Council for Australian Catholic Women Young Catholic Women s Interfaith Fellowship. An Opening of the Heart to the Other and to Myself

Transcription

1 Council for Australian Catholic Women Young Catholic Women s Interfaith Fellowship An Opening of the Heart to the Other and to Myself Report on the Experience of Young Catholic Interfaith Fellowship Participants Dr Patricia Madigan op March 2015

2 This Report on the experience of the participants in the Young Catholic Women s Interfaith Fellowship (YCWIF) follows the completion of the Fellowship program by a fourth cohort consisting of 16 young women in It aims to obtain an overview of their experience of the program itself, and their perception of its value in their professional and personal lives. About the Fellowship The Young Catholic Women s Interfaith Fellowship was initiated in 2006 by the then Commission for Australian Catholic Women in collaboration with Australian Catholic University (ACU). It was advertised as aiming to enhance the participation of young women in the Catholic Church, fostering both academic and faith formation for future female Church leaders. It was a practical response growing out of the Australian Catholic Bishops Woman and Man One in Christ Jesus: Report on the Participation of Women in the Catholic Church in Australia (1999) which recommended that women s talents and gifts be utilised more fully in the service of the Church. Woman and Man stressed the importance of providing a range of educational and training opportunities for women with suitable qualifications and background so that leadership positions could be taken up by an informed laity. It was thought that women s wisdom and experience would benefit the whole Church. Acknowledgement and affirmation of the diversity of women s experience and strengths, which could be offered to the Church and wider community... (Woman and Man, ) Following the successful completion of the fellowship program by three separate cohorts of young women in 2006, 2007 and 2009, the Fellowship was relaunched with a new structure in 2013, a dynamic and inclusive format which included theological studies, a formation component, interfaith engagement and leadership development. The program was spread over two years during which the participants completed a Graduate Certificate in Theology through Broken Bay Institute (BBI). With a flexible online delivery of study modules, it was now designed to accommodate busy lives and careers. The academic program was enhanced by a residential component through which the women have opportunities to engage as a group in prayer, meditation, reflection and personal growth. The Fellowship continues to be a project of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) and is sponsored by various religious congregations, institutions and Church agencies. The Fellowship also addresses other concerns noted in the Executive Summary of Woman and Man, namely the under-representation of young people in church attendance, the need to create arrange of opportunities in the church for respectful listening and dialogue concerning the experiences, needs and aspirations of women, as well as the need to prepare women for greater participation in decision making and leadership roles in church and society. Methodology The methodology used for this Report included:

3 Revisiting the original vision of the Fellowship which emerged from the Woman and Man: One in Christ Jesus, Report on the Participation of Women in the Catholic Church in Australia (1999) Exploring recent Church statements related to women s participation in Church and society such as those found in Evangelium Gaudium by Pope Francis. Interviews, accompanied by some preparatory questions, with 14 of the Fellowship participants during their final gathering and Graduation on the weekend of February Questions: The questions that the Fellowship graduates were asked to reflect on were: (a) What do you remember from the program by way of scenes, vignettes, events, conversations? (b) What was the high point? (c) What was the low point? (d) What insights from the Fellowship do you want to remember? (e) In what kind of situations do you see yourself using these learnings? (f) What name would you put on this experience? (Try for a poetic title that captures your response) (g) Anything else? Fellowship participant profile The most recent cohort of saw 16 young women from 12 dioceses enter into the Fellowship program. The participants and the dioceses and archdioceses from which they came were: Rebecca Beisler (Sydney), Natasha Free (Port Pirie), Katy Gilles (Sydney), Kelly Humphrey (Wagga), Anna Humphries (Lismore), Kathryn Lambkin (Brisbane), Philippa McIlroy (Melbourne), Bedelia Melville (Sydney), Kathryn Moore (Townsville), Gemma Perkins (Ballarat), Nicole Rangiira (Toowoomba), Elizabeth Lillis Roberts (Sale), Joanna Sadowski (Perth), Snezana Tanevska (Sydney), Carmel Thompson (Townsville), Maria Vieira (Canberra).

4 I interviewed 14 of the 16 participants when they came together for the last time at Mount St Benedicts for the completion of the program and the Graduation Ceremony on the weekend of February Of the 14 women interviewed: Ten were at some stage employed by the Catholic Church: seven in Catholic Education, one in parish ministry, one in a diocesan office, and one in retreat work/university chaplaincy. Almost all the women, whether in church employment or not, were involved in their parishes. Five were not Catholic Church employees: one was with the Police Force, one with her local Council, one with the Uniting Church, one in a large regional hospital, and one in a government school. For each of the participants the units of study in the Fellowship had expanded their vision and given them spiritual, practical and intellectual resources which they greatly appreciated. These numbers are necessarily fluid. For seven of the participants the Fellowship became part of a transitional time as they moved from one form of employment or engagement to another, or to a new promotional position within the same area of employment. Three of the young women became mothers for the first time during the two years of the Fellowship. The accompaniment of the other women, as well as the course content of the Fellowship, became a rich resource for them as they moved into balancing their life-work-home commitments in various combinations. Perhaps, in some ways, the Fellowship group could be said to generally reflect the life-situation of many Australian young Catholic women at this stage of their life although the exceptionally high level of commitment both to their faith and to their church, strengthened in part as a result of the Fellowship experience, might be seen as exceptional. Key insights Recent teaching by Pope Francis provides a constructive framework for the Fellowship as he has on numerous occasions expressed a desire to see further development of the gifts that women bring to their work and to their relationships and for these gifts to be more readily received in both Church and society. In his 2013 Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium Pope Francis says: We need to create still broader opportunities for a more incisive female presence in the Church. Because the feminine genius is needed in all expressions in the life of society, the presence of women must also be guaranteed in the workplace and in the various other settings where important decisions are made, both in the Church and in social structures. Demands that the legitimate rights of women be respected, based on the firm conviction that men and women are equal in dignity, present the Church with profound and challenging questions which cannot be lightly evaded (nn ). Addressing the Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council for Culture at its meeting 4-7 February 2015 on the theme Women's Cultures: Equality and Difference Pope Francis

5 spoke of the need to study new criteria and ways so that women do not feel as guests but fully participant in various realms of social and ecclesial life. He went on to say, I am convinced of the urgency to offer spaces to women in the life of the Church and to receive them, taking into account the specific and changing cultural and social sensibilities. To be hoped for, therefore, is a more capillary and incisive presence of women in the Communities, so that we can see many women involved in pastoral responsibilities, in supporting persons, families and groups, as well as in theological reflection. Moreover, it is about encouraging and promoting the efficacious presence of women in many ambits of the public sphere, in the world of work and in places where important decisions are adopted, and at the same time maintaining their preferential presence and altogether special care in and for the family. It is not necessary to leave women alone to carry this weight and take decisions, but all institutions, including the ecclesial community, are called to guarantee freedom of choice for women, so that they have the possibility to assume social and ecclesial responsibilities, in a way that is harmonious with family life ( Pope's Address to the Pontifical Council for Culture, Zenit.org, 9 February 2015). Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, addressing a UN forum in March 2015 reiterated the call of Pope John Paul II in his 1995 Letter to Women for an effective and intelligent campaign for the promotion of women, concentrating on all areas of women's life. He said, Women cannot flourish when they are the victims of prejudice and discrimination, in particular simply for the fact that they are women... True respect for woman starts with accepting her according to all aspects of her humanity. It involves creating the conditions for her to live freely and fully...when women are given the opportunity to thrive in full appreciation for all their talents and potential, the whole of society benefits (Vatican Radio: Holy See: Women must be appreciated for their unique gifts, 17 March 2015). Appreciation of the Fellowship There was an overwhelming appreciation of the Fellowship and the special opportunity that the young women felt they had been given. Some typical comments were: I think the word Fellowship has really been very appropriate. The friendship and the sense of community that we have built up are what stand out for me. Not so much specific events as the flow, a general sense of at-home-ness, of challenge, of support, of love and companionship, and fellowship that flowed through pretty much everything. The very first night a few of us clicked. There was no judgement and a great level of sharing.

6 The whole journey has been so rich. The dinner conversations, the genuine care between the women has been very beautiful it has been a space to grow. I felt very privileged to be welcomed into the lives of the other women in the Fellowship and all in the context of our faith. Learning from them and sharing our life together. There was a special appreciation expressed by many of the participants for the love and care they experienced each time they gathered at Mount St Benedicts for the residential component in which they had opportunities to engage as a group in prayer, meditation, reflection and personal growth: Being at Mount St Benedicts, one of the privileges was being able to say evening prayer in the chapel with the sisters here and joining them for Mass. Being able to pray together and to have that connection with the sisters as women of faith from different generations. We ve always felt overwhelming hospitality here. It s been a place of warmth and welcome. The love felt from this place (Mount St Benedicts), the morning teas, the care with which our rooms were prepared, the fresh flowers. A jumble of images and an overriding sense of thankfulness and privilege. Mount St Benedicts is a place where people can be themselves in a safe environment. There can be appreciation for the other even if they are different. You can create an environment where you can grow and also allow the other to grow. If you create this atmosphere many things can happen, and I just saw that as a very positive thing, because I can do that in my workplace. It is a very transferable thing. It is translatable particularly in the secular world. At Mount St Benedicts there was a feeling of coming home. As I came up the driveway real peace and tranquillity, of quiet, acceptance and solitude, all at the same time. Many of the participants also expressed an appreciation of the way the Fellowship had created an opportunity for them to connect with such a diverse group of women of a similar agegroup from many different dioceses and regions of Australia: Being with Fellowship participants from many dioceses, we learnt a lot about the church in other parts of Australia. The dioceses that the women have come from are all a bit different, some are rural dioceses, and that s been interesting to learn about. Because you can just be in your own little world and think that s how it s done. The exchange of information has been helpful. Learning from the other women who are engaged in the church, both single and married, lay people and church professionals, and hearing about their challenges. The fellowship between the women, the sense of support, the sense of journey. The opportunities for reflection. The fact that the women are from all over Australia, all that coming together and sharing as we do, learning about all the other places from a faith perspective, it has been a really rich experience. Just little things like having some like-minded people to have discussions with around faith and life issues and faith explorations which I ve never had before. It s a challenge to hear another perspective, to see things from a different point of view.

7 As one of the younger members of the group, having the kind of informal mentoring which happened between the women in the group has been really valuable. Some women were further on in their careers. The residential aspect has been essential and important. When I joined the parish social justice group I was the youngest member by 40 years! We could not have any meetings in winter. I loved the group and they were really beautiful. But it can be an isolating experience to be a young women in the church. The opportunities to talk and talk and talk with other young women! The new format Many of the young women expressed appreciation of the new format in which the Fellowship is now offered, combining a flexible online delivery of study modules (Foundations of Biblical Studies; Faith, Revelation and Theology; Religions and Cultures in Conversation; and Advanced Studies for Leadership in Mission), along with a residential component which offers opportunities to engage as a group in prayer, meditation, reflection and personal growth. It includes a developmental program of Spiritual Formation and structured opportunities for Interfaith Engagement, designed to prepare young women for a more incisive presence in both Church and society as proposed in recent ecclesial statements. As one woman expressed it: I could not have done the program any other way. It s been a regenerative experience. Three of the young women became first-time mothers during the Fellowship program. When I was pregnant in the first semester there was such a feeling of joy and fellowship from the other women who were just so happy for me it felt like a whole room of aunties for my son and it was wonderful! The support of everyone during my pregnancy has been lovely. Grace and gratitude become important in my life practice. As a new mother I have been amazed at the amount I have learnt from the other women about prayer and meditation, things that I had no idea about. Also tips about motherhood from the other mothers. The academic component A significant proportion of the Fellowship participants, who had not previously had the opportunity to engage in theological study, indicated that they want to continue on with the study of theology and related areas after completion of the Fellowship. A typical comment was: The study was good. I think it s a highlight for me because now I m on my way and I ve got the Graduate Certificate and I plan to do the Masters. It makes sense to me to go on and do something where I can use those skills and that knowledge I have developed in the course. It s exciting to think about what I ll do later on. The Leadership unit: The work that we did on the different kinds of leadership styles I found really interesting and very beneficial. How to identify someone s leadership style and how to work with them to get

8 the best out of them and to support them in doing their work. That s what really stands out for me as a support in my work as a teacher. I especially appreciated the Leadership section, because I always envisaged that a leader had to do it all, be it all, see it all, but that s not actually the true leader at all. Leaders know the distance and they go the distance but they don t do it all by themselves. I learned a lot about myself. The Fellowship opened my eyes to what I personally am capable of. The Leadership segment was so pertinent to what I am doing in my life. Being an APRE (Catholic School Assistant to the Principal Religious Education) I have decided to continue with the Masters. I would not have realised I had the capacity now I feel strongly called. I wrote an assignment for the last unit on Leadership, which was about setting up a leadership framework as a Catholic working mother. The gift of that set me up so well for going forward as a new mother. I used a Servant Leadership model. There is very little about this in the literature. It is a whole new area to be explored. We are all leaders in different ways. It gave me a good practical understanding of leadership in the home and in the family. And certainly at this time in my life, with a new baby, this is the most important area where leadership matters. One aspect of the Leadership component that was life-changing for many of the young women was seeing personal self-care as a vital component of effective leadership. One participant said I learned about the importance of looking after oneself so that you can look after other people. Another expressed it as Being compassionate towards yourself then loving and looking after others. I had been working myself into the ground. The formation program played a part in my becoming well. It was getting balance back into my life. The Leadership segment really struck me I saw a lot of things I could work on. The Interfaith dimension: Each one of the interfaith experiences was special and important. A stand-out one was at the synagogue and meeting Rabbi Jacqueline Ninio. Just seeing her confidence and her welcoming of us for who we were. Seeing her as a female leader of her community touched a lot of us. Another aspect was the Shabbat service on Friday evening. The rituals associated with it and the common elements with our Catholic tradition the beauty, the psalms, and the movement in prayer. There was such joy. The interfaith aspect was good. It broadened my perspectives. I had never been to a mosque or a synagogue. I would not have been comfortable to just go in before this. It opened my eyes and gave me an opportunity I would not have had otherwise. It gave me a healthy appreciation. They were so welcoming and willing to share their faith. It was beautiful! In learning about the documents of the church and the theology of the church, I have come to realise how far the Catholic Church has come in interfaith dialogue. It has come a lot further than we think. For example Nostra aetate what a revelation at the time and it is still being unpacked.

9 It was significant that when we visited these places of worship we were welcomed with open arms. We felt so comfortable to ask questions and to explain our point of view. That was something that I wasn t sure was possible. Meeting the women from other faiths it was brought home to me that we do all have a lot in common. At the core of each of our faiths we find compassion, dedication and the will to do good things. It was lovely to have that reaffirmed. I ve always been interested in interfaith, and every year in my classroom I ve given input on the different religion sometimes in the humanities or social studies sections of the curriculum. I ask people of other faiths to come and speak to the children. I have certainly strengthened these relationships whilst doing this course. The Formation component: Many of the women commented on how insights gained through the Fellowship experience had been moments of personal growth for them: The presentation which explained the structure of the church and how the church works was an eye-opener. That was a real insight for me. You don't get this while sitting in your parish. How complex the mother-church is! The spiritual development sessions and the discussions with the other women. Learning about different kinds of prayer, and fresh experiences of prayer, beyond the routine. Our time together has been refreshing and rejuvenating. Coming from a more conservative kind of Catholic background, I have had the freedom to discuss things here. There are different experiences of Catholicism, but no one person has answer. But together we do. I ve appreciated the ongoing learning and I am looking to continuing with study in some way. I have learned that sharing faith (interfaith) strengthens your own faith and identity as a Catholic. We learned not only in theory but in practice through conversations with people of other faiths. For me the one insight that transcends all the others is summed up as Presence making time for relationships. It is from that connection that everything happens. The future When asked about how they would see themselves using these learnings in the future, every one of the Fellowship participants had a clear appreciation of how what she had gained could be of use in her present or future life and work. Many saw it as enriching their ministry as teachers in Catholic schools: As an APRE (Catholic School Assistant to the Principal Religious Education), I feel so strongly called to the position and really passionate about it. It s about bringing people into relationship with Jesus. The interfaith study and the experiences are very useful practically in the Religious Education curriculum, as well as in the community which is multicultural. We have an interfaith presence within the school. Knowing the church documents, and having a good theological foundation is helpful. The Fellowship has given me the tools and the skills.

10 In a huge way it is of use in school. The students were asking me about ISIS. I was able to speak about it and put students (years 5 and 6) in the picture. They were quite surprised when I told them about going to the mosque. Where I am there is no chance to meet any Muslims. People only know what they see on the media. When topics like this come up it is important to be able to put them in the picture. It is also useful in staff meetings where staff have little background. Through visits we made to places of faith I now have contacts and can even bring them into the classroom through Skype. Other participants who worked in a variety of situations also valued the Fellowship program for its relevance. Some of their comments were: I will be ministering in university chaplaincy this year and it has given me a greater sensitivity to many realities and I think that will help me. In our ministry we come into contact with many people people are searching. The exposure has made me a bit more prepared, a bit more open. In my new role in church communications and media I am putting to use my knowledge and understanding of interfaith theology and also the interfaith experience that I have. Within myself, my family, my church, my workplace, the insights will definitely be something I will take it with me I feel very enriched. I think the knowledge of the church will help in situations where I might be representing my parish. My parish priest has been supportive of my participation in the program. My day job is working in local government which has recently set up an interfaith network and there is potential there. I am still working out how I might put the Fellowship to use in my new situation as a mother. In my pastoral ministry of compassion - listening to stories of grief, change and loss. Every reading from the course gave me resources for my work with groups. I had done no theology study before, but now, since it gave my soul so much, why would I stop? I am intending to continue with the Masters degree with a pastoral care specialization. I now have a permanent position in a government school. As a teacher, already I m using the idea of Christian leadership that we have been formed in, in my daily dealings with people. Further down the track I d really love to work in a Catholic organization, and be part of a team that works on furthering the vision or the mission of the organization, ensuring that it still has that Catholic identity. The theology study, the leadership development and the formation I think will really well equip me in finding those opportunities to start with, and then being successful in those roles. There are people in my workplace of different religions. I am now more comfortable in that space it can lead to deeper encounters. The Leadership sessions in the Fellowship talked about different communication styles - it allows for more respect for the person. Engaging, encountering, connecting it influences the way I interact with clients. It is general lifelearning. I had never been to a mosque or a temple before the ones we visited in Sydney. So when there was an arson attack on our local mosque I felt inspired to offer my response to the community. I will be speaking at the Women s Interfaith Forum next month. It is an opportunity to give back to the community something of what I have received from the course. I am using my learnings in the community generally and with my children.

11 All participants saw their experience in the Fellowship program as benefitting them personally in their human growth and development. One participant said: My husband asked me, Will you get a better job (by completing the Fellowship)? Will it mean more pay? What are you getting out of this study? But I m actually learning about me. I feel I ve become a better teacher especially in the religious education program. I ve become a mentor for other teachers. Others said: I think it comes down to learning to be who I am in all situations to have strong faith, to connect to parish, to be involved in religious education. Now I am proud of my engagement with all these. People come to me for advice even though I don t have an official position. We can never anticipate the generosity of God s love. I have become aware that God is leading us with cords of kindness (Hosea). God has been and continues to lead me and this will continue. For many women the experience of the Fellowship gave them a sense, that they had not previously had, that the Church cared about them and that they were valued: The fact that the invitation to do this program came from the Church I see it as an acknowledgement of me as a person by the Church. It is honouring the God who is alive in me and that we are on this journey together. At the Toastmasters course I spoke about Gratitude. As a woman and as a Catholic, I knew that women were important to the Church, but the Fellowship has opened my eyes. in other areas of my life I do step forward and take things on. I do see myself as a leader, but I just had never thought that I might take on that role in my Church. So that stayed with me and I hope it will. Challenges Although most participants in the Fellowship struggled to name any low points at all, some acknowledged that one of the most difficult aspects for them was balancing work, study and social life. As one woman expressed it: Making it all work formation, completing the academic requirements etc and balancing a new baby. For many the hardest thing was just waiting to meet up again with all the others. Belonging to the Fellowship group and all that that meant was what kept some of the young women engaged with the demands of the program. Although the Fellowship for me meant juggling children, work and study, it was definitely worthwhile. A few had questions about the overall vision for the Fellowship and its place in the larger scheme of things. They wondered if the why of the Fellowship, the aspiration behind it, could have been more explicit. What have other women done as a result of the Fellowship? What does it potentially facilitate? Another question was about the Fellowship as a project undertaken under the auspices of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. They were aware that there had been little involvement by Bishops and asked What are the Bishops hoping to achieve out of it? If they do want women to be involved do they perceive it to be of any importance?

12 Naming the experience As a final question the participants were asked to find a poetic title with which to name the Fellowship experience. Below is a list of their responses: It s been such a journey! Celebrating Feminine Genius An Opening of the Heart to the Other and to Myself A Manifestation of God s Grace If you enter with an open mind you will reap the reward To grow a garden in my heart Jesus has no hands but ours Unlocking the Potential A thin place Furthering the Mission A Journey Closer to the Heart Awakening of Spirituality Beautiful Encounters a spiritual journey from within and beyond Resonance Some final comments reflected an overall sense of immense gratefulness for the opportunity which had been offered them: I think the powerful thing about this program is that it plucks people out of communities where they are already doing good, and it upskills them to further the mission even more. Over the two years, when we started together, it has been a beautiful journey. We have travelled together, we have grown together. Some have had babies. There is a sense of sisterhood and genuine love and care for each other. There is a sense of family which is really beautiful. I am so thankful for the whole experience it has added so much richness and depth doing it with the others. It has been a rich experience that I am still integrating and processing, and seeing how I can best use it. I think the program is very valuable. I hope that it can continue. I think the Bishops should definitely keep supporting it. We all feel we have been really up-skilled. We ll be more confident in our parishes and other church communities. The Bishops will reap the benefits if they keep supporting it.

13