Church in the World

Christian Brothers move to work with poor of Asia

Australia

The Christian Brothers, a pillar of Catholic education in Australia since the mid-nineteenth century, are to embark on a dramatic new direction, working with the poor in Asia.

The Brothers? world leader, Br Philip Pinto, has urged the Brothers in Oceania to embark on their new venture by mid-2005. Brothers Rod Ellyard and Steve McLaughlin left Australia on 8 July for a month-long reconnaissance in the Philippines.

In a letter to the Brothers? provincial and regional leaders in Oceania, Br Pinto wrote that the Christian Brothers? ministry in the developed world had served its purpose well.

?This is not to take away from the efforts of our Brothers who give so generously of themselves,?? Br Pinto wrote. ?But it is to say that it is generally not the type of ministry that fires the imagination and attracts the idealism and commitment of today?s young people. The challenge for us today is to focus our energies in new and greater areas of need. The need that saw us setting up our schools in many of our current ministry sites is now being adequately met by others, in many instances by the state itself.??

The dramatic change in direction follows years of turmoil for the Brothers. They were among the first religious congregations in Australia to be confronted with child sexual abuse allegations. In common with many other religious communities, the number of Brothers has slumped.

Br Paul Oakley, the deputy leader of the Brothers? St Mary?s province in New South Wales, told Sydney?s Catholic Weekly that media reports that suggested the Brothers would leave their role in education were wrong. He said the Brothers ?won?t be walking away from any of our schools?, saying Br Pinto?s letter was not a directive but a suggestion.

But the Brothers in Western Australia confirmed the change of direction, which is not expected to lead to the closure of schools but changes in their governance.

Br Pinto wrote that the Brothers? lay colleagues were preparing to carry on their work in Australia, freeing the Brothers for new ministries.

The Brothers, founded by the Irish businessman Blessed Edmund Rice in the nineteenth century, have been among the most prominent religious congregations in Australia?s extensive Catholic education system.

?I would urge that this new venture begin by the middle of 2005,?? Br Pinto wrote. ?There is an urgency to God?s call and we must answer promptly.??

Br Pinto wrote that the change in direction would force the Brothers to move away from the tried and tested roads and on to new paths. ?I strongly believe that we ourselves will be evangelised in the process,?? he wrote. ?It will also allow young Australians, New Zealanders and Papua New Guineans to find an avenue for their generosity and consider joining us on the journey.??

The first Brothers arrived in Sydney in 1841 but returned to Ireland in 1846 after clashes with church authorities. A permanent foundation was made in 1868 in Melbourne, and thereafter the Brothers spread across Australia.
Mark Brolly, Melbourne