Catholic Religious Australia has elected a new national council as more than 120 leaders of religious congregations gathered in Brisbane this week for CRA’s annual assembly.
The Assembly theme, ‘Widening the Circle of the Heart’, embraced the invitation of Isaiah to “enlarge the space of your tent” (Is 54:2).
With this biblical imperative in mind, the assembly engaged Johannine scholar Sr Mary Coloe PBVM, theologian Fr Ormond Rush and psychologist Sr Maryanne Loughry RSM to lead participants in two days of reflection on the implications of Synodality for religious life, charisms and ministries.
Annual elections at the assembly saw a change in the CRA presidency, as Fr Peter Jones OSA finished his term and passed the torch to Br Gerard Brady CFC, province leader of the Christian Brothers (Oceania Province).
In addition, four new religious institute leaders were elected to the CRA Council: Sr Kari Hatherell OSU, Sr Chitra Justin OSM, Sr Karon Donnellon RSM and Sr Margaret Jones RSM.
They join the eight continuing Council members: Fr Philip Watkins SSS; Sr Philippa Murphy FDNSC; Sr Mary Ryan OP; Sr Barbara Brown-Graham; Fr Alan Gibson CM; Fr Christian Fini OMI; and Fr George Kolodziej SDS, Superior, Society of the Divine Saviour.
Retiring president Fr Jones expressed gratitude to all his CRA colleagues and offered his good wishes to the incoming president.
“I am confident that Br Gerard Brady’s gifts of enthusiasm and wisdom will bring renewed energy to the work of CRA in his role as president.”
Br Brady said he was “buoyed by the expansive influence religious” have across Australia.
“No matter our age profile, our key focus has to be prophetic in all the places we are called to minister. May CRA faithfully represent that prophetic influence in society and the Church.”
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CRA National Council elected amidst Assembly’s call to synodality (CRA)
