pathways, APRIL 09
Australia's Christian chaplains have been encouraged to minister from a base of authentic, integral Christianity.
They also have been encouraged to understand what it means to live in a multi-religious society and not fear proponents of other faiths.
The importance of their ministry was underlined by the suggestion they will probably encounter more of the 80 per cent of nominal, but not regularly practicing, Christians than most parish-based ministers.
More than 150 chaplains from every Australian state and territory were enthralled, enthused and energised by the three lengthy presentations given by their national conference keynote speaker, Reverend Professor James Haire, the executive director of
the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture (Canberra)
(pictured left).
Also professor of Theology at
Charles Sturt University and director of the university's
Public and Contextual Theology Strategic Research Centre, he presented the chaplains with a fascinating history of development of major world religions, with an emphasis on Christianity and Islam, so they might better understand some of the complexities of a multi-faith Australia in which religion was a private, rather than dominant political, factor although Christianity provided a massive infrastructure - the largest in the world - within the country.
He drew three conclusions:
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Christians need to have a high degree of integrity in living out their own faith.
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Christians should not be apprehensive about other faiths, but recognise them and understand them, realizing in time they may well develop their own systems such as chaplaincies.
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Christians need to demonstrate ministry in very practical ways - and if necessary, articulate a Christian standpoint - for example, death is now taboo, very clinical and atheist, in that once life is over, it is over. So often, people no longer talk about life eternal but what a good person the deceased was. That is not the Christian way, according to Prof. Haire, and offers an opportunity for the Christian chaplain to fill the vacuum.
Among other speakers and workshop presenters were Father Michael Tate, former senator, federal minister and Australian ambassador and now Catholic parish priest in the Archdiocese of Hobart, and Rabbi Jeffrey Cohan, visiting research fellow in the School of Public Health and Community Medicine at the University of New South Wales.
The theme, Living Water, emphasised the need for the chaplains to be replenished and refreshed by the living water offered by Jesus to the Samaritan woman.
Spiritual Care Australia
According to president Rev. Cheryl Holmes
(left) Spiritual Care Australia is an association of practitioners in chaplaincy, pastoral care and spiritual services existing within, and part of, contemporary, multi-faith, multi-cultural Australia.
"This is an organisation that recognises that all people, regardless of religious, faith or cultural background, have pastoral and spiritual needs that at times will require a sensitive, respectful response from skilled chaplaincy and pastoral care practitioners," she said.
"This is an organisation concerned with ensuring excellence in the practice or pastoral care.
"Today, in faith, we take the next step together to ensure (our) legacy continues and to ensure that we are able to continue to meet the spiritual needs of our diverse communities through the provision of respectful and inclusive chaplaincy, pastoral care and spiritual services."
The first national conference of Spiritual Care Australia will be held in Melbourne in 2010.
above:
Some of the religious women gathered at the conference:
Sisters Pat Heenan RSC, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Qld;
Kathleen Keenan RSM, Canberra Hospital, Canberra, ACT;
Patrice Vines RSJ, Redcliffe Hospital, Redcliffe, Qld;
Margaret Le Breton RSJ, prison - young offenders (18-35), Windsor, NSW;
Loretta Corrigan RSM, prison - maximum security, Goulburn, ACT;
Lois Woodcock LCM, Calvary Hospital, Wagga Wagga, NSW;
Ronda Singleton LCM, Calvary Retirement Community, Cessnock, NSW;
Elizabeth McTaggart SM, St Vincent's Private Hospital, Sydney, NSW.
Executive: (standing, from left) Rev. Paul Hammott (SA), Major Peter Wright (NT), Rev. Wally Statford (Qld), Fr Gerald Quinn CP (Tas); (sitting, from left) Rev Cheryl Holmes, president (Vic), Pam Robertson, secretary (ACT), Rev Stephen Delbridge, treasurer (Vic). Absent: Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen (NSW), Imam Dexter Duncan (NSW). Rev. Carl Aiken (vice-president, NSW).
text and photos: Penny Edman
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