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How does the Catholic community understand and commit to the mission of Jesus today? What might missional discipleship look like “on the ground”?
Mission in Practice addresses these questions. It assists educators to enhance vision and commitment through reflection on their current practice. It also provides an introduction to the scriptural foundations of mission and to normative Catholic teaching. As did Jesus in his time and place, this Educator’s Guide contains an invitation to renew vision and hope, and to enter deeply into the grand adventure of missional discipleship in today’s world.
THE EDUCATOR’S GUIDES SERIES
• The Mission and Education Project of BBI-TAITE is divided into three series: the Exploratory Studies, the Monographs, and the Educator’s Guides.
• The Educator’s Guides are designed to provide easily accessible information on mission practice within Catholic Education.
• They are written by some of Australia’s leading Catholic educators who have accepted the challenge of writing at an introductory level in their field of expertise.
• Excellent mission work is currently being done by Catholic educators. The Educator’s Guides draw on and celebrate this work in a spirit of mutual support and dialogue.
This is another stimulating book by Jim and Therese D’Orsa, working with Australian Catholic educators. The authors challenge us to choose a missionary approach to education, to open ourselves out to the wider Australian society in which we live and to dialogue with its culture. This is especially critical while we are preparing for the Plenary Council 2020 because the temptation is to be introspective: to discuss and plan how we can transform the Church. I hope that in the process we will become a more transparent, accountable and participative church. However, if that is all, then we will have failed because we will have failed to be church. As church, we are to be sign and servant of the Kingdom of God. Our vocation is to seek it out, to celebrate and build on it wherever we find it. This Guide invites us to this exciting call.”
-Fr Noel Connolly is a Columban missionary priest and a member of the Columban Mission Institute. He is Head of and Lecturer in Mission and Culture at BBI – The Australian Institute of Theological Education and also lectures in mission at the Catholic Institute of Sydney.
THE AUTHORS
Jim D’Orsa’s contributions to Catholic education include teaching and senior leadership in Catholic schools and systems. He pioneered the preparation of lay leaders to take responsibility for the vision and mission of colleges, and has extensive experience in reviewing large systems and in pastoral planning. Jim is currently associate professor at BBI-TAITE where he specialises in teaching, research and writing in the areas of mission, leadership and theology.
Therese D’Orsa is currently Professor of Mission and Culture at BBI-TAITE. She has a long experience of leadership in schools and school systems, and in adult education, and has taught in a range of tertiary institutions, both universities and theologates. Therese has led major projects in mission, education and justice. She has written widely on mission and education and has pioneered the Mission and Education project of which she is the Commissioning Editor.
Audrey Brown has been Director of Catholic Education for the Diocese of Ballarat since 2012. She has been a teacher, teacher coach, principal and principal coach, all in regional Victoria. A lifelong learner who has engaged in study and research throughout her career, Audrey has post-graduate qualifications in educational leadership, Religious Education, theology, education law and educational system leadership.
John Meneely is currently Deputy Director of Catholic Education in the Diocese of Ballarat. He has extensive experience in faith leadership at both school and system level. John has a passion for religious education that is reflective of the authentic dialogue between faith and culture and has been involved in curriculum development in this field for fifteen years.
