Background
Sisters from the various congregations have lies and ministered together in various places such as Aboriginal ministry in the Kimberley, spirituality centres and mary MacKillop Place. Recently more formal associations have been developed to facilitate such sharing of resources.
Josephite Leaders’ Social Action
A structure was set up (initially as a trial in 2006) to provide research and a reference group to assist Josephite Leaders make credible, gospel based public comment son current issues. Sr Larraine from Goulburn was appointed as the researcher and was based in Canberra within the office of Catholic Social Services Australia. There is a reference group. This agency has enabled several press releases to be made in the name of all the Josephites and has prepared resources for q community awareness program, The Hour has Come: Working towards a Justly Reconciled Australia.
I think the time will come when...all St Joseph’s children will be brought back together again.
(JETW 1887)
Josephite Journeying Group
At the 2007 meeting of Australian New Zealand Federation of Sisters at which the Central leadership were present the Josephite Journeying Group was set up with representatives from all congregations to promote a closer relationship and understanding between the sisters. It has promoted the sharing of the stories of the various groups through workshops of historians and has developed a series of retreats for 2008 presented by directors from the different congregations and focusing on Josephite spirituality.
Josephite Visioning Team
The Josephite Visioning Team (JVT) came into existence at an historic gathering of Federation and Central Josephite Leadership Teams in Hobart in April 2007. The occasion was the Twentieth General Meeting of the Australian New Zealand Federation of Sisters of St Joseph, and all members of the Congregational Leadership Team had been invited to it together with the Provincial and a Team member from each Province of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart.
In Hobart after a day’s workshop facilitated by Carlos Raimundo, when our various understandings and stories were shared, the Josephite Visioning Team was commissioned to ‘play with ideas’ for strengthening further the bonds amongst us. The focus of this group is on shared vision and on ways of ministering together .
Josephite Rural Ministry
One of the first areas explored was for new ways to minister in rural areas. A workshop called Josephites – Dreaming for Rural People, was conducted at St Joseph’s Convent, North Goulburn, in November 2007. Sister representatives from various Josephite Congregations participated. Far-reaching Recommendations from that Conference are being discussed amongst the wider Josephite family throughout 2008 and may open new doors for the future which may include many who share the Josephite charism for service in rural areas
World Youth Day 2008 (WYD)
Mary MacKillop Place was a focal shrine for Sydney WYD as Mary MacKillop is Australia’s own saint. The committee included representatives of the broad Josephite movement. Their focus was on encountering:
- Mary the pilgrim- who leads us to celebrate the Gospel in action
- Mary of the Cross who inspires us to live from the heart of God with compassion and justice
- Mary, the witness, who challenges us to make a difference
- Each other through relevant inclusive and enjoyable experiences of Josephite charism, community and church.
In the vocation expo, which is part of WYD it was decided that all would work together to share the common Josephite vision.
Common Josephite website
This website is a joint project under the supervision of the JVT as it is seen as a way to promote the core Josephite values and provide ease of access to all interested. It has flowed from the common WYD project which provided one set of material which called all to consider being Josephite as associate, sister or volunteer.
