National Assembly:
AUSTRALIAN RELIGIOUS IN A MULTI-FAITH SOCIETY: REALITY, GIFT AND CHALLENGE
Into new religious territory
More than 100 leaders of religious congregations and institutions will be taken into new religious territory when they gather next week for the 33rd national assembly of Catholic Religious Australia - the peak body for more than 8000 religious women and men in Australia.
The four-day meeting will consider the reality, the gift and the challenge of Australia as a multi-faith society, using a focus on the other Abrahamic faiths - Judaism and Islam.
Catholic Religious Australia president Sister Clare Condon SGS outlined the hopes for the assembly:
"CRA's task is to support the contemplative and prophetic role of religious women and men within the Australian church and society.
"This dialogue is an opportunity for the leaders to engage meaningfully with our contemplative spirit - an essential part of true dialogue, where listening with the heart as well as the mind can change us; changing both the speaker and the listener.
"In a world where conflict is often defined in religious terms, these days together can give witness to greater possibilities for collaboration and cooperation across our differences.
"Mercy and justice are integral to all three faiths and it is in this spirit that we will enter these days.
"As we have the opportunity to listen and dialogue with members of the Jewish and Islamic faiths, we hope to grow in understanding, appreciation and esteem."
Through a program of input, reflection, questions and prayer, the leaders will seek a better appreciation of the multi-faith nature of Australia and how to dialogue; learn about the life of Jews and Muslims in this country; share what congregations are doing already and investigate what the future role of religious should be in the growth of a harmonious and rich multi-faith Australia.
They will be led in their discussions by highly respected Christians in the interfaith milieu, Anglican minister and academic Prof Gary Bouma (Melbourne) and Catholic priest and academic Patrick McInerney SSC (Sydney). Practitioners of the Jewish and Muslim faiths will be leaders of conference workshops.
Tours are also on the agenda: to either the Auburn Gallipoli Mosque at Auburn, or the Jewish Museum at Darlinghurst.
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keynote speaker: GARY D. BOUMA is a leading voice on the state of religious life in Australia. An Anglican priest, he has had a long term involvement in religious dialogue, especially Christian-Muslim dialogue.
He is Emeritus Professor of Sociology, School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University; holds the UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations - Asia Pacific; is Chair of the Melbourne Board of Management for the Parliament of the World's Religions which will be held in Melbourne, December 3-9, 2009.
He will speak at the assembly on Wednesday, June 24, between 11.15am and 3.30pm
PATRICK MCINERNEY SSC is a Columban missionary priest now based in Sydney.
He is a full-time staff member of the Columban Mission Institute's Centre for Christian-Muslim Relations in Strathfield, and heads the institute's activities focussed on Mission Studies. He is the coordinator of Missiology at the Catholic Institute of Sydney and lectures in Islam and Inter-religious Dialogue. He is currently completing his PhD thesis, Modelling the Method: A Lonergan Approach to Christian Responsibility in Interreligious Relations, with the Australian Catholic University.
Fr McInerney is a member of the Australian Catholic Council for Ecumenism and Interreligious Relations (ACCEIR) (which advises the Australian Bishops Commission on Ecumenism and Inter-Religious Relations), and he is a board member of the Australian Catholic University's Asia-Pacific Centre for Inter-religious Dialogue (APCID). He also attends the state meetings of the World Conference of Religions for Peace (WCRP). He attends interfaith and multi-faith conferences, and gives talks and lectures on Islam, Christian-Muslim relations and inter-religious relations to a wide variety of audiences.
He will speak at the assembly on Tuesday, June 23, 3.30-5.15pm
Mercure Hotel, Wolli Creek Tuesday, June 23- Friday, June 26
MEDIA ARE INVITED TO ATTEND THE ASSEMBLY at the following times ...
Tuesday, 1.30-5.15pm: 1.30, opening (includes President's report), 3.30, Fr Patrick McInereny, Why dialogue?
Wednesday, 9am-4pm: 9, prayer; 9.30, Bishop Kevin Manning (Parramatta), Children of Abraham; 11.15 and 2, Prof. Gary Bouma, The Australian Soul and The contribution of religious to a genuine and healthy multi-faith Australia
Thursday, 9am-1pm: 9, prayer; 9.30, example of dialogue within the church; 11.30, workshops: Women's Interfaith Network, Depth and breadth of worship in Islam, Interfaith household, Parliament of the World's Religions, Prayer in Judaism; Ecology, a common interest, Inter-religious conversation at school level . Tours: Auburn Gallipoli Mosque, Auburn; Jewish Museum, Darlinghurst
Friday, 9am-12.15pm: 9, prayer; 9.15, bringing the theme together.
further information / to arrange interviews: Penny Edman 0400 896 191
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