Have you ever considered the Christian Brothers - a Life Choice ?
Then speak with Bernard Gartland on Sydney number 0298103922
DARE TO BE DIFFERENT - JOIN US TODAY
Faithful to the call of Jesus and inspired by Edmund Rice, we Christian Brothers of Oceania, living in brotherhood with the whole earth community, and walking with those whom society has marginalised, particularly young people, through education and formation, proclaim liberation and justice for all creation.
Mission Statement for Christian Brothers' Oceania Province
The followers of Edmund Rice are found in a great variety of places, ministries, employment and volunteer situations around the world - living as single and married people, as Religious, as retired, as students. We all express our commitment to life in different ways. But a common element around the Network is that we are captured and influenced in some significant way by the spirit of Edmund Rice. What does it mean to be a follower of Edmund Rice, to have a sense of belonging to the Network?
Renowned educationalist and author, Parker Palmer, asks a key question: Is the life I am living the same as the life that wants to live in me? Before you tell your life what you intend to do with it, he says, listen for what it intends to do with you. Before you tell your life what truths and values you have decided to live up to, let your life tell you what truths you embody, what values you represent.
Letting our life tell us the truths is like entering into a life long conversation . Fidelity to who we are means staying in the conversation as the world keeps changing. Our life choice is not a static 'state' but rather a journey. We do not make a single choice, as if we received a once only call at the age of eighteen, but rather something unfolds across the whole of our lives.
Our calling is more than our own invention as our life choices take root through the influence of parents, educators and loved ones, the awareness of personal abilities, the witness of communities, the force of cherished ideals. It comes from a voice 'in here' calling me to be the person I was born to be
The Network
A community, such as the Edmund Rice Network, gradually develops its own collective dream; this group of people, responding to the many invitations of God that have both brought us together and put us in tension with each other, slowly forges its own set of values and hopes.
The call to become part of the Network may come through the suggestions of friends, through personal experiences, by responding to advertisements, by desiring to exercise a sense of justice, by an attraction to offering service to the marginalised, by knowing the story of Edmund Rice and by being inspired by his example.
The call may also come through inspiration, through employment, through volunteering, through immersion experiences, by association, by having as sense of belonging, by social contacts, and by participating in education, welfare, spirituality and justice groups.
Vowed members
Going back as far as the early centuries of Christianity, some experience the call to live as celibate men and women, and this call today to follow in the footsteps of Edmund, while rather dormant in Western cultures, is still strong and growing in many other cultures around the world. Daring to be different is part of the challenge of living brotherhood today- an unconventional and alternative way of being brother to all, walking beside, supporting, empowering and encouraging others flowing from a deep respect for the dignity of all humanity.
The two Congregations offer their contact points around the world for those interested in exploring their vocation as vowed members of the Network.
Christian Brothers and the Edmund Rice Nework
The story of Blessed Edmund Rice has inspired generations of people across the world. Among the values that we cherish from his tradition are his generosity, his courage, his humanity, his love of God’s word in Scripture, his devotion to the Mother of God, his practical reaching out to the poor and oppressed, and his absolute trust in God’s providence.
The Joy of Brotherhood.
For us Christian Brothers community living is a central part of our identity. We live together the vowed life of Chastity, Poverty and Obedience in a way that is life-giving for us. We pray together to Jesus our Brother, and we share our cares and joys. As members of a community we carry our gifts to others. We are enriched as the lives of others touch our own.
We experience the love of God in our lives
We meet God in our community prayer, and in our personal prayer and reflection. We experience the love and care of God in the ordinary and extraordinary events of our lives. Like Edmund we trust ourselves to his providence.
We want to share our search for God and our experience.
The search for God is an important element in the lives of many young people. Christian Brothers are travelling on this journey, and we want to accompany others on their search for a spiritual life.
We have a strong commitment to justice.
Human rights advocacy is a new ministry of the Christian Brothers and reflects a new understanding of global mission. Right across the world young people and children are the victims of injustice and poverty. Many are abused. All are in need of compassion, services and a safe place where they can speak of and about their situation. When Edmund Rice looked out the window in Waterford he saw the children on the street; today he would see the children of the world.
Eco-justice is a new area if concern for us as we try to bring an awareness of our responsibilities as stewards of the world around us.
We are on the side of the poor and disadvantaged.
Since the time of Blessed Edmund the Brothers have directed their personnel and resources to educating the poor, and our school immersion projects have opened the eyes and hearts of Irish students and teachers to the realities of poverty in Africa and India. Our justice offices throughout the world stand up for the rights of the oppressed.
We empower people through education.
Education was the means Edmund Rice used to transform the children of his day. Since then it has been the method of “helping people to help themselves.”
The Brothers have been involved in all levels of education for over two hundred years, and in thirty-five countries. Recently the foundation of “Life-centres” in urban areas has shown the recognition that normal school structures do not always work.
Br Bernard Gartland
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WESTERN AUSTRALIA:
Br Bernard White cfc
Telephone: 61 8 9450 0901
Mobile: 0439 948 981
Email:
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Jill Parker (WA Edmund Rice Network Coordinator)
Email:
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SOUTH AUSTRALIA:
Br John Webb cfc
Telephone: 61 8 8354 2100
Mobile: 0415 196 835
Email:
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Natasha Siebert (SA Edmund Rice Network Coordinator)
Email:
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QUEENSLAND and NORTHERN TERRITORY:
Br Michael Talty
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Br Jim D'Arcy (Qld Edmund Rice Network Coordinator)
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NSW and ACT:
Br David Curtin
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Donna Mulhearn (NSW Edmund Rice Network Coordinator)
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VICTORIA
Br Sean McManus cfc
Telephone: 61 3 9311 5932
Email:
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Danny Moore (VIC Edmund Rice Network Coordinator)
Email:
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Tasmania
Br Damien Price
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Danny Moore (TAS Edmund Rice Network Coordinator)
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NEW ZEALAND
Br John O'Shea cfc
Email:
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Br Damian Price
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Damaris Kindon (NZ Edmund Rice Network Coordinator)
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PHILIPPINES
Br Rod Ellyard
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TIMOR LESTE
Br Bill Tynan
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PNG
Br Fidelis Toatahi
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