A review of the Conference

The conference began with an address by the Principal of Marian College, Carmel Barker, who shared the heartfelt mission of Marian College, and the overwhelming response from delegates was of deep admiration and respect for the work of the Marian College staff to address the justice needs in their school community. The crisp and sunny day then brought us into the outdoors to immerse ourselves in a smoking ceremony celebrated by Mr. Robbie Fry. We were also generously Welcomed to Country by Aunty Annie Moore. 

Rosemary Copeland’s opening address spoke of discernible steps toward justice and challenged us to enliven the practicality of our spirituality – to make our steps planned, strategized, communicated  and clearly observable; to be like Jesus with the money changers and make visible steps to overcome the barricades of government, bureaucracy, ignorance, apathy and confusion. To this, our keynote speaker, Bishop Long, would later add that we must ‘turn over the table’ which sells the cult of personality and  competition which stymies our God given communion with each other. 

To watch the opening address by Rosemary and Kathy, please click below:

We began the second day with a moving and beautiful call to contemplation designed by Clonard College. It was a welcome and needed opportunity reflect on all that we had heard and felt and to call on our inner resources to open ourselves for this day. You can watch the reflection by clicking on this link:

Also on the second day, Sr. Anne Boyd echoed Bishop Long’s call to communion – with each other and earth, to create a new paradigm of communion with each other and  the entire creation, to see ourselves as part of creation, not masters of it. Like Bishop Long, Anne called us to the moral challenge of Climate Change, calling us to respond to the pandemic (among other phenomena) by forming a new humanity of inclusion. These are lofty ambitions, but one God calls us to – a partnership with every part of life. 

Our First Nations Students enlightened us on their lived experience within school and society. Delegates were moved by their eloquence and passion, the generosity of their sharing, the wisdom of their responses to society, their creative response to being the new generation of the First Nations, and their deep respect and love for their elders and their culture. All of the students expressed gratitude for the opportunity they were given to speak to such a wide and influential audience, and not one of them wasted a second of this opportunity. We are so grateful to them, grateful to have them among us, and grateful to God that they aspire to be the leaders of the future.

To watch the videos of Anne Boyd and the First Nations students, please click here.

The second day concluded with a reflection on our founders through art. The St Joseph’s College Portrait Project resulted in three stunning portraits of St Brigid, the venerable Nano Nagle and Bishop Daniel Delany. The deep symbolism within the portraits including both Indigenous and Christian spirituality will provide endless opportunities for contemplation and reflection for our KM community. Please click on this video to access the reflection:

On the third day, Fr Michael Trainor opened us up to some mainstream scholarship around Jesus’ response to the world by re-positioning him within his very own world; historically, economically, politically and religiously. Through looking at these aspects of his life we recontextualise Jesus and find ourselves in deeper dialogue with the person of Jesus and the development of his education and justice praxis in response to being and living as an indigenous person in an occupied land. In doing this, we avoid inventing ‘A Jesus’ that is in our (white) 'Australian likeness for convenience sake'. Michael pointed out that it was through friendship and welcome that he created the movement which we are continuing, that he saw all people’s lives, ways, and relationships as graceful. 

To watch the video of Michael, please click here.

Prior to our breakout groups which were the final session before our closing liturgy, we heard from our Community Works, Brigid Arthur (BASP), Dalal Smiley (Wellsprings for Women), and Rachel Connor (Presentation Family Centre). Each leader gave an impression on how they ‘Go Out Joyfully’ in their work, as well as illustrating the difficulty and frustration of it at times, the enormous tenacity and fortitude underpinning their efforts and the graceful bravery of the people they serve amidst suffering and uncertainty. It seemed very clear that we are being led by God into the messiness of life, to the margins, and we are being asked by God to follow Jesus here.

To watch our inspiring Community Works panelists, please click here.

The closing liturgy, prepared by Marian Ararat, mindfully took the themes of the conference and symbolised them with the flowers, the indigenous music, the running water, photos of our ministries, and the sacred coolamon. We acknowledged the original work of Mark Pollard in Gunnai Dreaming, a dreaming story of the Gunnai people of Gippsland. Finally,  we reflected on our call as Kildare Ministries and rejoiced in one another.

Many thanks to all who contributed to the success of the conference.

Peace, 

Renee