While the demographics of the Carmelite community members have changed over the years, their life of prayer in intimate friendship with Christ remains constant.

One of the newest religious congregations in the Parramatta Diocese, the Somascan Fathers, had originally not planned to minister in that Diocese at all, reports Catholic Outlook. 

In 1979, the ten-year-old boy became a refugee. Separated unexpectedly from his parents at night, he and a younger brother were among 67 people crammed into a fishing boat. They ran out of food and water and pirates came aboard twice. Two weeks later, after another lad his own age died of dehydration, the boy thought he and his brother might be next. After 19 days, the fishing boat arrived in Malaysia and the siblings were taken to a refugee camp. 

Friends are everything to Missionaries of God’s Love (MGL) sister Isobel Stewart. They were by her side as the former primary school teacher discerned the call to religious life, and they remain there now as she navigates the busy life of a sister, reports Melbourne Catholic.

For Sister Margaret Hart RSM, arriving in the south-central New South Wales town of Young “well and truly at retirement age without a job”, has meant rediscovering ways of living out her vocation, after many years of more formal ministry in teaching, foster care, pastoral care and parish work.