Internationally renowned theologian and missiologist Fr Roger Schroeder SVD was in Australia recently, presenting a range of workshops on interculturality and spending time with a diverse range of people in SVD ministries in Sydney, Alice Springs, the Tiwi Islands and Brisbane.

During the first half of his time in Australia, he gave two talks and a day workshop around the theme of interculturality, which has been the central theme for the SVD and SSpS since their General Chapters of 2012 and 2018, respectively.

“However, the roots of interculturality can be traced back to the founding generations of Arnold Janssen, Wilhelm Schmidt, Josef Freinademetz, and Theresia Messner,” he said.

“Meeting the on-going challenge of interculturality—mutually enriching and challenging relationships among those who are different from us—is a key element of the charism of the Arnoldus Family, and it is urgently needed not only in the life and mission of the SVD/SSpS, but as well for all religious congregations, dioceses, parishes, and the entire human family. All are called to witness to and build up God’s family through unity in diversity.”

Fr Roger, who is the Louis J. Luzbetak SVD Professor of Mission and Culture, Professor of Intercultural Studies and Mission at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago,  delivered presentations to a wide range of audiences - SVD and the wider network of Mission Education and Research (MER) participants, religious and lay persons in Alice Springs, and international priests ministering in Australia during the five-day acculturation program organised by Bishop Tim Norton in Brisbane.

His online MER presentation was on the theme, ‘Prophetic Dialogue and Interculturality’.

“I enjoyed engaging the diverse experiences, reflections and questions during the formal talks, and more importantly, during the informal one-on-one conversations. This was interculturality in practice,” he said.

Bishop Tim said it was wonderful having a theologian of Fr Roger’s stature present on interculturality to a workshop for overseas priests, which he was hosting in Brisbane.

The gathering included six diocesan priests from various dioceses and others from religious orders who have recently arrived in Australia for ministry.

“We know that people who have assistance when they transition to a new country and culture do so much better than those who don’t,” Bishop Tim said.

Fr Roger delivered three sessions on acculturation on the theme of ‘Moving into Someone Else’s Garden’.

“The presentations looked at the internal dynamics of entering another culture in another context,” Bishop Tim said.

“They were lucky – Roger is one of the foremost experts in this field in the world, so it was great to be able to learn from him. But we also spoke about how much we appreciate what they bring and that we need to be learning from them.

“And of course, this kind of interculturality work is work our Australian clergy need to do as well, because we understand so little about our cultural identity and are not nearly as able to articulate our cultural heritage as others, so it’s a two-way street.”

Fr Roger said he also enjoyed spending time with indigenous communities during his visit.

“I have been accompanying and learning from indigenous persons for many years---six years in PNG, over 30 years with the Lakota Native Americans, and a number of encounters with Australia’s Aboriginal people over the years,” he said.

“During this third time in Alice Springs, I had the opportunity to learn more about the current and potential ministry with aboriginals in Alice Springs and I had my first taste of kangaroo tail. My visit to Tiwi Island allowed me the opportunity to learn about an Indigenous community which is quite different from mainland Aboriginal people.”

Fr Prakash Menezes SVD, Parish Priest of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart parish in Alice Springs, said Fr Roger’s visit was enriching for all those who attended his two presentations on ‘Engaging our Diversity as Christians’.

“It was great to have Fr Roger here. He wanted to touch base following his 2016 visit when he delivered a seminar in Alice Springs on ‘Listening to Indigenous Theologies’. This visit was an opportunity to meet the people he had met before and reconnect with them,” Fr Prakash said.

“While here he gave a workshop for members of the parish and the wider Alice community.”

Fr Prakash said that the audience included an Anglican minister, some Religious and some lay people, as well as some watching online.

“The session gave a new perspective about mission and how to enter into dialogue when we move into new mission territory,” he said.

“The emphasis on interculturality and living interculturally was a real eye-opener for our parishioners, especially when he explored how Jesus entered into dialogue with people of other cultures. It really gave some good insights which will be valuable in our intercultural context.”

His brief visit to the Tiwi Islands, where the SVD has recently taken up ministry, included a visit to the museum and an opportunity to learn about the history and culture of Tiwi Islanders.

Fr Roger said he was most interested to hear the national discussion going on in the lead-up to the Voice referendum.

“The most important take away for me was to learn about the upcoming referendum, which I have also shared with colleagues engaged with indigenous peoples of North America,” he said. “The United States has much to learn from Australia’s bold and just proposal.”

He said he was also pleased to be able to renew past relationships with SVD and other very good friends, and to meet many new people.

PHOTOS

TOP RIGHT: Fr Roger delivering a presentation in Alice Springs during his visit to Australia.

BOTTOM LEFT: Fr Roger learning about the history and culture of the Tiwi Islanders wtih Sr Anne Gardiner OLSH who has ministered in the islands for many years and was the 2017 Senior Australian of the Year.