THE DAUGHTERS OF CHARITY - dc

In 1633 in Paris Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac founded the Company of the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul. This event followed many years of brokenness, growth and searching on the part of Louise and Vincent. Louise had a very difficult childhood, a demanding God, a sad ending to her marriage and a son to raise. Vincent had been an ambitious priest who had struggled with faith and vocation. In the poor both Louise and Vincent saw the face of God. The poor called them to develop new forms of service and to gather groups of women, lay and consecrated, to serve the poorest of the poor.

Urged on by the "Love of Christ crucified" the Daughters "serve Christ in the poor, and the poor in Christ. While prayer is central to the life of a Daughter, Vincent urged the sisters that if the poor needed them they were to leave God contemplated in prayer to serve Him in the poor. An interior experience of God nourished by personal and community prayer nourishes service. Mary holds a special place. Community life, lived in small local communities is one of the basic supports for a life of service.

In order for the poor to be cared for in their homes and on the streets the Daughters of Charity needed to be free from the constraints of the cloister. A new form of consecrated life was begun! Daughters of Charity take private, annual vows. The primary vow is of service of the poor while the other vows are poverty, chastity and obedience. Daughters of Charity are "not nuns" but members of a Society of Apostolic Life. The key virtues of a Daughter are "Humility, Simplicity and Charity" while the qualities are "Availability, Flexibility and Mobility".

Mission and Ministry:

Today, as in 1633, the Daughters of Charity are called to serve the poorest of the poor the most abandoned in society. We commit ourselves to quality, personal service.

Today in the Province of Australia, Daughters of Charity work in the following ministries:

• Support services for the homeless
• Chaplaincy
• Aged care including support for those with dementia
• Parish Pastoral Care
• Support to those with an intellectual disability
• Support to those persons with a mental illness
• Aboriginal ministry
• Accommodation support for women, children and families in crisis
• Support of refugees education

The Company of the Daughters of Charity is missionary from its foundations. 22,000 Daughters in over 100 countries are called to serve ever attentive to the signs of the times, the appeals of the Church, the poor and the world. In order to deliver the best service possible and to defend the rights of the poor, work in conjunction with civil authorities and all persons of good will.

It is our vision to walk beside those who are disadvantaged and alienated in our society. Mutuality in service is at the heart of the vision - in serving the poor we learn about ourselves, about life and about God. The poor call us forth, challenging us always.

Formation:

Formation in the Company of the Daughters of Charity has as its focus the spiritual, professional and human development of women. The outcome is a growth in knowledge and relationship with god, a demonstration of a desire to be a servant of Christ and a strengthening of a capacity to give and receive life while living in community. When a woman expresses an interest in our way of life she is assigned a mentor, a sister with many years experience, with whom she is able to explore her choice, to articulate her hopes and dreams and to make a commitment. A variety of settings and processes, of courses and personnel over three to five years, ensures a breadth of learning and experience and provides a basis for a lifetime of service.

VOCATION INFORMATION:

Vocation Co-ordinator
176 Balaclava Road
MARSFIELD NSW 2122
Telephone: 02 9889 0355

DAUGHTERS OF OUR LADY OF THE SACRED HEART olsh

A vibrant and energetic man, Jules Chevalier was born in France in 1824. In his early years of priesthood, he felt saddened by the apathetic attitude people had towards God. He longed to re-kindle love in the hearts of those around him and draw them into a fresh awareness and conviction of God’s passionate love. This longing captivated his heart and he began to dream dreams....

Jules Chevalier was drawn to the love of Jesus’ heart and he promoted a spirituality of the heart. He dreamed of gathering together a Religious family -women and men who would take the Good News of God’s love to one and all. No limits! In 1854 he realized his dream when he founded a Society of Priests and Brothers whom he called Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC). Twenty years later, he founded a Congregation of Sisters, calling them Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. His motto, "May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be everywhere loved" summarizes the charism and mission his family share. The OLSH Sisters arrived in Australia in 1885.

Mission and Ministry:

As Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, we share in Christ's redemptive mission, bringing others the love God has first shared with us. The selfless dedication of our founder and pioneer sisters fires us to continue to respond to the challenges of our times in many areas, including, but not limited to, the following:
 

Our community life centres around the Eucharist. As apostolic religious women who are called to live in union with Mary, the spirituality of the Heart of Jesus, we strive to integrate the contemplative and apostolic elements in all aspects of our religious life.

• Spirituality

• Pastoral Care

• Education, Catechetics, Adult Faith Education

• Health and Aged Care

• Overseas Missions

• Parish Ministry and Pastoral Care

• Retreats and Spiritual Direction

• Youth and Young Adult ministry

• Vocation Ministry

• Promotion of Social Justice

• Living and working with Refugees, Multi-Cultural and Indigenous Peoples.

Formation:

Formation for life as a Daughter of OLSH is concerned with the whole person. Prior to admission, we offer a process of accompaniment to those seeking to discern their vocation. For an information sheet about this process, or for a vocation brochure, contact Sr Elizabeth Taylor (details below)
 

VOCATION INFORMATION:

If you would like more information about the Daughters of OLSH, please contact:

Sr Elizabeth Taylor
OLSH Convent
113 Jasper Road
Bentleigh VIC 3204

Telephone: 03 9557 1130
Facsimile: 03 9557 5098
Email:elizolsh@hotmail.com

DAUGHTERS OF ST PAUL - fsp

Our founder, Fr James Alberione, lived in Italy at the turn of the century. It was a time of great confusion in society; there were many voices trying to claim authority both within the Church and outside of it. In many ways he lived in a time much like our own.

He believed that the one voice people should listen to was that of Jesus their Master and Shepherd. In the gospels Jesus says, “I am the way, I am truth and life”; as Daughters of St Paul, we strive each day to make Jesus the centre of our lives, our Way, our Truth and our Life, and to proclaim Jesus to people everywhere.

Mission and Ministry:

The Daughters of St Paul are women who feel impelled to share the message of the Gospel and its values with the people of today’s society through the media.

We believe that people can meet and come to know God through their use of the media, and that God wants to speak to people’s hearts through the means of communication available to them each day.

Therefore, we publish and distribute books, music cassettes, CDs, videos, magazines and periodicals, posters and computer software, all which carry a Christian message. We maintain book shops and, in some countries, produce radio and TV programs, and maintain websites.

We come from all over the world, and we put ourselves at the service of people all over the world. Through our attentiveness to national and international news and events, we deepen our understanding of the needs of society, and bring these to God in our prayer.

Our strength comes from the Word of God and from the Eucharist. Each day we take time in meditation on God’s Word, we share in the Eucharist and we find time for personal prayer before the Eucharist.

These precious times of daily prayer and the many varied encounters with people in our ministry enrich us and deepen our understanding of God’s presence in our lives.

We have a very positive outlook on the future. Our ministry with the communications media continually invites us to welcome the challenge of speaking about God in new ways to the people of each new generation.

An exciting new initiative has recently been launched by the Daughters of St Paul. "Terra Spiritus" is a new Australian Catholic online magazine that offers a unique resource on Christian spirituality through the convenience of the Internet. It has been launched as ‘an invitation to listen, connect and engage with the sacred, an invitation to embrace and nurture an ongoing relationship with God’. The web site offers a wide range of articles on Christian spirituality, reflections on prayer and relationships, meditations on Scripture and multimedia features which are accessible by subscription from any computer with an Internet connection. A beautifully presented online chapel also provides an accessible space for prayer in the home or office. Christians can now tap into the immediacy of the Internet as nourishment for their experience of and conversation with God. Visit Terra Spiritus today atwww.terraspiritus.com.au.

Formation:

A Daughter of St Paul makes a life-long commitment to personal growth in every aspect of her being.

This important aspect of the Pauline Vocation calls us to consciously welcome the challenge to grow in the human and spiritual dimension of ourselves throughout our lives. It also calls us to stay up-to-date in all aspects of our professional training for ministry. This constant attention to the growth of the whole person in Christ enables us to live as happy and mature religious women. It helps us to keep in touch with developments in society and the world, an essential for Pauline life, and allows us to constantly develop our ministry so that we can more effectively proclaim Christ to humanity.
The Postulancy, which generally lasts for two years, is a particular time of discernment and transition which allows the candidate to experience community life and ministry among the Daughters of St Paul. During this time a candidate would begin to experience what it means to offer her life to Christ and fully commit herself as a Daughter of St Paul.

The Novitiate is a two-year program of real initiation into the Pauline religious life. It is an intense time of prayer, study, the mission and community life, in which the novice embraces the Pauline charism, and prepares for consecration to the Lord in the profession of her first vows.

At the time of professing her first vows the candidate makes a commitment to live in vows for a period of one year. These vows are renewed at the end of each one-year period, for 5-7 years, a time known as Temporary Commitment. The sister in Temporary Commitment continues her Pauline and academic formation, engages more fully in the mission and deepens her understanding of all the aspects of Pauline life - consecration, spirituality and community.

For further information about our Order please visit our website:www.pauline.com.au

VOCATION INFORMATION:

Sr Joanna Coleiro, FSP
Strathfield NSW Australia 2135

Phone: (02) 9746 7170(h)
(02) 9746 2717
Fax: (02) 9764 4944
Email:joanna@pauline.com.au

Daughters of St Paul
Norwood SA 5067
Phone: (08) 8431 6474
Email:fspadel@pauline.com.au

De La Salle Brothers fsc

The extraordinary story of the Brothers began with the founder John Baptist de La Salle. Born into a life of privilege in France in 1651, the life of this young priest took a series of unexpected turns when he began helping a local teacher run a charity school for the poor. What began as a generous effort to help gradually became his life's work.  He gathered a group of young, unmarried men to help him provide poor children with a Christian education. He renounced his title and considerable wealth and moved in with these men, to form the community that became known as the Brothers of the Christian Schools.

De La Salle and his Brothers succeeded in creating a network of quality schools throughout France. In addition, De La Salle developed programs for training lay teachers, Sunday courses for working young men, and one of the first institutions in France for the care of troubled youths. He died in 1719, only weeks before his sixty-eighth birthday. At the time of his death there were 100 Brothers in 22 schools, teaching 5000 students throughout France.


Mission and Ministry:

The purpose of the De La Salle Brothers is to meet the educational and welfare needs of young people, especially the poor.

Today there are over 5,000 Brothers working in 80 countries throughout the world, in innovative roles from teachers and lecturers to counselors and social workers. The Brothers Lasallian Mission in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea encompass twenty-six schools, involving more than 800 co-workers in touch with more than 10,000 young people.

In addition the Brothers are also responsible for the welfare work of BoysTown, Australia’s largest children’s charity which founded the Kids Help Line and other initiatives, and the Lasallian Foundation which funds projects for disadvantaged youth across Asia-Pacific. As recently as 2005, the Lasallian Foundation was established to fund developmental and emergency relief projects in the Asia Pacific Region.

Visit www.delasallebrothers.com to take one of our extraordinary two-week challenge programs to get a real sense of the Brothers life and work.

 

Formation:

Becoming a De La Salle Brother (Training Program):

Phase 1: Community Placement
Spend six months in a Brothers’ community living and working alongside the Brothers. During this stage you’ll deepen your understanding of the Lasallian way of life.

Phase 2: Novitiate
During the 12-month Novitiate stage, you’ll live as a Brother. It’s a time for deep, personal reflection as you develop your spiritual commitment, in preparation for taking your vows.

Phase 3: Vows
At the point of taking your vows, you will then receive your first posting to a Brothers community to begin your work and life as a De La Salle Brother.

Phase 4: Ongoing Commitment
As a new Brother, you renew your vows annually for at least five years before permanently committing to the Brother's vocation.

VOCATION INFORMATION:

Visit www.delasallebrothers.com to sign up to our monthly e-newsletter, Upfront, or for more information please contact:

Brother Mark McKeon FSC
Director of Vocations & Youth Ministry
Po Box 3485
Bankstown NSW 2200
Telephone: (02) 9795 6412
Fax: (02) 9795 6499
E-mail: markmckeon@delasalle.org.au
Web: www.delasallebrothers.com

The Diocese of Broken Bay

"Lumen Christi" - the Light of Christ - is the motto of the Diocese of Broken Bay. The icon on the Diocesan crest is based on the lighthouse at Barrenjoey that shines across Broken Bay at the entrance to the Hawkesbury River. Not only does this lighthouse unify both sections of our Diocese - Northern Sydney and the Central Coast - but it is also a striking image for the light of Christ as a beacon through the darkness.

Broken Bay was established as a Diocese in 1986 under the care of Bishop Patrick Murphy. Broken Bay may be one of the youngest Dioceses in Australia, but our heritage goes back to the earliest Catholic community in this country, including Holy Cross Church (founded 1842) and Saint Mary McKillop's orphanage at Kincumber. Bishop Murphy retired for reasons of age in September 1996 and was succeeded by the present Bishop, David Louis Walker DD MTh (Lon). Bishop David founded the Center for Spirituality at Randwick (in 1973), is a prominent speaker and has published extensively on faith renewal, spirituality, mysticism, ecumenism, formation of clergy, and Church leadership. He has a great vision for the future and is active in seeking out and supporting new leaders to take on the challenges of bringing the gospel to the contemporary world.

The Diocese of Broken Bay has 39 parishes, and is divided into three deaneries - the Central Coast, the North Shore and the Manly Peninsula - covering some beautiful beaches and national parkland. It stretches north to south from Wyoming to Manly, with Pennant Hills on its western border, and includes urban centers such as Chatswood, Hornsby and Gosford. There are many different challenges that the Church faces in each region. For instance the Central Coast is one of the fastest growing areas in Australia, but it also has one of the highest rates of youth suicide.

Mission and Ministry:

The ministry of the priests of Broken Bay is primarily directed towards serving and building up our parish communities. This involves preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in word and deed, as well as gathering the community together for celebration of the Eucharist and other sacraments. The priest is there to represent the Church in the significant moments of people's lives, in times of both great joy and sorrow, such as Weddings, Baptisms and Funerals. A priest's pastoral ministry may take him to family homes, schools, hospitals, nursing homes - he goes wherever there is a need to spread the Good News. Priests have an important role in empowering the gifts of the people and overseeing their use in the parish community. Ultimately, priestly ministry is about answering the call of Jesus to follow him in a special way by giving one's life in love and service to the People of God.

Formation:

The first point of contact for someone considering priesthood for Broken Bay can be their local parish priest, the Diocesan Vocations Director, or the Vocations Promotions Officer. This is followed by a period of helping the prospective candidate in discernment - through spiritual direction, vocational accompaniment and retreat weekends. The inquirer may then apply to the Bishop to be accepted as a student for the Diocese.

In Broken Bay Diocese formation for priesthood takes place at Murphy House at St Ives. Students live together with the formation director, Fr Jim McKeon, sharing meals, prayer, daily Mass, ministry and life together. There are lectures, seminars and retreats which are shared with people in formation for priesthood for other dioceses for religious life all across Sydney .

In the first six months of first year a program called Kairos is shared with novices from religious orders from around Sydney , providing a broad introduction to spirituality, discernment and prayer.

In the first three years students undertake a Bachelor of Theology degree with the Broken Bay Institute and the Catholic Institute of Sydney, and then take some further study in the remaining years.

A key component of formation is ongoing pastoral development, with students strongly involved in the life Corpus Christi Parish, St Ives, where they will, over 6 years, be involved in every area of parish ministry. There are also workshops on the practical skills of public speaking and preaching, teaching and leading liturgy. There is a one week retreat each year, as well as regular one-on-one spiritual direction and reflection days.

Priests, religious and lay people assist in our formation, with Bishop David regularly visiting to give input on the classic spiritual writers. Some formation is taking in conjunction with other people in the diocese, such as preparation for teaching scripture in government schools. This cooperative approach is a hallmark of the diocese overall, and is part of equipping our future priests to lead in a collaborative Church.

Formation programs are tailored to each man to focus on developing his self awareness, character and relationship skills which will equip him to love and serve people well.
 

VOCATION INFORMATION:

Vocations Director:
Fr Jim McKeon
Catholic Parish
PO Box 6273
Kincumber NSW 2251
Email:jim.mckeon@dbb.org.au

The Diocese of Broome

The Catholic Church in the Kimberley began with the spread of cattle and pearling industries late last century. People were attracted to 'the frontier' as indeed they still are, with its spectacular scenery, ancient culture and sub-tropical climate. The then Archbishop of Perth, Matthew Gibney, was keen to have a church presence for the growing Catholic population, mainly Filipinos. He also wanted provide protection and evangelisation for the aboriginal population who were being exploited by numbers of the newcomers.

Trappist (Cistercian) monks from Sept Fons in France founded a mission at Beagle Bay in 1890 and soon reached out to Broome. They handed over to the Pallottines in 1901, who accompanied the growth of the Diocese, establishing four missions and five town parishes. The Sisters of St John of God assisted the priests and brothers in evangelising coastal and desert areas of the vast Kimberley. The first Diocesan priest was ordained in 1976.

Currently four diocesan and seven priests belonging to congregations serve 27 000 people in an area of 900 000km2. The Diocese is divided into 8 parishes, an additional 14 centres having an official Catholic presence. Fifty religious men and women and fifteen lay volunteers serve the Diocese in ministry and support roles. The Church conducts 14 schools, a spirituality centre, a welfare/counselling agency, a vital youth ministry, and hosts a campus of the University of Notre Dame.

Mission and Ministry:

Kimberley priests have traditionally been self-motivated, independent and flexible. Significantly among their number have been students of aboriginal culture and language, with a commitment for equality justice and peace. That tradition continues today with the changing face of the church. Devolution of large mission centres into smaller aboriginal communities (numbering 70 in one parish alone) has meant a travelling ministry for those in remote locations. Priests have as priorities the inculturation of the faith and the development of appropriate lay leadership in the communities. Both of these occur in the broader context of reconciliation of the indigenous and non-indigenous cultures of this country. The traditional aboriginal owners of the Kimberley identify with 53 languages. The Church continues to be a leader in the preservation and encouragement of indigenous culture.

Formation:

A young man considering a vocation to the priesthood in the diocese of Broome would make contact with the vocations Director or the Bishop. A period of discernment would necessarily require time spent in the Diocese. The candidate will be acquainted with indigenous ministry and the local church, and then begin seminary studies in a manner suited to the particular student, suppling the needs of both the student and the Diocese.

VOCATION INFORMATION:

Bishop Christopher Saunders
PO Box 76
BROOME WA 6725 

Telephone: 08 9192 1060
Fax: 08 9192 2136
Email: secretary@broomediocese.org.au

THE DIOCESE OF GERALDTON

The Geraldton Diocese was established in 1898. The Diocese is the largest diocese within Australia. It is 1,318,000 sq. km covering nearly two thirds of Western Australia. Bishop Justin Bianchini leads the Diocese assisted by 22 priests with the pastoral care of 15 parishes and 25 other Mass centres. The priests and bishop are supported by some religious who assist in pastoral duties in the outlying parishes. There are seven Primary Schools, two Primary to Year 10 schools, two Secondary Colleges and one Agricultural College within the Diocese.

We have four Aboriginal Outreach missions throughout the diocese and an Aboriginal Liaison Officer. The diocese also has a number of diocesan organisations which are responsible for education, family services, counselling, marriage preparation, natural family planning and pregnancy help, welfare, parish life and adult faith education. Centacare and the Centre for Parish Life and Mission reach out to the whole Diocese. There are three Conferences of the St Vincent de Paul Society.

The area of Health Care is conducted by The St John of God Health Care System and a Nursing Home for the Aged conducted by the Sisters of Nazareth.

The Diocese has a Vocations Council that meet to discuss and promote community awareness of the need for vocations. Because of the vastness of the diocese we rely on our priests and religious to promote vocations within their parishes and schools.

Mission and Ministry:

Priests of the Geraldton Diocese are involved in a range of general pastoral and liturgical ministries. Some of our priests are involved in hospital, prison, school and Aboriginal chaplaincy. With some of our parishes on the coast there is also a need for our priests to serve as chaplains to seafarers, and in more recent years to people in the Refugee camp in the north west of the diocese. The priests serve in various counselling and educational roles due to the lack of Government facilities in some areas.

The Diocese encourages priests to undertake on-going education, and provides periodical leave. There is a choice of accommodation and on-going care provided for retired priests.

Formation:

A man interested in priesthood initially makes contact with the Diocesan Vocation Director. A meeting with the Bishop and the other Committee members will then take place. The formal process of reflection and discernment is carried out through the Perth Archdiocesan Pre-Vocation Centre in Guildford. If he wishes to continue in this direction, he makes formal application to begin training for priesthood.

Seminary training takes place over a number of years, during which time a man would undertake studies designed to help develop spiritually, socially, intellectually and pastorally. There are normally two pastoral placements in which the seminarian would return to the Diocese to experiences some hands on training, working with priests who have completed courses in pastoral direction. This is designed to help the seminarian to experience priestly life in the rural and sometimes harsh conditions of the Diocese, while gaining insights and valuable experience in the various areas of priesthood. These placements also serve as an opportunity for those responsible for his formation to make informed decisions regarding both his suitability for priestly ministry, and his ability to make a life-time commitment to the Geraldton Diocese.

Ordination is the culmination of seminary training. This decision is made in consultation with the Bishop, the Seminary Professors and those who guided his pastoral placement.

VOCATION INFORMATION:

For more information please contact:

Fr Gerard Totanes
Geraldton Diocesan Vocations Director
Post Office Box 46
Geraldton WA 6531
Telephone: 08 9921 3221
Facsimile: 08 9964 1097
Email:gerardt@diocese-geraldton.org

The Diocese of Maitland

The Diocese of Maitland was established in 1847. Bishop Murray, the first resident Bishop of the Diocese, arrived in 1866. We are a diocese possessing a mixture of city and rural living, extending from Catherine Hill Bay and Taree on the coast to Murrurundi and Merriwa inland. We encompass coal mining towns, wine growing areas, dairy farming areas, industrial areas, bay and lakeside living and Newcastle is a major port for shipping.

The Diocese has a population of 140,000 Catholics led by Bishop Michael Malone. We are served by 46 active Diocesan Priests with a number of retired priests ministering in 51 parishes. There are a number of congregations of male and female religious who work in varied apostolates throughout the Diocese.

In 1995 the Diocese became known as Maitland-Newcastle and our Cathedral, dedicated to the Sacred Heart, was established at Hamilton, a suburb of Newcastle.

The Vocations Team of the Diocese is comprised of members of Religious Congregations, married people, single people and priests. Its mandate is to raise the awareness of the Vocation of all the baptised while at the same time encouraging and promoting young people to seriously consider all vocational possibilities. It is also the task of the Vocation team to promote a positive understanding of the vocations of priesthood and religious life.

Mission and Ministry:

Priests of the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle are involved in a range of pastoral and liturgical ministries. Some are involved in specific ministries of hospital chaplaincy, ministry to aborigines, adult faith education and counselling. By our nature our prime ministry is the building up of the Kingdom in the context of parish life. Priests of our Diocese are encourage to undertake on-going formation and the Diocese provides the opportunity for sabbatical leave. At all times provision is made for the support and on-going care of priests throughout their time of ministry and when they reach the time of retirement.

Formation:

A man who is interested in priesthood makes an initial contact with the Diocesan Vocations Director. From here he enters a formal process of reflection and discernment. When he decide he wishes to continue in the direction of priesthood, he makes a formal application to commence his Seminary formation.

Seminary formation takes place over a number of years. During this time the man undertakes studies that will help him to develop intellectually, socially, pastorally and spiritually. Pastoral formation is an important aspect of Seminary training, and a series of pastoral placements is arranged, including weekend placements in Parishes and a twelve month placement midway through Seminary formation. A pre diaconate placement occurs at the conclusion of Seminary formation.

These experiences of study, reflection and pastoral experience are designed to help each candidate gain skills, insights and valuable practical experience. These will enable him and those responsible for his formation to make an informed decision regarding his suitability for priestly ministry and his ability to make a life-time commitment to the Diocesan Priesthood.

Ordination is the culmination of this training. Formation for the newly ordained continues post-ordination through mentoring and support from all levels of the presbyterate and Diocesan community.

VOCATION INFORMATION:

For more information please contact:

Vocation Director:
Fr Brian Mascord
Vocation Centre
13 Dunbar Street
STOCKTON

Telephone: 02 4928 3521
Fax: 02 4928 4670
Mobile: 0417 294 221

Email:vocations@mn.catholic.org.au

DIOCESE OF  PARRAMATTA

The Diocese of Parramatta is one of the youngest Dioceses in Australia in more ways than one. Having been formed in 1986 it’s still in its twenties! As well, the Diocese is very young in that we have one of the highest birth rates anywhere in the land. This is a place with no shortage of babies, children, teenagers and young adults, as well of course as the full range of ages and backgrounds through to the senior years.

The Diocese’s founding Bishop, Bede Heather, set the tone of encouraging a broad participation in the Church’s life and ministry and making real priority for those in need. Bishop Kevin Manning followed him in 1997, taking up the leadership in this rapidly growing and most multi-cultural region of the Australian Church. One of the memorable tasks of those years was the re-building the historic Cathedral of St Patrick, ruined by fire in 1996. What resulted is not just a remarkable building, but one which acts as a guiding symbol for our Diocese. In its blend of features, it honours and proclaims an enduring, sacred tradition, whilst at the same time presenting a contemporary dynamic of the community of faith gathered physically around the Word and Eucharist. This speaks of a people called to bring Christ into the heart of the community. It was in that place in 2010 that the Diocese formally received Bishop Anthony Fisher, a member of the Dominican Order, as the third Bishop of Parramatta. Currently the youngest of Australia’s Bishops and a valued ethicist and teacher, his special commitment to young people was reflected in his directing of WYD08. In Bishop Anthony’s own words, he ‘loves being a priest’.

Parramatta Seminarians with Bishop Anthony - 2010

Mission and Ministry:

If you flew a helicopter across Parramatta Diocese you’d probably land feeling frightened or excited! To see the many established suburban areas which range across the social and cultural spectrum, along with the massive expansion occurring and projected, is sure testimony to the importance and size of the pastoral challenge. As the M7 cuts across the M4 and leads to the M2, one is conscious of the significance of this region, for these are key arteries linking the diversity that is our Diocese. In addition to the vibrant energy of its young population, the Diocese is crowned with natural beauty such as the Hawkesbury/Nepean River systems and the vast sanctuary of the Blue Mountains. Some might shy away from the call to effective twenty first century ministry in this region! The Diocese, however, calls the faith and enthusiasm of some of the generous young men of today to become priests… brother disciples who see the challenge as full of opportunity to do great things for God among God’s people. Please join us in praying for such men whose lives will be so significant!

Formation:

Formation in faith and living for every follower of Christ is life-long. But specifically in relation to the ordained priesthood for Parramatta Diocese, the first step would be to get in touch with Fr Paul Roberts. Fr Paul is the Parish Priest of Granville and is also the Diocesan Vocation Director. You can have a chat with him about what’s involved. Put briefly, the journey to ordination is interesting and full. Each person brings his own unique gifts into a brotherly journey with companions in the Diocese’s Seminary house. There is an ongoing programme of spiritual and personal development, university level academic studies and ministry formation, a whole range of pastoral experiences and placements and a growing identity with and belonging in the wider Diocesan family.

Vocation Information:

Fr Warren Edwards
Parramatta Diocesan Vocations
PO Box 3066
North Parramatta  NSW  1750

THE DIOCESE OF PORT PIRIE
 

Geographically ours is the Central diocese of Australia. Our boundaries join the dioceses of Perth and Geraldton in Western Australia, Darwin in the north, Rockhampton and Toowoomba in Queensland, Wilcannia-Forbes in New South Wales, Ballarat in Victoria and Adelaide in the south. It is the only diocese, which goes beyond a State border as we extend 1 degree latitude to include Uluru and some Aboriginal settlements to the north. The vast regions of what later became the Diocese were first evangelised by the Austrian Jesuits based at Seven Hill. About 1852 they were given the responsibility for the spiritual care of all Catholics north of a line from Morgan on the River Murray to the west of Spencer's Gulf. Father John Pallhuber undertook great missionary journeys up to 700 kms on horseback four or five times each year. Later on Jesuits administered several parishes until about 1900.

When diocesan priests began to arrive they too were required to take arduous trips through vast areas. We recall the words of John Norton, Bishop of the diocese 1906-23 on his visits to Railway construction camps: "Many a boiling day and many a cold night I camped with the generous-hearted and truly noble men in their tents." Because of the instability of mining and railway settlements and the drift from rural areas the diocese has seen many Churches and Mass centres open and later close. However because the region is so rich in minerals and attractive to tourists we have new places being established. For instance Roxby Downs is the country's fastest growing development.

The diocese now consists of 23 parishes. 14 schools provide Catholic Education for primary pupils. There are 4 secondary Colleges 3 of which have boarding facilities. Aged Care is available in 3 Centres. We have the usual caring organisations such as CentaCare, St Vincent de Paul, CWL, KSC, YCW, and YCS. We have specialists helping with adult education, youth work and liturgy.

Our leader is Bishop Eugene Hurley who was born in the diocese.

Mission and Ministry:

The priests of those early years established a custom of travelling long distances to minister in sparsely populated areas. We are proud that this tradition is still alive in many of our parishes thus emphasising the importance of the individual. We need priests and religious who seek a more relaxed, country lifestyle and who enjoy traveling the vastness of our state from the Riverland to the desert country of Coober Pedy and the coastal beauty of Port Lincoln and the Eyre Peninsular. While this can be a lonely ministry at times it is also very rewarding.

Our priests, religious and lay helpers are engaged in the usual parish activities - visitation, caring for the sick in hospitals and at home, education, liturgy, and administering the Sacraments. In small centres especially they are expected to take part in community interests such as sporting clubs, hospital, aged care.

Formation:

The road to priesthood is an interesting one for those called. The first port of call is to make contact with the Vocations Director directly or via your parish priest. After a period of discussion and discernment a formal application is made to the seminary in Adelaide, to begin the training for priesthood.

The Adelaide seminary has students from three Dioceses, Darwin, Port Pirie and Adelaide. This provides a good mix of students from varying backgrounds. The seminary training takes a number of years depending on the education and experience of each applicant. Usually however, the length of training is seven years, during which the applicant would undertake studies to help him develop spiritually, academically, emotionally, pastorally and physically. During this period of study there are two opportunities to experience parish life during a Pastoral Placement. This placement is designed to give someone an experience of the life of a parish priest in our Diocese. The years of study at the seminary allow time for discernment and reflection to ensure that those seeking ordination are able to make an informed commitment to the life and for life. It is also a time of discernment for the Diocese to determine if the student is suited to the Diocese of Port Pirie.

VOCATION INFORMATION:

Fr Paul Crotty
Vocations Director
All Saints Parish
PO Box 492
PORT AGUSTA  SA 5700

Phone: (08) 8642 2847

Fax: (08) 8641 2187

eMail: pjcrotty@pp.catholic.org.au

THE DIOCESE OF SALE  (Victoria)
 

The Diocese of Sale was established in 1887, and the present Bishop, Jeremiah Coffey, a native of County Cork, Ireland, is the seventh Bishop of Sale. St Mary’s Cathedral is situated in the City of Sale, about 210 kilometres east of Melbourne.

Our Diocese stretches from the rapidly expanding outer Melbourne suburbs of Narre Warren, Cranbourne and Berwick in the west to the New South Wales border in the east. Generally, the Diocese comprises that great region known as Gippsland. We have lightly populated rural areas in the east, where agriculture, timber and tourism are major industries. The high country of Gippsland is well known for its ski fields and the Gippsland Lakes region is a haven for those who enjoy all water sports. The Latrobe Valley is a centre of open cut coal mining, industry and electricity production. Fabulous beaches line the coast of Gippsland, rolling hills and verdant pastures dot the landscape. Bass Strait, to the south of the Diocese, is the source of more than half Australia’s oil and gas requirements. When God created Australia, Gippsland was certainly the jewel in the crown!

In ministry with Bishop Coffey are 32 Diocesan priests, 8 religious priests and 50 brothers and sisters of religious orders. These serve our 76,000 Catholics in 29 parishes. The 31 Catholic primary schools educate 7,800 students and our 8 secondary colleges have 6,200 students enrolled.

In vocations work we seek to promote the vocation of all the baptized, to inform people of the various vocational options for their lives whether in the married or single, consecrated or ordained state. Through skilled people in the Diocese we try to support and encourage those who are exploring the religious life or priesthood as the option for their lives, as the way they live out best their spirit filled selves.

Mission and Ministry:

Priests of the Diocese are involved in a range of parish ministries. Most have an involvement in chaplaincy in schools, colleges and hospitals. Some are in more specialized ministry to the police force, air force or prison system. Many of the religious sisters are involved in parish ministry and others are staff members of the Catholic Education Office.

The Diocese encourages priests to undertake on-going education and sabbatical leave is available. In recent years priests have taken leave to study in Wales and the United States and some have taken advantage of our proximity to Melbourne to study at local theological colleges.

A recent development in ministry in our diocese is the introduction of the permanent Diaconate. We have two permanent Deacons, Tony Aspinall and Jim Erskine. Tony was ordained in August 1998, and lives in the Narre Warren parish with his wife June. He exercises his ministry in various ways, including chaplaincy work at St Francis Xavier College in Beaconsfield. Jim recently celebrated his Silver Jubilee as a Deacon, having arrived in Sale with his wife, Barbara in July 2000 from the Townsville Diocese. They live a few doors away from the Bishop's Office, where Jim exercises his ministry as the Bishop's Secretary. Others have expressed interest in this ancient, yet new, ministry in the Church, and a process of formation and education has been developed.

Formation:

People interested in the priesthood usually make contact with a priest they know who encourages them to contact the Vocations Director. After a time of accompaniment and discernment a formal application is made to the Bishop to begin studying and formation for the priesthood.

Students from our Diocese have generally attended Corpus Christi College in Melbourne for the usual seven years of formation. They have begun studies for a degree in Theology from Catholic Theological College, a member of the Melbourne College of Divinity. Through spiritual, liturgical, social, academic, intellectual and pastoral experiences the student is given an insight into the life and traditions of the Diocese and the wider Church. The years at the seminary give the student and the seminary authorities the time to assess his suitability for ordained ministry.

Ordination to the priesthood is the culmination of the formation process and is followed by an appointment to one of the parishes in the Diocese.

VOCATION INFORMATION:

Fr Michael Willemsen
Corpus Christi College
180 Drummond Street
Carlton VIC 3053

Email:mickwillo@hotmail.com

THE DIOCESE OF TOOWOOMBA (Queensland)

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Toowoomba was excised from the Archdiocese of Brisbane in 1929 with the first Bishop being James Byrne, the Parish Priest of Ipswich. The Diocese covers the bulk of southern Queensland with Helidon in the east and Quilpie being the most western parish. The area is vast with most of the parishes being small country towns. Many of these towns are declining in population due to the rural recession in Australia.

The present Bishop is Bishop William Morris who was ordained Bishop of the Diocese in February 1993. There are thirty-six parishes with thirty-four active priests in ministry. Five of our parishes do not have a resident priest and are cared for by a visiting priest from a neighbouring parish.

The Cathedral city for the Diocese is Toowoomba. Toowoomba has a population of 95,000 and is located in the eastern area of the Diocese. In this city is located Downlands College, a co-educational college run by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. The Ursuline Sisters and Sisters of Mercy also conduct secondary colleges in the city. Most of the parishes in the Diocese have primary schools run by lay staff and are under the direction of the Catholic Education Office in Toowoomba.

Mission and Ministry:

The Diocese in under the patronage of Our Lady of the Southern Cross with a deep devotion to Our Lady prominent in parishes. Although ageing, the Diocesan Clergy are hardworking and enthusiastic in their ministry. Regular inservices are held for clergy and parish workers enabling them to cope with the demands of distance and small populations in the western parishes.

Formation:

Candidates accepted for the Diocese are trained at the Holy Spirit Seminary in Brisbane with a large part of their training taking place in the Diocese.

VOCATION INFORMATION:

Fr Michael Cooney
PO Box 32
Dalby Q 4405
Phone: 07 4662 4011
stmarysgdi@bigpond.com

Fr Jamie Collins
PO Box 23
St George Q 4487
Phone: 07 4625 3021

THE DIOCESE OF TOWNSVILLE

The Diocese of Townsville was established in 1930. It covers an area of 434,400 square kilometres, extending from Townsville on the Coast, to the Whitsunday and Burdekin regions in the South and north to Ingham and Halifax, south-west to Winton, and west to the border with the Northern Territory, encompassing Mount Isa and several small, isolated western towns and east to Palm Island.

Bishop Michael E Putney was installed as the fifth Bishop of Townsville on 27 March, 2001. Together with twenty-two priests in full-time or part-time ministry and three lay pastoral leaders, the Bishop has the pastoral care of 72,000 Catholics in twenty-seven parishes. There are 86 religious sisters and brothers in various ministries within the Diocese. There are twenty one Primary and nine Secondary Schools within the Diocese. The Sisters of Mercy operate the large Mater Misericordiae Hospital and Aged Care facilities, and the Canossian Sisters have an Aged Care home in Trebonne, near Ingham.
There are a number of diocesan organisations responsible for education, family services and counselling, adult faith formation, liturgy, youth ministry, spiritual development and social justice. There is one student for the ordained ministry in the Diocese at present attending the Holy Spirit Seminary in Brisbane. Every effort is made to raise the level of community awareness about the vocation of all the baptised and the call to the ordained ministry.

The Diocesan Vision Statement is:

We are the Catholic Community of the Diocese of Townsville.
Through our baptism we are called to be disciples of Jesus.
We will continue his mission with energy and commitment amid the challenges of our time.

We will do this by:

• Honoring the Sacred - Our Call to Holiness

• Building Right Relationships—Becoming Communities of Care and Hospitality

• Caring for Those who are Marginalised

• Sharing our Faith

Mission and Ministry:

Priests of the Townsville Diocese are primarily involved in the general pastoral and liturgical ministries within parishes. They are involved in hospital chaplaincy, adult education and serve on various diocesan committees and boards. The diocese encourages priests to undertake ongoing education and inservice. Provision is made for periodical sabbatical leave. Accommodation and ongoing care are provided for retired priests. Several retired or semi-retired priests are involved in parish ministry with a lay leader or leadership team.

Formation:

A man who is interested in priesthood initially makes contact with the Vocations Director. He may then, after consultation with the Bishop, wish to proceed into a formal process of reflection and discernment. If he then wishes to continue in this direction, he makes formal application to begin training for priesthood.

Seminary formation takes place over a number of years, during which a man would undertake studies designed to help him develop spiritually, socially, intellectually and pastorally. At various stages during seminary formation there is a series of pastoral placements, through which he would taste life in rural and city parishes, while gaining insights, skills and valuable practical experience within the diocesan context. These years of study, reflection and pastoral experiences enable him, and those responsible for his formation, to make an informed decision regarding both his suitability for priestly ministry, and his ability to make a life-time commitment to the diocesan priesthood. Ordination is the culmination of seminary training. In the months following ordination a newly-ordained priest undertakes the final stages of his formation in preparation for his first assignment to one of the parishes in the Townsville Diocese.

VOCATION INFORMATION:

Fr Rod Ward
Diocese of Townsville
PO BOX 95
WULGURU QLD 4811

Telephone:(07)4778 1219
Mobile: 0419 724 144
Email:rward@tsv.catholic.net.au

THE DIOCESE OF WAGGA WAGGA

The Diocese of Wagga Wagga was established in 1918 and is located in Southern New South Wales. The Murray and Murrumbidgee Rivers are significant geographical features of our area and on our eastern border lies the Great Dividing Range. The Cathedral is in the city of Wagga Wagga, midway between Sydney and Melbourne. The diocese includes other rural cities and many country towns.

Our faith communities are nourished and sustained by the sacramental life of the Church administered and accessed through 30 parishes served by 50 active priests. The diocese also operates 34 schools and has many male and female religious serving the Church in varied apostolates.
 

Two characteristics which set the Wagga Wagga diocese apart from many dioceses are the continuing presence of a priest in many small country communities, and having the youngest average age for priests in all of Australia.

Mission and Ministry:

As fellow-workers with the bishop, priests in the diocese of Wagga Wagga have the opportunity to help build up the Kingdom of God in many different circumstances: city parishes; country parishes; schools; colleges; university; hospitals; nursing homes; army and air-force bases; prisons; the police force; the homeless; adult education; youth groups; and working as chaplains to a variety of Catholic groups and organisations.  The mission and ministry of the diocesan priest is well summed up in the four questions the ordaining bishop asks the candidate for priesthood during the ordination liturgy.

1. Are you resolved, with the help of the Holy Spiirt, to discharge without fail the office of priesthood as conscientious fellow workers with the bishops in caring for the Lord's flock?

2. Are you resolved to celebrate the mysteries of Christ (The Mass and the Sacraments) faithfully and religiously as the Church has handed them down to us for the glory of God and the sanctification of Christ's people?

3. Are you resolved to exercise the ministry of the word worthily and wisely, preaching the Gospel and explaining the Catholic faith?

4. Are you resolved to consecrate your life to God for the salvation of his people, and to unite yourself more closely every day to Christ the High Priest, who offered himself for us to the Father as a perfect sacrifice?  Does your heart desire to say yes to these questions? Then read on.

Formation and Seminary Life:

Men accepted as candidates for the priesthood undertake the seven-year process of formation at Vianney College, the Diocesan Seminary located at Wagga Wagga. Founded in 1992, Vianney College has been at the vanguard of a renewed approach to priestly training inspired by Pope John Paul II’s “Pastores dabo vobis”, combining well-tried traditions with new ideas.

The Chapel forms the heart of the seminary, symbolizing the priority given to the formation of a healthy spiritual life suitable for the diocesan priest. The seminary program includes daily Mass, prayer in common, regular days of recollection, and retreats. Each seminarian also meets regularly with his own personal spiritual director.

The academic life of the seminary encourages future priests to “think with the Church”, that is, to be loyal to, and to understand, the teachings of the Church. The aim is to “always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, … with gentleness and reverence” (1 Peter 3:15-16). Areas of formal study include Sacred Scripture, Philosophy, Theology, Liturgy, Sacraments, Church History, Latin, Greek and other related disciplines.

Future priests in a rural diocese are trained in a rural setting and form strong pastoral links with the local Church. Seminarians are introduced to a program of pastoral formation that involves them in many aspects of Church life in a variety of parishes. Pastoral experience is carefully monitored so that the seminarian can develop the skills required for dealing with people in a variety of pastoral situations.

Seminarians live in comfortable, well-equipped accommodation; form long-lasting friendships; enjoy free-time and vacations; and grow in the knowledge and love of God and his people. In the seminary, a man’s natural gifts are nurtured and refined so he may carry out God’s work effectively.

VOCATION INFORMATION:

Fr Rick Micallef
Vocations Director & Promoter
St Michael's Cathedral
PO Box 133
Wagga Wagga   NSW   2650

Phone: 02 6921 2164
Email: rick01micallef@gmail.com

View the Dioscese of Wagga entry on the CVMA (Catholic Vocations Ministry Australia) Website.

THE DIOCESE OF WOLLONGONG

The Diocese of Wollongong was established in 1951 under the patronage of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The Cathedral Church is St Francis Xavier’s in Wollongong.

A Diocesan Priest is a man who works within and serves within a local church, called a Diocese: for us, our diocese is called the Diocese of Wollongong – it takes in four regional areas (Macarthar, Illawarra, Southern Highlands and the Shoalhaven). Our Cathedral Church is St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral in Wollongong and our Diocesan Bishop is Most Reverend Peter Ingham.

 

Mission and Ministry:

Diocesan Priests are very active people, with friends, hobbies and recreational activities, just like anybody else. It is said that a diocesan priest "is someone who lives with the people and each becomes a part of the other's life."

The role of a Diocesan Priest is to:

• Serve the individuals and families within his Parish

• Be the Spiritual Leader of that community

However, as well as ministering in parish communities, as either a Parish Priest or Assistant Priest, some diocesan priests serve the diocese in schools, as teachers, chaplains or campus ministers, in hospitals or in prisons.

Promises:

A Diocesan Priest commits himself to a celibate life, and to respect and obedience to the Bishop. Celibacy is not always understood today and, at times, it can be a struggle to live faithfully. But when lived well, celibacy reflects the selflessness of Jesus and is a sign of the ultimate call to union with God. These commitments are a reflection of God's enduring faithfulness to us.

More than a Job:

Deciding on a Priestly Vocation is, in one sense, a career choice like any other. Skills and attributes include:

• Strong interpersonal abilities

• Leadership

• Charity towards others

• Positive self-image

• Good health

• Emotional stability
  
  Being a Priest is more than a job - it's a way of life, requiring strong personal and professional commitment that is reflected in all that you do - all that you are. Spiritual conviction is at the heart of what it means to be a priest.
  There are many benefits and rewards in the Priesthood. The opportunity to serve God and bring hope, joy and healing into the lives of many people brings with it a deep happiness and a sense of peace.

A Special Role:

The Eucharist is the centre of a priest's life and ministry. A Diocesan Priest is ordained to:

• Offer pastoral service

• Proclaim God's Word

• Be the minister of the Sacraments (the visible signs of God's presence in the Christian community), e.g. celebrate Baptism, witness marriages, lead funerals, and bring God's healing presence to people through the Sacrament of Penance (Confession) and the Sacrament of the Sick
   

Diocesan Priests set aside some time each day for personal reflection and private prayer. Visits to the sick and troubled, working on various parish projects and activities, and counselling for individuals, married couples or families are also part of his role.

Formation:

If you believe that God may be calling you to serve His Church as a Diocesan Priest, why not take the next step. At least, consider meeting up with the Vocations Director to answer any questions you may have. As they say, no question is silly or not important: every question is important as the answer to it could shape the rest of your life.

Acceptance into the Diocese of Wollongong requires that a candidate demonstrate emotional maturity, academic ability, personal and psychological stability and consistent growth in the practice of the Faith. There has to be openness in him to learn and grow intellectually and spiritually as a human person. He must be prepared to embrace the challenges facing the Catholic Church in the third millennium with joy, hope and enthusiasm.

The prospective candidate must also demonstrate a commitment to Sunday Mass and prayer.

The process of application encourages the candidate to realize that his vocation does not simply enjoy a personal dimension but rather flows from the Church and toward a ministry within the Church. In this regard, no one has a "right" to Ordination but rather is called by God and by the Church.

Prospective students for the Priesthood would initially make contact with the Diocesan Vocations Director. After initial assessment a recommendation would be made by the Council for Priestly Formation to the Bishop who makes the decision whether to formally accept the man as a Seminarian for the Diocese.

Formal preparation includes an approved course in a Seminary that seeks to develop a seminarian spiritually and pastorally, intellectually and socially. This necessarily includes personal, spiritual and human formation. Throughout the course of studies, periods of pastoral placement in various parishes in the Diocese, as well as other relevant pastoral activities elsewhere, would be included. Ongoing assessment involving both the seminarian and those responsible for his formation would occur throughout this time, leading to a final assessment and recommendation by the Diocesan Commission for Orders to the Bishop as to the suitability and readiness of the seminarian for Ordination.

VOCATION INFORMATION:

If you wish to explore the possibility of living out your baptismal call as a Diocesan Priest in the Catholic Diocese of Wollongong contact:

Fr Richard Healey  (02) 4655 8797 - Camden Parish

or

priesthood@dow.org.au

The Carmelite Sisters, Ormiston Queensland - ocd

The Carmelite Order began in the 12th century when a group of men settled as hermits on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land. At their request, the Carmelite Rule - deeply scriptural and centred on Christ- was written. Later they spread throughout Europe, adopting a community style of life, and eventually a women's branch of the Order was formed.

In the 1560s, a Spanish Carmelite, St. Teresa of Avila was called by God to restore the original ideal of prayer and contemplation in a life of poverty and simplicity, first to the women's branch, and later, with the help of St. John of the Cross, to the men. By the turn of the century, the restoration was recognized as a new family within Carmel and a new Order in the Church. Inspired always by Mary and the life and teachings of St. Teresa and St. John of the Cross, it is now a world-wide family, known as the Discalced Carmelites. (Discalced means "barefoot", a term synonymous with reform).

In 1885, some French Carmelite sisters, inspired by God to take the Order to distant Australia, left their homeland, and after overcoming great difficulties, established themselves in Sydney. They grew in numbers, and in 1927, were invited to send some sisters to Brisbane, where they eventually settled in the bayside suburb of Ormiston.

Mission and Ministry:

A Carmelite is called by the Spirit to seek the living God within and live in his presence. Being drawn to constant communion with the Trinity, her prayer does not terminate in self, but reaches out to the needs of the Church and of the whole world. This goal is nourished by an hour of quiet prayer, each morning and evening, when her friendship with Jesus can become ever more intimate and fruitful. In her community, the life of prayer at the heart of the Church is also expressed by coming together daily to celebrate the Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours. Thus in Carmel, Jesus is seen continuing his intimate prayer to his Father and his total dedication to the coming of God's reign.

We support each other's striving for love of Christ and neighbour in small communities. Because our life is spent within the precincts of the house and grounds, at Ormiston, these are spacious, allowing for varied outdoor activities. The daily timetable balances times alone and times together; times of prayer and times of work (both remunerative and self-supporting). Though each community is autonomous, sisterly links with other Carmels in Australia, and world-wide are fostered.

Formation:

A person feeling called to join our community is invited to interact with us for a considerable time through personal visits, correspondence and later, by spending a month or two with us to experience our daily life.

If accepted, she is warmly welcomed, and given six to eighteen months to adjust to the Carmelite lifestyle, and be gradually integrated into it.

If discernment is favourable on both sides, she begins a journey of exploring in depth the surpassing wisdom of knowing Christ Jesus, and the liberating experience of encountering Christ on the cross. Doctrinal and spiritual instruction and guidance accompany the novice on this two year walk, which may terminate in the decision to identify in the Carmelite way, with the chaste, poor and obedient Christ. A temporary commitment is then made by taking the three vows of chastity, poverty and obedience, and these are received by the Church.

For the next three to six years, she learns from the Order's two great masters, St. Teresa and St. John of the Cross, how to deepen in faith, hope and love her intimate relationship with Christ, at the same time, bringing her human growth to its fullness.

Then, six or so years of formation may culminate in a life-long commitment.

An holistic formation continues for the rest of her life, however, because God has created us 'through Christ and for Him to reach our full growth in God'. (Col. 1:16; 2.19)

VOCATION INFORMATION:

Sister Cecilia OCD
Carmelite Monastery
287 Wellington Street
Ormiston QLD 4160

Telephone: 07 3286 1401
Facsimile: 07 3821 4563
Email:carmston@powerup.com.au

DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES - svd

The Society of the Divine Word is an international community of Catholic missionaries: priests and brothers, founded in 1875 by a German priest, St. Arnold Janssen. He built a missionary training center in Holland. Within four years, he sent the first Divine Word Missionaries to China, among them was Joseph Freinademetz, SVD, now a saint. 

The Divine Word Missionaries primarily work where the Gospel has not yet been preached at all or only insufficiently and where the local church is not yet viable on its own. The mission of the Society of the Divine Word is to carry out Christ’s command to preach the Gospel to all nations through pastoral and sacramental ministry, teaching and working among those in need. The society has shown a steady growth in membership since World War II. Presently there are more than 6,000 priests and brothers serving in 70 countries in the world.

God’s loving grace gathered us from various peoples and continents into a religious missionary community dedicated to Christ, the Divine Word.

Mission and Ministry

As Divine Word Missionaries, we are men of prayer and faith, embodying the mission expressed in our SVD Constitution’s preamble: “He made the goodness and kindness of God visible in his life and service to all.”

Every member is involved in a particular and unique ministry as we spread the Word of God. We serve where the Gospel has not yet been preached and where the local church is not yet established.

• We are working world-wide in various ministries that include:

• Parish pastoral and sacramental ministries

• Educational and religious training and teaching

• Evangelization

• Youth, adult and family programs and service

• Lay leadership programs

• Healthcare ministries

• Counseling and chaplaincy services

• Economic, justice and peace ministries

• Interreligious dialogue ministries

• Spiritual direction

Charism

As Divine Word Missionaries, our charism has continued to grow in the spirit of our founder, St. Arnold Janssen. He envisioned a missionary order of priests and brothers who would go everywhere the Gospel had not yet to be proclaimed. He is the man of faith and prayer who had a special devotion to the Blessed Virgin, the Archangels, the Holy Trinity and in particular, to the Holy Spirit, who represents the Divine Word as expressed in the first chapter of St. John’s Gospel: “In the beginning was the Word…” Our Society of the Divine Word derives its name and mission from this favorite passage of St. Arnold Janssen.

Our international community life and ministry is a special charism of our society. We are now fulfilling St. Arnold’s dream that is a global missionary congregation.  Members from many nations live, work and minister together in an intercultural environment. Serving in the far-reaching missions of the Catholic Church, we preach the Word where it has not yet been heard.   

Our SVD members profess vows of consecrated chastity, evangelical poverty and apostolic obedience. We learn the languages and cultures of those whom we serve, and are open to leaving our home countries to minister in any one of our society’s global missions. Utilizing our particular gifts, we minister as pastors, teachers and administrators- or we may use our talents in areas like science, technology and practical skills, living and working side by side with those we serve.

“As members of the Society of the Divine Word, we consider it our duty to proclaim the word of God to all, to bring new communities into being within the people of God, to foster their growth and to promote communion among them as well as with the whole Church. We work first and foremost where the Gospel has not been preached at all or only insufficiently and where the local church is not viable on its’ own. Other tasks must be oriented towards these primary aims.” (SVD Constitutions)

Formation:

POSTULANCY: Postulancy is seen as the first of experience of community life for the candidate. It is a time to deepen the understanding of his own vocation, and to experience religious missionary life in the community.

NOVITIATE: Novitiate provides a special time and environment for the nurturing and deepening of his growing vocation. The Novitiate will build upon what is already underway in a person’s life.

ACADEMIC PROGRAMME: The academic program is based in Box Hill, Victoria. We study philosophy and theology at the Yarra Theological Union College (YTU). We also combine this with pastoral exposure. Students need to fulfill two or three years OTP course (Overseas Training Program). Some students undertake professional courses at universities. 

We invite you to follow Jesus Christ.  Be a Divine Word missionary for Christ’s mission is our mission.  Join us and you will be happy to fulfill your missionary dream of working with God’s own people!

VOCATION INFORMATION:

Fr. Viet Nguyen SVD
Divine Word Missionaries
Residential Address: 199 Epping Rd, Marsfield NSW 2122
Postal address: Locked Bag 3, Epping NSW 1710

Email: svdvocations@divineword.com.au 

Tel: +61 (02) 9868 9062

The Dominican Sisters of Eastern Australia and the Solomon Islands 

Ours is a story of Adventure and Risk taking in the spirit of Dominic Guzman and Catherine of Siena.

In 1867, eight young women, mostly in their twenties, left their homeland in Ireland. They had volunteered to journey to the other side of the world for the sake of the Gospel.From our original foundation in Maitland New South Wales we have ventured up and down Eastern Australia and north to the Solomon Islands.

Mission and Ministry:

In our Study, Prayer and Ministry we seek to shape a world based on the values of justice, truth and compassion.

As Dominican women we take the opportunity to respond to the Gospel in diverse ways through:

• Adult Faith and Liturgical formation· Rural and City Parish
   
• Leadership· Hospital and University Chaplaincy
   
• Spiritual Direction
   
• Pastoral Care
   
• Counselling and Welfare work
   
• Prison Chaplaincy
   
• Support and Education of Refugees and Asylum Seekers
   
• Research and Administration
   
• Care of the sick and Dying
   
• Education in schools, colleges and universities.
   
• Interfaith Dialogue
   
• NILS

Formation:

Our initial formation process is not about producing a standard product: a 'Dominican'. It is about accompaniment of a
woman as she freely responds to the threefold call:

 

• From the Risen Lord who invites her to follow him

• From the sisters who welcome her

• To the demands of Mission.

The process is a flexible one, lasting about three years. It is designed to meet the needs and gifts of a unique individualwho wishes to share with us our Dominican Charism.

VOCATION INFORMATION:

Dominican Sisters
PO Box 353
Strathfield NSW 2135
Phone: 02 9744 9511
Fax: 02 9744 5020
Email: jshirvington@opeast.org.au

Dominican Sisters of St Cecilia

The Order of Preachers was founded by in the 13^thcentury by the Spanish priest Dominic de Guzman. Responding to Christ’s call, Dominic’s desire was to engage in the Church’s mission of preaching the Gospel and forming minds and hearts in knowledge of the truth. The Order grew quickly, soon extending its service throughout the world, wherever there was need for the truth to be taught with charity and zeal. Dominican friars and sisters were eventually sent to the United States of America, where, in the early 19^thcentury, they began to assist to assist the Church in serving the small but growing number of Catholics in that new country. In 1860, four Dominican sisters came to Nashville, Tennessee from Somerset, Ohio at the invitation of Bishop James Whelan, O.P. to begin an academy for the education of young women. The sisters named their foundation for St. Cecilia, the early Roman martyr and patroness of music. Throughout its 150 year history, the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia have sought to give themselves to Christ and his Church through fidelity to the Dominican life and the active mission of teaching in Catholic schools.

Today the community numbers over 230 sisters, with a median age of 36. The novitiate, which includes the first four years of formation, averages a total of 50 young women each year.

Charism:        

The charism of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation is rooted in the ideal which St. Dominic himself saw as the purpose of the Order of Preachers: “To contemplate and to give to others the fruits of our contemplation.”   From this vision flows a way of life based in a contemplative framework which supports and deepens the community’s active works of service to the Church. The charism of the Congregation is characterized by the following elements: a contemplative focus, an active apostolate, a strong community life, and a deep love of the Church.

Mission and Ministry:

Throughout the Congregation’s one hundred and fifty year history, its primary mission has been that of Catholic education. The Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia are currently present in 19 dioceses in the United States as well as in the Archdiocese of Sydney, Australia. They are engaged in teaching in 35 schools, including 25 elementary schools, eight secondary schools (colleges) and two universities. The privilege of serving in the Archdiocese of Sydney was offered to the community in 2008, making Australia its first mission outside of the United States.

Formation:

In order for a candidate to discern more clearly and to mature in her vocation as a Dominican Sister of Saint Cecilia, a young woman who enters the congregation completes seven years of initialreligious formation.

Inquiry

The young woman makes initial contact with the community, either in person or by phone, letter, or e-mail. In order to learn more about the life, she is asked to visit the community, either individually or by attending one of the retreats offered periodically for young women. She speaks with the local Vocation Director during her discernment process.

Pre-Postulancy

Once accepted for entrance, the pre-postulant continues in regular contact with the Vocation Director, making use of the time before entrance for spiritual and material preparations.

Postulancy

The Congregation accepts candidates from Australia with a view to their eventually returning to serve the Church in their own country. The young woman will spend the initial four years of her novitiate formation at St. Cecilia Motherhouse in Nashville, Tennessee. During her first year she begins the community’s regular program for postulants. With the other sisters in her class, she receives regular instruction from the sister who directs the postulants, becomes acquainted with Dominican spirituality and history, and is introduced to the charism of the Congregation. Her specific studies at the Motherhouse include Sacred Scripture, the spiritual life, basic Catholic doctrine, and Church history. She likewise pursues selected courses at the university level that further prepare her for the active Dominican apostolate. 

Canonical Novitiate 

At the end of the postulant year, the sister receives the Dominican habit with a white veil, as well as a new religious name. She enters into the formal year of novitiate required by the Church’s canon law. During this year, the sister is provided a deeper spiritual, theological, philosophical, and ascetical formation. As a means to growing in her personal spiritual life and in receptivity to God’s call, the novice has additional time each day for silence and prayer, study and instruction. She receives continued personal guidance from the Director of Novices, helping her to acquire depth in her self-knowledge and genuine discernment of God’s will. The novice’s studies include Scripture, Spiritual Theology, Patristics, and the theology of the vows. At the end of her canonical year, the novice makes profession of the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience for three years.

Years of Initial Profession

At first profession the sister receives the black veil, symbolic of, penance and consecration to God. Her first two years under vows are spent within the novitiate community under the continued guidance of the Director of Novices. Here she receives additional formation in the actual living of the vows, as well as further instruction in the ecclesial dimension of religious life as well as in the theology of consecration and mission.With the other sisters in the novitiate community, she pursues a four-year cycle of classes in theology and philosophy, emphasizing the works of St. Thomas Aquinas. At the end of her first three years in vows, she renews her vows for two additional years.

Perpetual Profession and Ongoing Formation

On completing these first five years under vows, the sister makes profession for all her life. Following perpetual profession, she participates in a formal program of ongoing formation which supports her growth in the mature and faithful living of the vows. Through the sister’s daily gift of herself in the Dominican life and mission, she continually seeks to grow in fidelity, spending herself for Christ and the Church.

VOCATION INFORMATION:

Dominican Sisters of St Celilia

St Joseph's Convent

39 Regent Street

REGENTS PARK NSW 2143

Email:sydney@op-tn.org

The Dominican Story
 

St Dominic de Guzman founded his Order of Preachers in 1216, to respond to a desperate need for sound, orthodox preaching in the face of a fatally confused notion of God, of Christ and his Church. His vision grew as he saw the need for sound preaching for the whole Church in every age. St Dominic's age was not unlike our own - one in need of a new evangelisation with so many baptised Catholics so far from their faith. The Friars Preachers were to be modern apostles, sent out to the rest of the world to preach the truth of the one God who revealed himself in the Lord Jesus, the Word made flesh.

Mission and Ministry:

The Dominicans were founded, from the beginning, "..especially for preaching and the salvation of souls." Because of this, we Dominicans offer ourselves in a new way to the universal Church, dedicating ourselves entirely to the complete evangelisation of the Word of God to all men and women, groups and communities, believers and non-believers and especially the poor. Attentive to the dynamism of modern society, we insist on the necessity of establishing our preaching on the new experiences and realities that contemporary men and women daily bring to the Christian faith.

Formation:

In answer to the question: "What would you look for in an aspiring Dominican?", Fr Timothy Radcliffe, O.P., Master of the Order 1992-2001, replied as follows: "A certain passion for life; that he should want passionately to understand the Scriptures; that he should passionately want to care for people .. but also curiosity. He should be puzzled by things, always questioning and not fobbed off by easy answers .. and prayer. Without the well-spring of prayer, one would run dry and have nothing worth saying."

Candidates are not normally admitted to the Novitiate earlier than the year in which their nineteenth birthday occurs. Candidates for priestly ministry need to be capable of tertiary study, and those for the brothers' life for study and training to develop their natural talents. The life of a Dominican calls for men who enjoy normal good health of mind and body.

Formation within the Dominican Order is a life-long process. Every friar is called to constant conversion; his vocation must mature continuously as he makes his own the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There is, however, an initial period wherein the basic values and ideas of the Dominican charism are laid down. This we call initial formation.

The first year is called the Novitiate. This engages the novice in the dynamics of community living, and challenges him about the importance of concern for and openness with his brothers. In the Novitiate, he studies the theology of the vows, Dominican history, the Constitutions of the Order, the liturgy and various ways of prayer. The novice is called to live and love life to the full as if he had taken the vows already.

The Novitiate concludes with profession of simple (temporary) vows. For those called to the ministerial priesthood, formal academic studies begin in Melbourne. The initial academic programme lasts for six years and can lead to post-graduate study. The six years include a year of full-time pastoral work. Throughout the initial programme, each student participates in some form of supervised pastoral work.

Following a common Novitiate with the clerical novices, the friars called to the brothers' life begin a period of education and training which is individually arranged to equip them for their diverse roles in the life of the Province.

Once a brother has completed his first three years in simple vows, he may apply to take vows for life: Solemn vows, as we call them. Clerical brothers in Solemn vows are ordained to the Diaconate at the completion of their studies. Usually, a friar-deacon will spend a year exercising the ministry he received at ordination. He then proceeds to the Presbyterate (Priesthood).

VOCATION INFORMATION:

For more information about the Dominicans, please contact:

Fr Dominic Murphy, O.P.
Provincial Promoter of Vocations
St James' Priory
2 Woolley Street
Glebe NSW 2037

Phone: (02) 9660 9839
Fax: (02) 9660 3241
Mobile: 0418 245 394

Email:dom.murphy@op.org