Last month’s National Assembly of Catholic Religious Australia (CRA), held at Parramatta, NSW (18-20 August 2025), saw another large turnout, bringing together more than 140 leaders and leadership team members from religious congregations across Australia and beyond for three days of input, reflection, networking and prayer.
The joy in being together and drawing strength from one another’s wisdom and experiences in the spirit of the holy year of Jubilee was clearly evident throughout the Assembly ,which took as its theme: Jubilee: Our Story, Our Hope, Our Joy.
Participants spoke with deep appreciation of the sage wisdom imparted by guest speaker Christian Brother Philip Pinto CFC, from India. Through multiple lenses and layers, Philip led the gathering in reflecting on the deep paradox of the life of God, where power is loving surrender, and prophecy is found on the margins. “Sometimes in the spiritual life, if you are very lucky, the Holy One slams the door shut and plunges you into darkness,” he reminded us. It is from a place of woundedness and brokenness, that hope and newness so often arise.
Dorothy Patiu MSC (left), Vice-President, Federation of Religious PNG & Solomon Islands with Bernadette Toohey MGL, on an evening break. Image: Supplied
The CRA Conference program inspired ‘Our story, our hope, our joy’.
Guest speaker Western Australian Dominican Sister Margaret Scharf OP encouraged us to appreciate the gift of the story, and how “my” story is woven into the fabric of the “we” – the congregation and other communities. Our stories include grief and loss, but also joy and hope.
Drawing on Pope Francis’ words, Margaret reminded us that “hope is to savour the wonder of being loved, sought, desired by a God who has not shut Himself away in His impenetrable heavens but has made Himself flesh and blood, history and days, to share our lot.”
Deftly weaving together all the diverse elements of the Assembly was Mercy Sister Mary-Louise Petro RSM, in a facilitator role. Along with the thread of prayer and worship opportunities, including the vital presence of Oakhill College choir, the Assembly provided a time for religious leaders to ‘catch their breath’ and a supportive meeting ground for relationships to be renewed and souls to be fed.
It was also the time and place for the new and continuing members of the 2025-2026 CRA Council to be commissioned.
Oakhill College choir with CRA National Executive Director Anne Walker (far left) and Margaret Jones RSM (far right), with Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv and the Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Charles Balvo (centre). Image: Catholic Religious Australia/Supplied
CRA expresses its gratitude to all who contributed in 2025 to this highly anticipated signature annual event for religious leaders, including those who led us in prayer, and the sponsors whose generosity made the conference possible. In a special way, CRA is grateful to Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv for welcoming us into the Diocese of Parramatta and the Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Charles Balvo for his presence throughout for Assembly and consistent support and encouragement of religious.
A welcome international presence was felt through the attendance of Sr Dorothy Patiu MSC, Vice-President, Federation of Religious Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands and a video message from Sr Simona Brambilla MC, Prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. We were delighted, too, to welcome Bishop George Kolodziej SDS from Bunbury, WA and Fr Chris de Souza, General-Secretary of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.
As we come away from these days, both the beauty and challenges of religious life come into clearer focus. CRA considers it a privilege to serve as the representative body for 150 congregational leaders in Australia, who bring such a diverse array of spiritual charisms, enormous depths of ministerial experience and the sheer audacity to persevere in hope.
CRA Council members for 2025-26, following the election that took place at the National Assembly. Image: Catholic Religious Australia/Supplied
With thanks to Catholic Religious Australia.
