Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Laity and seminarians ready to explore the Word together at Xavier School of Mission

byJoe Higgins
12 July 2019 - Updated on 1 April 2021
Reading Time: 3 mins read
AA

Formation: Participants at last year’s Xavier School of Mission at Holy Spirit Seminary, Banyo.

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Formation: Participants at last year’s Xavier School of Mission at Holy Spirit Seminary, Banyo.

SEMINARIANS from across Queensland are getting ready to welcome people into their shared home for five days of formation during the third annual Xavier School of Mission.

The school runs as a joint venture by Xavier Centre for Theological Formation at Australian Catholic University and Holy Spirit Seminary, Banyo, and is hosted at the seminary from July 21 to 26.

Fifth-year seminarian Ashwin Acharya said he felt privileged to have people from all walks of life and all different skillsets come to study with the seminarians for the week.

Mr Acharya said in previous years it was also a privilege to have the opportunity to pray with the attendees, and it was something he was looking forward to again this year.

The theme for this year is The Word of Life More than Words, and the speakers for the week will be Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge; Ainsley Pavey and Michael Crutcher, from 55 Comms; Mark Lysaght; Jan Heath; Dr Maeve Heaney; and Shayne Bennett.

Mr Acharya said he was looking forward to hearing the speakers discuss the topic, saying he was looking forward to “focusing on the Word … not a static text from centuries ago but the Living Word who gives us life”.

“Every opportunity to become more familiar with the Word, who is Christ, is not to be passed up,” he said.

Fr Josh Whitehead said while the seminary was opening up to the school, it was not a seminary activity.

“This is a People of God activity,” Fr Whitehead said.

“I think this is an essential part of seminary formation and lay formation, that it happens concurrently at times.

Related Stories

ACU student interns will get the chance to work alongside Australia’s top Holy See diplomat

Fr Neil Muir installed as Holy Spirit Seminary rector

ACU Book of Prayer invites God into ups and downs of student life

“We benefit from each other, it’s not an us-and-them relationship, this is the People of God. 

“It’s us gathering together as baptised people of God, the sacrament that forms the foundation of our life as the People of God.”

Fr Whitehead said the speakers lined up were all world-class and the school was expecting numbers between 50 and 60. 

In years gone by as a seminarian, Fr Whitehead said his favourite part of the school was spending time with the participants who had come externally.

He also said cost shouldn’t be preventative for people either, as the organisers were working with people to find ways around that if that was an issue.

And, he said, the hospitality of the seminary was second to none, and the week let the participants get a taste of life at the seminary.

“It includes prayer and reflection, lectures, small-group experiences, daily Eucharist, and opportunities for one-to-one mentoring,” he said. “It does in a sense reflect life at the seminary.”

Mr Acharya said he spoke for all his fellow seminarians when he said they all enjoyed hosting the school.

“It gives us the chance to come together as brothers and give that hospitality, and just enjoy having people in our home,” he said.

“It’s like welcoming someone to your house, having them at the seminary.”

Brisbane Catholic Education and Rockhampton Catholic Education have both recognised Xavier School of Mission as a source of accreditation towards professional development for teachers of religious education in Catholic schools; further details are available on the seminary’s website.

In consultation with Dr Maeve Heaney, who is overseeing Xavier School of Mission on behalf of Australian Catholic University, delegates can earn accreditation toward different areas of tertiary study at ACU.

ShareTweet
Previous Post

Fr Josh is ready to learn in Caloundra parish and gives thanks for his time at the cathedral

Next Post

Michael Morgan’s words inspire Ignatius Park triumph at 40th Confraternity Carnival

Joe Higgins

Related Posts

ACU student interns will get the chance to work alongside Australia’s top Holy See diplomat
Education

ACU student interns will get the chance to work alongside Australia’s top Holy See diplomat

21 March 2022
Fr Neil Muir installed as Holy Spirit Seminary rector
QLD

Fr Neil Muir installed as Holy Spirit Seminary rector

8 March 2022
Prayerful resource: “I imagined staff and students being given a prayer book, published by their university, which they could use to find solace and support during their time here.”
QLD

ACU Book of Prayer invites God into ups and downs of student life

10 February 2022
Next Post

Michael Morgan’s words inspire Ignatius Park triumph at 40th Confraternity Carnival

Samford church’s Stations of the Cross a life-changing work for artist Dianne Minnaar

Escaping ISIS at 97 years old, Shami Eso is overjoyed 'with the power of God' as she settles into Brisbane

Popular News

  • Blessed Sacrament desecrated in robbery of sacred vessels at Canberra church

    Blessed Sacrament desecrated in robbery of sacred vessels at Canberra church

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Gunmen kidnap two Catholic priests in Nigeria

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Christian Brothers’ community mourn the passing of Brother Tony White

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Ethiopian cardinal brings sense of gratitude to Australia

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

Vatican

All Catholics invited to pray rosary for peace with Pope Francis next Tuesday

by Staff writers
27 May 2022
0

By Catholic News Agency THE Vatican is inviting Catholics to join Pope Francis in praying the rosary...

Gunmen kidnap two Catholic priests in Nigeria

Gunmen kidnap two Catholic priests in Nigeria

27 May 2022
Ethiopian cardinal brings sense of gratitude to Australia

Ethiopian cardinal brings sense of gratitude to Australia

26 May 2022
Blessed Sacrament desecrated in robbery of sacred vessels at Canberra church

Blessed Sacrament desecrated in robbery of sacred vessels at Canberra church

26 May 2022
Pope Francis – ‘My heart is broken’ over Texas elementary school shooting

Pope Francis – ‘My heart is broken’ over Texas elementary school shooting

26 May 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping