Edmund Rice Oceania

Congregation of Christian Brothers
Casa Generalizia

To Our Brothers in Oceania

Announcement of the New Oceania Leadership Team

Rome
19 March 2007
Feast of St. Joseph

 My Dear Brothers,

 On this day when we celebrate the feast of St. Joseph,

• the one who dreamed of fresh possibility,
• the one who worked the Word into life and was obedient,
• and the one who was the companion and nurturer of the woman who carried the Word,

we announce to you the new leadership team responsible for calling all of our Brothers in Oceania to accountability. St. Joseph lived those qualities that we call forth in leadership today.

 Over the past two weeks we have been in prolonged discussion and soul-searching with individual Brothers who had been named by the men gathered in Amberley in late February. I will have to say it has not been an easy task for all concerned. But we on the Congregation Leadership Team have been blessed and overwhelmed by the sheer goodness of the people we spoke with.

 We are deeply grateful to these men for accepting the ministry of leadership we offer them, and we are also grateful to those who walked the path of discernment so openly in the process of decision-making. It is never easy saying yes to being chosen or to accept not being asked to assume the mantle of leadership. It is my sincere desire that you pray for all involved in the process of the last few weeks. I ask this of you, my Brothers, both on the individual level and also in your communities.

 The Brothers on the new leadership team for Oceania are:

 Br. Vince Duggan                     Province Leader

Br. Peter Dowling                     Deputy Province Leader

Br. Peter Harney

Br. Joe Lauren

Br. Julian McDonald

Br. Dean McGlaughlin

Br. Paul Robertson

 Let us all give thanks for the way in which we are being blessed. May I also remind you to pray for these men the blessings of wisdom, courage, compassion and gentleness. Pray also for yourselves that you may call them to challenge you to listen to God’s Word and, like the man whose feast we celebrate today, respond to that word regardless of the cost.

 Your brother in Jesus and Blessed Edmund,

Congregation Leader