Young adults will be able to continue their Ignatian formation as they enter university life with the opening of Jesuit House in Sydney. In this letter to the Province, Australian Provincial Fr Steve Curtin SJ says the house, part of The Cardoner Project, now has a community of young men living there and has begun functioning as a venue for formation and prayer, as well as socialising.
I am pleased to provide this update and fuller description of The Cardoner Project which complements and extends our outreach to young adults across the Province. Late last year I flagged our intention to expand The Cardoner Project and establish a base for it within the university precinct in inner-city Sydney. For some years parents, staff and past pupils of our schools have lamented the fact that most of our students on moving into the university world lose contact with the Church. The Cardoner Project is intended to engage especially with our past pupils as they transition to and move through their university studies. Fr David Braithwaite is my Assistant for Young Adult Ministry and Vocations and the founder and Director of The Cardoner Project.
Earlier this year the Province finalised the purchase of a property at 202 Broadway Chippendale which we have named Jesuit House. Since we took possession of the building, David and an army of generous volunteers have worked hard to get the project underway. Some building renovation work continues but the builders are able to work around the occupants. The Cardoner Project is thus being run with and for our former students with a clear aim to offer them a space for intellectual, spiritual and human formation. Its focus is on the centrality of service, especially to the poor, within the context of a living Catholic faith.
Central to the strategy of The Cardoner Project is a residential formation programme known as Bellarmine House and run on the upper floors of Jesuit House. This is not a residential vocations or candidacy programme nor a mini university college, but a 12-month intensive formation programme for a small group of committed young men while they are studying. They participate in the programme while living the lives of normal students. Already eight young men are living in the house. They have been carefully selected from a number of applicants and are committed to reaching out to fellow past pupils of our schools for service in the Church. The residence for the young men has a capacity of twelve. Their enthusiasm and leadership will help ensure the success of The Cardoner Project.
Jesuit House includes a four bedroom Jesuit flat whose occupants will form a satellite community of the Jesuit community of St Ignatius’ College, Riverview. For the past few months David Braithwaite as Director of The Cardoner Project has been the only Jesuit permanently in residence but Fr Steve Sinn is now providing further Jesuit presence and others will join David there next year. Fr Jack McLain, while living and working mainly at Riverview continues to assist David with particular projects and David continues his work as Vocations Director. David is also assisted by an Advisory Committee and an Executive Assistant, Mrs Merin Boyd.
Jesuit House is already functioning as a venue for discussion and prayer, as well as socialising. There is daily Mass for residents of Bellarmine House and other young adults join them for Mass once a week. Eventually there will be an Oratory on the lower ground floor. The ground floor is a place of relaxation and study for young adults during the day. They are welcome to gather there before and after lectures and a good number are already falling into this habit. Those studying in specific areas and visiting Jesuit House are already forming discussion groups and using the house as a venue for them, e.g. philosophy students discussing faith and reason; architecture students discussing the purpose and plans for the building; communications and journalism students planning a strategy for sharing the story of what is being done; computer science students planning IT and website needs, and so on. Jesuit House also acts as an office for planning a range of related activities. These include immersions overseas, longer-term volunteering overseas and local volunteering in various ministries. Jesuit House, Bellarmine House and the work of The Cardoner Project in general, will continue to build upon the good work of our schools.
The Cardoner Project is already making a valuable contribution to the formation of young adults for participation in the life and mission of the Church. There is a hunger among young people for formation for a stronger Catholic identity. Our activities are intended to complement the admirable efforts of others to keep young adults engaged with Church life. I wish to thank and congratulate David Braithwaite on all that he has been able to achieve in getting the project off the ground. Please support The Cardoner Project in any way you can. Please keep this ministry in your prayers along with all our other work with young adults across the Province, including our Vocations Ministry.
By Fr Steve Curtin SJ, Provincial
Source: Province Express