THERE is little point in the Church dwelling on the past or longing for former days, one of the authors of a report on a 2009 survey of Australia’s Catholic religious inst-itutes has said.
St Columbans Mission Society Australia/New Zealand regional director Fr Noel Connolly told those gathered at the November 15 launch of See, I am doing a new thing! the survey was a challenge to “be able to see ‘new life’ and to celebrate and encourage it”.
Fr Connolly also described the survey as a “challenge to reflect on the reality of the (declining) figures (of religious in Australia)”, to care for younger members “because there are so few of them”, to “work at vocations” and “to enter into partnership with laity as we are not going to be able to exist on our own”.
The survey was undertaken on behalf of Catholic Religious Australia (CRA) by the Pastoral Planning Office of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC).
The report’s authors Stephen Reid and Robert Dixon, from ACBC, and Fr Connolly joined with religious leaders at CRA’s Sydney office to mark the report’s release.
Key findings were that in 2009 there were 8422 religious in Australia compared with 17,029 in 1976. Religious sisters make up just over 70 per cent of the cohort.
In 2009 there were 5927 religious sisters, 884 religious brothers and 1611 religious order priests. The average age of religious in 2009 was 73.
After the launch, Fr Connolly said that while some could see the figures as indicative of a Church in decline, the real story was more complex.
“Historically, in some senses the numbers from the ’50s and ’60s were an aberration,” he said.
“Back then the story throughout society was of the very strong growth of institutions.
“Now we are going through an anti-institution period, hence the decline in participation in a range of institutions and not just within the Church.
“I don’t see this changing any time soon – for example I can’t see Gregory Terrace taken over by the Christian Brothers again.”
Fr Connolly said religious interviewed for the survey seemed to show a more mature hope and a willingness to respond to society’s needs as they arose.
This had led to a big change in religious life.
“Today, many religious are working with refugees and asylum seekers, indigenous Australians, as prison chaplains, for organisations against human trafficking, and for the environment,” he said.
“Other apostolates include congregational leadership and administration, contemplative life, parish work, pastoral care, health care and aged care, media, publishing and the arts, overseas mission, social services and spiritual direction such as retreats and further study.”
Speaking at the November 15 launch, CRA’s president Joesphite Sister Anne Derwin said the report was timely given the universal Church’s recent recognition of an Australian religious with the canonisation of St Mary MacKillop.
Sr Derwin congratulated Fr Connolly, on his “inspired title choice” See I am doing a new thing!
(The title is taken from a scripture quote from Isaiah, 43:18-19 which says: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”)
Sr Derwin said, “We are all aware that the essence of religious life has not changed – the centring of our life in the consecration of Christ”.
“But the form has kept changing and it will keep changing,” she said.
“So what this report does is call us to really think about what’s the new thing God is doing with religious life in the 21st century.
“As religious congregations and Church organisations reflect on this report we will start naming the new, and telling the story of how religious congregations are ensuring that the mission of God continues but in a new way.”
