‘austraLasia’ # 101

AUSTRALIA: MESSAGE OF HOPE, CLARITY AND COMPASSION

Julian Fox

MELBOURNE 3^rd October – The Australian 14^th Provincial Chapter has provided the members of its province with a message of hope, clarity and compassion. In a Chapter that has been described as the calmest and most positive experience of Chapters in memory, the thirty four participants under the presidency of Fr. John Murphy, Provincial and the Moderator, Fr. Julian Fox, undertook to forge a vision for the Province, to clarify the mission in the context of local Church in Australia and The Pacific (Samoa, Fiji, for the moment), and to offer a response to the Australian Church’s document on ethical standards for religious and ministers – Integrity in Ministry – after exchanging through compassionate narrative the fears and hopes of a Province which has had to deal with its own difficulties in this area. The Chapter adopted a process which sought to transform any moment of fear or anger into elements of courage, and which was prepared to name moments of the Province’s life as graced or sinful. In the end, the Chapter produced a path for the future which is imaginative and practical: From Dream to Decision to Action!