From our Mission Leader
The call to love more is disturbing, if we hear it’s true meaning
In a world where human rights seem to be increasingly and blatantly disregarded by powerful global leaders, Pope Leo’s first Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi te (I Have Loved You) builds on Pope Francis’ legacy and offers a bold affirmation of our Gospel-centred mission. For those working to meet the immediate needs of the vulnerable and challenge the structures that perpetuate injustice, this letter is a timely affirmation. On behalf of those suffering, Dilexi te urges us to respond without delay:
The dignity of every human person must be respected today, not tomorrow. (Dilexi te, 92)
Pope Leo reminds us that “charity has the power to change reality” and that we cannot simply regard the poor as a societal problem:
They are part of our family. They are one of us! (Dilexi te, 104)
His words challenge the tendency to separate ourselves from those living in poverty or facing injustice. He calls us to recognise our radical interconnectedness - that we are not above or below one another, but part of a shared human story. This echoes Jesus teaching that justice is not optional but central to faith (Matthew 23:23, Luke 11:42), and that love for God is inseparable from love for the poor (1 John 4:20).
The Church, like a mother, accompanies those who are walking. Where the world sees threats, she sees children. Where walls are built, she builds bridges.
(Dilexi te, 75)
This discomfort is necessary. It stirs us to act... echoing Jesus’ own life when he overturned the tables in the temple (Matthew 21:12, Mark 11:15), confronting religious leaders for neglecting justice (Matthew 23:23) and declaring the poor as God’s priority (Luke 4:18).
Our God is not a distant one, waiting in heaven, but present in every encounter with the vulnerable. When we sit alongside those who are struggling, we draw close to the Spirit and encounter God. This is not abstract - it is lived daily by our Kildare Ministries staff and volunteers in our community works and school communities. Whether supporting families in crisis, walking with young people facing personal challenges, or advocating for systemic change, their work is sacred.
Especially in those moments when someone’s most vulnerable need is gracefully and humbly acknowledged—their humanity is respected and restored. These are moments of living justice.
As we move from our 2025 theme of Hospitality to Justice in 2026, may we continue to reach out in hospitable love “more and more” (1 Thessalonians 4:10), and allow that love to become action – action that brings greater justice to those whose lives are shaped by structural inequality.
Pilgrimage to Ireland 2025
Kildare Ministries was formed to govern existing schools and ministries of the Brigidine Sisters of NSW and Victoria and Presentation Sisters of Victoria over ten years ago. However, the heart of Kildare Ministries is not just running educational institutions and community services but continuing to enliven the hearts of all with the light of Christ.
This is no task for the faint-hearted. It’s not “soft” work to boldly declare commitment to a religious faith in today’s world, and increasingly more difficult to raise funds to support those living on the margins of our global society. It’s even difficult to spread news of the plight of the disadvantaged, with most people having their news feeds chronically stuck in the bubble of daily clickbait and inattentive scrolling.
And yet, this work of Kildare Ministries is such a privilege because it focuses our attention on what is important. As a community formed in the tradition of brave, compassionate women – St Brigid, Nano Nagle, the Brigidine Sisters, the Presentation Sisters and all those who have carried their flame over the centuries, we are inspired to reach out to those who are struggling and offer the hope of active support and education.
One of the keys to the ongoing evolution of a values-led organisation is tapping into its living story – its living water. For Kildare Ministries, this story is revealed to us through many tributaries; relationships with each other, liturgical celebrations, fundraising and community events, guest speakers, stories of encounter and the stories of our shared history.
Our recent Pilgrimage to Ireland was an opportunity to engage deeply in a journey of story. Each of us comes to any experience with our own story, and in this case, the pilgrims also had the common connection of belonging to a ministry of Kildare Ministries. The pilgrimage itself was an immersion into the people and places of our common story: the Celtic Christian story of Ireland, the Celtic goddess Brigid, and historical stories of fifth-century St Brigid of Kildare, and the stories of Nano Nagle leaving behind her life of privilege to effect change in the lives of the poor on the streets of Cork in the 1700s.
We were also fortunate to meet with Presentation and Brigidine Sisters who are currently working to keep the flame of Brigid and Nano alive. It was so precious to have them share their passion for Brigid and Nano and the sacred places of Ballygriffin, Cork, Tullow, and Kildare where their stories began.
Through pilgrimage, we were able to find inspiration from our collective past and listen to its call for today; what enlivened the Celtic Christians, what inspired Brigid, and what gave courage to Nano. Each experience broke new ground in awareness, and deepened yearning to connect to that which is just beyond reach.
Formation opportunities all hope to create a sense of connection and meaning between an individual and their work. Fortunately for us, Kildare Ministries has such rich stories, founded on the lives of incredibly brave and visionary women. We step forward from this pilgrimage inspired and renewed to shine Christ’s light through the lamps of Brigid and Nano, and all those who have continued their passion for sharing hope and justice for our world.
Jane Collopy
Mission Leader