Confraternity of Christ the Priest - Christ the Priest, Fathers & Brothers - ccs

The story of the Confraternity of Christ the Priest begins with the story of Australia – a country with so much that is going well, but at the same time, with something not right. Of today’s 22.5 million Australians, around 21.5 million do not go to Mass. He who believes and is baptized will be saved. He who does not believe will be condemned... Unless you eat My Body and drink My Blood, you will not have life in you... I am the Resurrection and the Life...You have the words of everlasting life. ”The plain fact about human beings, wealthy or poor, is that we need God and we need His Church. Australia is a wealthy, developed country, but it is also a mission field hungry for the Gospel. Australian priest Fr John Whiting realized that this mission to Australia’s “churchless millions” needed the teamwork of many people who would be free to dedicate themselves to this work. And so began the Confraternity of Christ the Priest.

Mission and Ministry:

Most groups of priests or brothers or sisters are established to work for a particular group of people. Nursing sisters work for the sick and elderly, teaching orders work for young people. The Confraternity too was founded to work for a particular group, those who have given up all practice of the faith and those who have never known what religion is. The work of the priests is the Intensive Apostolate – the Confraternity takes on a parish for 25 years and has in the parish not one or two but many priests. The heavy work of a parish priest, on his own and simply serving those who go to Mass already, leaves very little time to think of any missionary work to non-Catholics or lapsed Catholics. But with many priests focusing their zeal for God and souls in a parish, the churchless at last have a better chance. By personal contact with everyone in the area, they aim to influence every individual to believe in God, to love and worship Him. The work of the brothers is to build church, school or other buildings the parish might need, to finance the Intensive Apostolate – working in the monastery, the parish, on the farm etc., and generally working alongside the priests to lead souls to heaven.

Formation:

Members of the Confraternity of Christ the Priest take vows to God of Chastity, Poverty and Obedience, and they live in community. So there is the same kind of preparation that religious all over the world do – novice, temporary vows, and final vows. What’s unique about the Confraternity’s training? Brothers are trained in a profession, such as electrician, journalism, and plumber. Those who are going to become priests are taught to understand and love the teachings of the Church and to celebrate the Mass with devotion of course, but they are taught with particular emphasis about the Church’s zeal for the salvation of souls and about the new Evangelization. The hearts of the members of the Confraternity, priests and brothers, grow to be totally aflame with the fire of zeal. Zeal is that burning love for God that yearns to see every human heart ardently loving and adoring Him, and that burning love for souls which thirsts to see all people possess their greatest good and their eternal happiness in God. Brothers and priests are formed in the unique spirit of the Confraternity – the spirit of Christ the Priest. “Ours were the sufferings He bore, ours the sorrows He carried...” (Is 52, 53). Think of the love in Jesus’ heart for the Father and for us, think of the loving obedience unto death, even death on the cross – He really is the compassionate and trustworthy High Priest, and He is our model.

Vocation Information:

For more information about the Confraternity of Christ the Priest, please contact:

Fr Thomas Casanova CCS
Vocations Director
P.O. Box 4055
ASHMONT NSW 2650

THE MISSIONARIES OF GOD'S LOVE - mgl

The Missionaries of God's Love began within the Disciples of Jesus covenant community in Canberra in 1986, under the guidance of Fr. Ken Barker. Some young men, who belonged to the covenant community, approached Fr. Ken, expressing a call to priesthood, but also wanting to remain part of the community. They agreed to meet weekly before the Blessed Sacrament for a year in order to listen to the Lord's direction. At the end of that time they began to share a common life together in a fraternity house, seeking to live the gospel in a radical manner, by imitating Jesus in his poverty, and developing a strong life of prayer and brotherhood. They began to understand that their commitment to contemplative prayer, adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and charismatic worship, was meant to empower them to bring God's love to others, especially to the alienated and marginalised in society.

Gradually young men have been ordained as priests and sent out to assist in the Church's mission of the "new evangelization". In 1991 a mission was established in Papua New Guinea. This was followed in 1996 by a mission in Darwin, working with an urban aboriginal community. Also, in the same year, a mission was opened in Manila within the so-called "squatter" settlements. The MGLs now have the care of St Benedict's Parish in Manila as well as Youth Ministries. In 1998 the Missionaries were given responsibility for the parish of Narrabundah in Canberra, where they are seeking to build a Eucharistic Centre. In 2006 they were given care of St Benedict's Parish at Burwood in Melbourne. They also have held responsibility for the chaplaincy to Canberra University since 1995.

Mission and Ministry:

We are priests and consecrated brothers together in mission, sharing in the work of evangelization in a collaborative way with lay people. In most of our activities we work together with lay members of the Disciples of Jesus community. We always seek to empower the laity in their journey towards holiness and their mission to spread the good news. In return we draw much strength and support from the lay community which is integral to our identity. When we take vows we dedicate ourselves to "the preaching of the good news of Jesus for the salvation of all men and women". We aim to lead people to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and to experience a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit in their lives. We also seek to help people develop their gifts and to equip them with the knowledge and skills they need in order to be able to bring the good news of Jesus to others. Wherever we go we invite people to personally experience a new release of the power of their baptism and confirmation through a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We also try to build vibrant community life so that people have a rich experience of belonging within the Church and receive the support and challenge they need to grow as followers of Jesus. We have a particular focus on reaching young people with the liberating message of Jesus. We also focus on those groups of people who are unchurched or alienated from the Church in some way.

Our present missions include:

• Life in the Spirit seminars

• Camps for youth and young adults

• Youth schools of evangelization

• Parish outreaches

• Overseas and Cross-cultural missions

• University chaplaincy

• Working with indigenous people

Formation:

The formation process in the Missionaries of God's Love occurs in a supportive environment of a brotherhood house where there is a challenge to grow in loving relationship with the Lord and with others. We aim to help brothers grow toward personal maturity in every way. We seek to have a good harmony and balance between the spiritual, human, intellectual and apostolic dimensions of growth. We focus on the individual needs of each brother and seek to help him develop in his own individuality, while also learning to be part of a community.

A young man interested in the Missionaries is invited to "Come and See" for a while. He may then choose to enter into a time of "active discernment", during which he prayerfully considers the way of life and keeps in regular contact with us. He may then enter into a one year pre-novitiate which allows him to discern "from the inside" by living with the brothers and sharing their life and mission. After this he may be invited to join the novitiate program for a year. Then he may be invited to profess initial vows. After being in initial vows for five years a brother may then be ready to profess final vows. The initial formation program takes place in Canberra, ACT.

After initial vows, those brothers who are preparing for priesthood undergo five years of study in the seminary. After this they are ordained first as deacons and then as priests. Those who will serve as brothers also undertake studies focused on their ministry, but for a shorter time. The MGL Seminary/House of Studies is located in Melbourne, Victoria.

VOCATION INFORMATION:

If you would like more information about the Missionaries of God's Love priests and brothers, contact:

Fr Daniel Benedetti MGL
Vocations Director
297 Warrigal Rd
BURWOOD VICTORIA 3125
Phone: 03 9808 7345

THE MISSIONARY APOSTLES OF CHRIST IN THE EUCHARIST - mace

The Missionaries of Christ in the Eucharist Sisters belong to the MACE Family of Religious nuns, priests, brothers and lay associates. The love and devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist is the main charism of every MACE religious and lay associate. The Eucharistic spirituality inspires every MACE Sister to a life of sacrifice, a continuous thanksgiving to God, and efforts towards unity. With the Word of God as basis for living, every MACE member is to bring the Eucharist to others by the very witnessing of their lives through adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, celebration of the Eucharist, active apostolate with the elderly, migrants, youth, children and families, and the expression of thanksgiving, unity and communion with others, and having Mary, Mother of the Church, as our inspiration and model.

MACE was begun by Sr. Angelita Marave in Manila on August 15, 1987, as a group of lay men and women who wanted to develop their spiritual life and do some service for the church as lay people. The primary aim was to spread time in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and to do pastoral ministry with the frail and the elderly.

The MACE Sisters are women who are at least 18 years of age and have finished second year university or its equivalent. We, the MACE Sisters, live in small communities in Sydney, Canberra, Italy, Canada and the Philippines. We practise the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.

In Australia, the MACE Sisters were founded by Rev. Mother Angelita G. Marave in Canberra, on 2 February 1990. Her co-foundress, and eldest blood sister was Rev. Mother Lydia Paola G. Marave. Both sisters originated from the Pastorelle in the Philippines.

MACE communities are located in Canberra (Mother House), Sydney (Novitiate and Generalate), BF Homes, Sucat, Parañaque City (Regional House), Multinational Village, Parañaque City (Postulancy). There are two communities in Syracuse, Italy and one house in High Level, Alberta, Canada.

Mission and Ministry:

The MACE Sisters serve Jesus in the Eucharist in the young, the adults, the families and the elderly through:

M - Migrant pastoral ministry;
A - Aged-care in retirement villages and hospices;
C - Catechesis: in the parish & schools; adult education in faith; pastoral Work, conducting Retreats and Recollections; Spiritual Counseling, and religious publications;
E - Education: University educators, the MACE Learning Centres, tutorials, textbook writing.

Formation:

Out-postulancy formation program is designed for the working professional discerning about a possible late or deferred vocation. She experiences prayer and community life as she comes every week-end to the convent, and slowly adjusts her lifestyle towards religious life, while still continuing with her profession during the week.

In-postulancy formation of six months to two years is for those ready to live in community with no further impediments. They undergo a structured formation program, initial exposure to the apostolates and possibly further studies. They begin at the MACE community nearest their place of origin. They receive basic human and religious formation, as well as instructions in dogmatic theology.

Novitiate is for two years in Sydney or in Manila. The first year is in-house formation and the second year involves apostolic exposure. The novice receives formation in Theology, spirituality, church history, liturgy and sacraments, religious life, the vows, moral values, ecumenism, Mariology and church documents.

Juniorate is from 3 to 6 years with yearly renewal of vows. The Junior is sent to the missions and continues her formation thereat. As in the other stages, she applies for the Perpetual Profession after at least 5 years of temporary vows, and if accepted, will undergo a thorough preparation prior to final profession.

Perpetually Professed Member enjoys the full rights and privileges proper of a MACE perpetually professed. She also undergoes ongoing formation and up-dating in spiritual, theological and ecclesial matters.

VOCATION INFORMATION:

Sr. Marlene Anne (Pinky) G. Aquino, MACE
Sr A. Lorenzo, MACE

MACE Convent,
242 Pacific Palms Circuit,
Hoxton Park NSW 2171

Phone: (02) 98267673
Mobile: 0402-437-627
Fax: (02) 98267673

Email Address:srpinky23@yahoo.com