Civil unrest and the threat of natural disasters are more than enough reasons for Religious in Australia to explore ways in which they can be better neighbours to their brothers and sisters in East Timor and the Pacific nations.
But more than 100 Australian leaders of Religious Institutes and Societies also will have Gospel imperatives such as You shall love ... your neighbour as yourself (Luke 10:27) and Which of these three was neighbour ...? (Luke 10.36) to spur them into discussion and action when they meet under the theme, Being Neighbours in the Pacific, at the Catholic Religious Australia National Assembly later this month.
Building on a long history and extensive networks throughout the Pacific and East Timor, we have invited Religious leaders from neighbouring countries to be speakers and guests at the 2007 Assembly. Among those attending are
guest speakers:
Sr Keiti Ann Kanongata'a SOLN, a theologian from Tonga
Sr Mariska Kua RSM, the Sisters of Mercy leader in Papua New Guinea
Fr Seluini 'Akau'ola SM, parish priest of Kauvai, Tonga
Fr Neles Tebay, West Papua
visitors from overseas Conferences of Religious:
Sr Grace Domani SHR, a Rosary Sister from Sepik and President of the Federation of Religious of PNG and Solomon Islands (FOR PNG/SI)
Sr Jane Frances O'Carroll SM, from the Conference of Leaders Aotearoa-New Zealand
overseas visitors:
Fr John Aneo MSC
Sr Marietta Garnier AD, General of the Handmaids, and a Thursday Islander
and other official guests from within Australia:
the Most Rev. Ambrose De Paoli, the Apostolic Nuncio
the Most Rev. Luc Matthys, Bishop of Armidale
The 2007 Assembly will invite all participants to explore what it means to be neighbours in our region.
Catholic Religious in Australia will seek to learn from the experiences of our brothers and sisters in the Pacific and East Timor. Together, we will explore how relationships may be enriched by strengthening the long-standing exchanges among the religious communities of these countries.
The Catholic Church - often through the ministry of Religious - is a main provider of health and education services in countries of the Pacific and East Timor while Australian society is enriched by the many people from these countries now living in this country.
Ecology, climate change, the Australian economy, inappropriate aid and the suffering brought about by civil unrest are all areas that invited deep, compassionate concern,
We are expecting a rich dialogue and exchange throughout the four-day Assembly, to be held in Perth, WA, from June 26-29.
Mark Raper, SJ, CRA President
Melbourne, June 11, 2007
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