Catholic Religious Australia held its National Assembly in Parramatta this week and elected a new national council.
About 150 leaders and leadership team members of religious congregations gathered for the assembly under the theme, “Jubilee – Our Story, Our Hope, Our Joy”, embracing the Gospel invitation to spiritual renewal and reconciliation in a fast-changing and troubled world.
The assembly heard from two religious formators: Br Philip Pinto CFC, a previous congregational leader of the Christian Brothers who is currently engaged in religious formation programmes in India, and Sr Dr Margaret Scharf OP from the Dominican congregation of Western Australia.
In a facilitation role, Mercy Sister Mary-Louise Petro RSM, an educator and founder and CEO of the Mamre Project in Sydney’s Outer West for 30 years, deepened participants’ experience across the assembly.
The National Assembly is CRA’s annual signature event at which religious leaders converge from all over the country, embracing inspirational input, shared wisdom, networking and collaboration.
Annual elections at the 2025 Assembly saw three new religious institute leaders elected to the CRA National Council: Fr Andrew Chen OMI, provincial, Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate; Sr Louise Cleary CSB, congregational leader, Brigidine Sisters; and Sr Therese Haywood DC, coordinator for the Daughters of Charity Province of Australia.
CRA continues under the leadership of Br Gerard Brady CFC as President, along with Council members Sr Philippa Murphy FDNSC, Sr Karen Donnellon RSM, Fr Alan Gibson CM, Sr Kari Hatherell OSU, Sr Chitra Justin OSM, Sr Margaret Jones RSM, Sr Mary Ryan OP and Fr Philip Watkins SSS.
Members retiring from the council were former CRA president Fr Peter Jones OSA, and Sr Barbara Brown-Graham FCJ.
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