Page 15 - The Priest, Summer 2015

The Church depends a great deal on consecrated women for new efforts in fostering Christian doctrine and mor- als, family and social life, and especially in everything that affects the dignity of
women and respect for human life.18
We shouldn't underplay the role reli- gious women can have fostering a culture of life in our parishes.
This is juxtaposed by a story I heard re- cently. One of my parishioners was telling me about her aunt, a nun, who is a mis- sionary in the Philippines. Her apostolate is to work among the prostitutes of Manila. I was quite edi ed to hear this, until the parishioner told me, yes “my aunt does her best to go into the chemists and pharma- cies to buy condoms for these ladies!” My face and heart dropped at this. Firstly that this parishioner thought her aunt was do- ing something heroic, but more because of the anti-witness of her aunt, a religious sister, in her very important apostolate. Not at all what no. 58 of Vita Consecrata notes!
Speaking earlier about the role of re- ligious clergy, I mentioned the role of friendship. This again is an important role of all religious in the parish setting. One of our American friars, speaking at the Institute for Religious Life in Chicago, noted that:
Consecrated persons can imitate John the Baptist friendship of the Bride- groom by the friendship, prayers, en- couragement and hospitality for Christ the Bridegroom in priests.”19
Trustworthy religious can be not only co-workers, but also brothers and sisters in the true sense of the word, whom you can turn to and trust in times of both joy and sadness, good times and bad! Remember that religious face their own struggles in living their consecrated and community life and therefore can not only be a solace and comforting ear but also offer practi- cal advice and spiritual counsel. This is particularly true of spiritual motherhood: as celebate men living chastity we need wholesome feminine nurturing. Often it’s a wise nun who can offer good motherly/
18 Vita Consecrata, no. 58.
19 Institute for Religious Life, 13 March 2010.
womanly advice to a priest, just as a moth- er might to her son. I’m sure many a priest has bene ted from a good meal and the fraternity of religious sisters and broth- ers! This area of friendship, camaraderie, trustworthiness, spiritual motherhood, brotherhood is a real and worthwhile area that should be further developed within our own communities.
Spiritual motherhood is also seen and appreciated by parishioners. To tell a posi- tive story: we had the Little Sisters of the Poor give a presentation at our parish. It elicted a very positive reaction. There was a particular response to their spiritual motherhood. No special collection was taken up, but just by standing outside the church as people left, they netted a huge sum as people recognised and wished to support the goodness of their apostolate. We’ve all been to nursing homes where religious sisters are still involved in the as- sistance of the elderly. There is a tangible difference between a Nazareth House and a Southern Cross!
It is important to support orthodox re- ligious, especially in the role of pastoral associate. Not only will parish and clergy bene t, but it will also help religious to have a more secure standing in the com- munity and thus help strengthen their in uence. Archbishop Chaput noted a few years ago:
Consecrated persons make a life rooted in the Beatitudes visible and real to the whole Church. That’s why they remain so vital to the mission of the entire com- munity of faith – especially in times of confusion; especially today.”20
In our parishes we need to continually show the people the value of Consecrated Life. Yes many parishes have pastoral asso- ciates – or as they call them in the U.S., ‘ec- clesial lay ministers.’ One of my confreres, Br Louis, tells me the story of when he was ministering in a Californian parish, and the local ‘ecclesial lay minister’ told Br Louis, after Brother tried to explain a doctrinal point to her, that “we are equal.”
“No,” Brother told her, “you are a par- ish manager, a pastoral associate. That is not a state of life. You are not consecrat-
20 Charles Chaput, Jul/Aug 2010, 17.
ed!” He added, “you can always hand in your notice and go and work at K-Mart!!! Consecrated persons are consecrated 24/7!”
As St Pope John Paul II told us religious during his 1986 visit to Australia:
Of all the tasks facing you, there is sure- ly none so urgent as learning authentic witness to your personal love of Jesus Christ above all else. This is at the heart of your religious identity.
Let us not forget the great witness of the contemplative life in our parishes also. The prayer of these women and men sup- port the parish in ways beyond measure. Let us never complain about having to get up early to celebrate Holy Mass for them!
Conclusion
I would like to conclude my talk quot- ing another important document for Reli- gious, Perfectae Caritatis, the document on the renewal of Religious Life the Council decreed in 1965.
The adaptation and renewal of the re- ligious life includes both the constant return to the sources of all Christian life and to the original spirit of the institutes and their adaptation to the changed conditions of our time. This renewal, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the guidance of the Church, must be advanced according to the following principles . . .
c) All institutes should share in the life of the Church, adapting as their own and implementing in accordance with their own characteristics the Church's undertakings and aims in matters bibli- cal, liturgical, dogmatic, pastoral, ecu- menical, missionary and social.21
At the end of the day dear brothers, we are all called to have the smell of the sheep! We are all called to witness to the risen Christ. We are all called to be coun- ter-cultural. We are all called to bring Christ back to the centre of our Church. How we do it depends on how we are called.
There is a lot that has been done, and as St Francis reminds us: fratres dum tempus habemus operemur bonum. Brothers, while we have time let us do good! Ä
21 Vatican II, Perfectae Caritatis. 28 October 1965, no. 28.
Journal of the Australian Confraternity of Catholic Clergy
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