FOR the last six months, Brisbane’s Nigerian students at Holy Spirit Seminary have been under the guidance of Marist Sister Mary Keegan who is helping them learn the ropes of living in a new country.
Sr Keegan brings to the role of education the seminaries experience as a missionary who has worked for many years in the Pacific.
As part of all the seminarians’ formation Sr Keegan organised a cross-cultural seminar during the first week of July.
Josephite Sister Louise Reeves, who is the co-presenter of the cross-cultural summer school held annually at the Josephite Sisters’ Baulkham Hills property, led the seminar.
Sr Reeves has worked with the Jesuit Refugee Service in Eastern Africa and brought the experience of working in a refugee camp on the Rwandan and Burundian border during the crises that the east African countries experienced.
On her return to Australia Sr Reeves qualified as a solicitor and worked in the Sydney area with refugees and those involved in the care of the victims of people smuggling, especially the women concerned.
Brisbane Auxiliary Bishop Brian Finnigan visited the seminary one night to celebrate Mass with the seminarians during the seminar and enjoyed a traditional Nigerian/African meal.
Holy Spirit Seminary rector Fr Michael McCarthy said the seminar helped all to appreciate the gifts each one brought to our own, or a new culture, and how, with understanding, they could enjoy the company of each other in Australia.
