NEW MEMBERSHIP

Introduction

As the first religious women to come toAustralia, in 1838, we have lived, prayed and served with the people of this county for 170 years. It has been a joy-filled privilege to be called to live this life for the glory of God, in the spirit of Jesus, and following the tradition bequeathed to us by out Foundress, Mary Aikenhead, who began the congregation in Dublin in 1815. Mary’s primary charim or “gift to the church’ was that of ‘service of the poor’; to this day, every Sister of Charity commits herself to this by taking a fourth vow, along with the usual religious vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.

Our spirituality combines this charism with our Ignatian tradition, chosen by Mary for her congregation on the basis of her own experience as a novice under the guidance of the Loreto sisters in York and the Jesuit friends who assisted her at each stage of her journey.

You can learn more about us on the pages that follow and, if you feel so inclined, to contact us for further information about our life and mission.

Meeting us and sharing something of our life

If you already feel some attraction to becoming a Sister of Charity, you may like to get in touch with the sister whose contact details are below. Alternately, you may already know one or more Sisters of Charity, either from school or from your present study and/or work. They will be happy to respond to your questions and to direct you to the next step, that of the Inquiry Stage.

Inquirer. As an inquirer, you will continue your usual life, home, study, work, social life, while you explore the possibility of a religious vocation. A Sister of Charity will walk with you during this time and you will have the chance to get to know us better.

Candidate. If it seems right for you and for the Sisters of Charity, you will be invited to become a candidate. While continuing to live independently, your normal life, job, study, friendships, you will be invited to pray and socialise with Sisters of Charity, and for some extended times, to live with one of our communities. This will give you the opportunity to share something of our life at close hand.

Novice. After some time as a candidate, you will move towards a more serious step of actually joining the congregation as a novice.

Other forms of membership

As well as welcoming young women who may be interested in joining us as Sisters of Charity, we are currently exploring new forms of membership. If you would like to be included in this conversation, you are invited to contact the sister whose contact details are given below.

Contact. For more information, you are welcome to contact:

Sister Anne Taylor RSC, anne.taylor@rscoffice.com