Catholic Religious Australia - Oceania Province sets directions

The governing body of the new Christian Brothers Oceania Province has received a challenge from international leader, Br Philip Pinto CFC to "take risks and embrace new thinking for a new world".

A 10-day Province Chapter in Brisbane recently also endorsed a set of strategic directions for the religious congregation in the region for the next six years, elected a new Deputy Leader and a new leadership team member.

While the new Oceania Chapter continues to find its feet having come into existence on October 1, 2007, Congregation Leader, Br Philip implored his fellow Brothers to "chance ourselves" on the Divine Word.

"Unless there are those among us that care enough for the community to risk for it, then renewal is out of the question," Br Pinto said.

"We have been guilty and paralysed by old thinking and have not allowed the new to come in. We have abandoned the new to the design of others.

"We have to risk the new world beckoning us."

Br Pinto said the essence of the Munnar Chapter of the international congregation held in India in March, was its invitation to the order to dare to be a disciple of Jesus of Nazareth.

"The Chapter invited us to 'Dare to be Disciple' and this means daring to be different," he said. "A disciple has to be different because discipleship is counter-cultural.

"Difference is the hallmark of discipleship and our challenge is not to be scared of difference but to welcome it and welcome the stranger in our midst as our brother and our sister."

Oceania leader, Br Vince Duggan CFC (left) welcomed the Oceania Chapter's endorsement of the new directions (see below) and its emphasis on determining a new future for followers of Edmund Rice in the region.

The Province needed to constantly remind itself to "think Oceania" in all that it does.

"I believe the Chapter did a lot of work determining new ways our Province can respond to the cry of the poor in our region," Br Duggan said.

"It also was a turning point for the order in growing the wider Edmund Rice Network of supporters so they are sustainable and empowered into the future."

The Chapter elected a new Deputy Leader of the Province and a new member of the Oceania Leadership Team (OLT).

As part of the business of the Oceania Chapter, Oceania Leadership Team (OLT) member, Br Peter Harney CFC, was appointed the new Deputy Leader replacing Br Peter Dowling CFC who was elected to the congregation's international leadership earlier this year.

One of the province's cluster leaders for Victoria/Tasmania, Br Chris Meehl CFC was elected as the new OLT member.

Br Chris lives in community at St Albans in suburban Melbourne and in addition to his cluster leadership, he is also coordinator for ministries in south eastern Australia for the Province. He is also involved in refugee ministry in the St Albans region and prior to this he was involved in the education ministry in Victoria, Tasmania and Tonga.

The full text of the new strategic directions is:

Direction 1: Daring to be Disciples - We seek to deepen our understanding and living of discipleship enlivened by heart spirituality, the best of our tradition, indigenous spiritualities of Oceania, an emerging appreciation of cosmology and dialogue with other faith traditions.

Direction 2: Sharing the Inspiration - We rejoice in the energy among those people and groups drawing inspiration from the life, spirit and charism of Edmund Rice. We commit to an authentic and evolving exploration of Edmund's charism through networking.

Direction 3: Being Brother in Mission - Being brother is a call to living a prophetic religious life in community. This requires commitment to life-long formation, readiness to encounter the mystery of God in all creation and willingness to seek and welcome others open to making such a commitment.

Direction 4: Proclaiming Liberation and Justice - Conscious of our own brokenness, we walk with people in need, especially those marginalised and made vulnerable by society. Our commitment to liberation and justice drives our decisions for ministry. We engage in partnerships with those similarly committed within and beyond Oceania.

Direction 5: Living Sustainably - Recognising that all creation is a gift, we value all who live the mission, we use prudently the resources given us and we are conscious of the urgent necessity for living sustainably.