in 1876, visited each community on behalf of Mother Mary. A total of twenty-one sisters, the majority of whom had begun their religious life at The Vale, were part of the amalgamation that was finally completed on 2 December 1902. At some time prior to that, the four sisters who desired to maintain diocesan status returned to The Vale.

In recent years the Perthville Sisters and the local Nymagee Catholic community have seen to the restoration of the two Josephite graves in the Nymagee cemetery. On 28 November 2001, a group of the sisters, together with the community, gathered there for a ceremony of rededication of the graves. The memorial plaque which was erected on the site on that day bears witness to the small band of Sisters of Saint Joseph who served so courageously and generously in the western areas of New South Wales.

Marie Crowley PhD

Shoots of Hope for All Creation

“Prophecy is the voice that God has lent to the silent agony, a voice to the plundered poor, to the profaned riches of the world.”

Abraham Heschel wrote these words in The Prophets: An Introduction over half a century ago. I have pondered his words for almost 50 years and have marvelled at their constantly contemporary ring.

The “plundered poor” of the late sixth century BCE are named in Isaiah 61:1-2, 10-11 as the poor or oppressed, the broken-hearted, the captives, the prisoners and the mourners in the human community.

This passage belongs at the heart of the third and final section of the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah 56-66), generally designated Third or Trito-Isaiah and my reflection addresses the text in the context of the Hebrew Bible rather than in relation to its appropriation in the Christian Scriptures…

Continue reading the article below:

Tui Motu Issue 255, December 2020 (PDF)

*Veronica Lawson RSM is an eco-feminist biblical scholar and author of The Blessing of Mercy: Bible Perspectives and Ecological Challenges, 2016.
Painting: Kāpiti Essence by Sonia Savage © Used with permission. www.soniasavageart.com (obtained from Tui Motu).

Advent 2020

Advent Reflection.

Take a moment to close your eyes and go on a journey of remembering. Think back to when you were a little child and some special event was to occur in the very near future. You may have been awaiting a birthday or a holiday or Christmas. As you remember, tap into the anticipation that you experienced at this time. Each day brought greater excitement and expectancy even though it felt as if the anticipated moment would never arrive.

For us Christians, the anticipation of the birth of Christ in the season of Advent resembles our childhood experiences. The word, Advent, derives from the Latin adventus, which means coming. While it is a period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus at Christmas, it is also a reminder of the Second Coming of Christ.

Fortunately for us, rather than having to endure the agonising wait of the child, there are symbols that make the anticipation of the birth of the Christ Child a little easier. The Sunday readings break down the period into two specific sections, those of remembrance and anticipation. On the first two Sundays we look forward to Christ’s second coming and on the remaining two we look backwards to the story of Christ’s first coming in the Bethlehem of long ago.

The Advent candles, which are usually placed in a wreath, highlight the significance of each of these Sundays. The wreath, which is created out of evergreens, symbolises everlasting life. The circle reminds us of God’s unending love.

As we light the first one, the candle of hope, we have a beautiful reminder to prepare our hearts even as we prepare our homes to celebrate the birth of Jesus. It is hope that keeps us from despair and urges us to be compassionate, kind and loving towards one another. It is hope that encourages us to believe and trust in a merciful God.

The second candle represents faith. It is sometimes known as the Bethlehem Candle, as it serves to remind us of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem. It symbolises the expectation and utter confidence felt by all who are anticipating the coming of the Messiah. It is

While three of the Advent candles are purple, the third one to be lit is a pink (rose) colour, and that is the liturgical colour for joy.  This Sunday is known as Gaudete Sunday, that is, it is a day when we rejoice that the world has experienced the birth of Jesus and that we have reached the midpoint of this Advent season.

The final candle, which brings us a a message of peace, is lit on the fourth Sunday of Advent. It reminds us of the message of the angels:

Jesus brought about peace in the most unexpected of ways. Today he brings us inner peace and thus encourages us to put aside our differences and do what we can to bring about his peace in today’s world.

As we move into this coming Advent season, may we capture the excitement and anticipation of the child as we prepare for the birth of Jesus in our hearts and in the world around us.

Maryellen Thomas rsj

Image: Advent Wreath by Ursula Fischer obtained from Pixabay. Used with permission.

International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

25 November is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

2020 marks the thirtieth year of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign, which ends on 10 December with Human Rights Day. It was initiated in 1991 and coordinated by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership. This year the focus is on women workers in the informal economy.

Slavery represents the most common form of violence against women and children. Women and girls accounted for 28.7 million (11%) of Modern Slavery and one in 4 victims were children (2017, International Labour Organization).

Pope Francis reminds us, “it is not possible to remain indifferent before the knowledge that human beings are bought and sold like goods!”

In 2015 Sr Margaret Ng, together with members of St Joseph’s Enfield Parish, New South Wales established Parish Against Trafficking of Humans (PATH) to raise awareness of slavery locally, nationally and internationally.

Rosie Hoban from Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans (ACRATH) interviewed Sr. Margaret Ng about PATH. The article will be published on 6 December 2020.

To read the interview please click on the link below:

Activism in Parishes (available 6 December)

Margaret Ng rsj

Image obtained from Deposit Photos.

Ella Wins Gold in History Challenge

A good news story from Mount St. Joseph’s Girls’ College in Altona West, Victoria.

One of our Year 12 students (in a very difficult year) has won a couple of major awards in a national competition.

The National History Challenge is a research-based competition for students. It gives students a chance to be an historian, researching world history, examining Australia’s past, investigating their community or exploring their own roots. It emphasises and rewards quality research, the use of community resources and effective presentation.

Ella Bibby won a gold award (state champion) for the senior category and using primary sources category. On top of this, she was also won a platinum award (overall national champion) in the “using primary sources” category.

The college is extremely proud of Ella and her achievements.

Nicole Magee
Marketing & Communications
Mount St. Joseph Girls’ College
133 Maidstone Street, Altona VIC 3018

Birth of Fr Julian Tenison Woods

From Southwark, England to Southport, Tasmania.

On 15 November 1832 in Southwark, England, Henrietta St Eloy Tenison, wife of James Dominick Woods, gave birth to a son, Julian Edmund Tenison Woods.

As in any family the birth of a child is received with great joy and perhaps even wonder at what this child might do with his God given life.

In the decade of the 1830’s the world saw a rise of imperialism and colonialism. Britain saw a surge of power and world dominance. New settlements commenced in 1803 and flourished in Australia. Tasmania’s early history tells of crime, punishment, hardship and survival in some of the harshest, yet most beautiful places on earth. Between 1803 and 1853 approximately 75,000 men, women and children from British and Irish ports were transported to Van Dieman’s Land.

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