“The Christian vocation, and the religious vocation in particular, is born only when one feels the attraction of something great, of a love that can nourish and satiate the heart.

Vocation and formation are not pre-ordained realities: they are a spiritual adventure that involves the entire history of the person, and it is first and foremost an adventure of love with God.”

Address of the Holy Father Leo XIV to participants in the General Chapter of the Order of St Augustine.

15 September 2025

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” Jn 6:51

These two texts shaped our thinking as we began to prepare for the 2026 CRA National Assembly. They enabled us to look at our religious consecration in a fresh way. Our lives are firmly rooted in ‘an adventure of love with God’ that sends us outwards ‘for the life of the world’.

We were privileged to have this broken open for us by Fr Tony Banks OSA and Sr Michele Connolly RSJ.

Tony shared with us the Augustinian spirituality that has formed the life and ministry of Pope Leo. Tony spoke of Augustine’s concept of interiority. “Do not go outside of yourself.” “Return into yourself. Truth dwells in the inner person.” This is where we discover and sustain the adventure of love. He also shared the rich Eucharistic theology of Augustine that Pope Leo shares.

“Let us drink anew from this Eucharistic spring, which does not enclose us in private devotion, but sends us out to refresh our brothers and sisters, our families, the poor, the suffering, and those who have lost hope. Eucharistic grace transforms us and makes us protagonists of the transformation of history, a sign of hope for those we meet.” Homily June 7, 2026

Michele broke open for us the Last Supper discourse Jn 13:1 – 17:26, that leads us into the abiding love of God, Agape, the energy that brought this world into existence, that is loyal to the end and produces fruit. It is a mutual love that we are drawn into and sent forth for the life of the world.

We were also privileged to have Sr Tiziana Merletti SFP and Fr Richard Welch CSsR form the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life join us. Their time with us was an experience of mutuality, of listening to each other, of sharing concerns, of them encouraging us to keep the conversations going, to share our insights, concerns and hope with the member of DICLSAL. Both Richard and Tiziana expressed their gratitude for the invitation to come to Australia and encouraged us to keep the lines of communication well and truly open.

We farewelled and thanked retiring members of the CRA Council and commissioned the 2026/27 Council. And we enjoyed being together, sharing meals and prayer, fun and deep listening, challenges and joys.

My hope is that together we continue in this adventure of love for the life of the world, and that you, as members of Catholic Religious Australia, will engage in the opportunities that are offered and the work of CRA. The council exists to represent and support the Religious of Australia, so we need you to be active in helping us carry this out. I look forward to sharing this journey with you. The door is always open!

Kari

(Sr Kari Hatherall OSU, Catholic Religious Australia President)