It’s a hard sell: no stock options, no bonus, no salary – and a requirement of celibacy. In other words how do you recruit a nun. The Benedictine Sisters of Ferdinand Indiana seem to have found a way.

A decade or so ago, church and ministry offices required redevelopment. They approached a hotel chain developer who had always assisted in the past. He and his advisors told the sisters that they were a group of old women who were getting older, dying off and with no new members, so why should he contribute when they had no future. His blunt reply along with waning members stung the sisters into action. They sought help from a marketing group.

They now promote their way of life in a different format. They had to include a new culture into their lives and needed to consider taking in divorced women and widows. They had to face the question why do we want new members? Before looking for new members they took themselves in hand. They strove to break down the barriers of suspicion and defensiveness and made room for dialogue and growth. They firmly believed that the role of the community was vital for the promotion of vocations.

Their enthusiasm has reclaimed their identity, with a sense of church and a sense of community. Hospitality, and a focus on mission, prayer and involving all members in the process assisted them to reverse the trend. They have been able to recruit new members and now their convent in Indiana is a world leader in “Awakening, Rebirth of Enthusiasm for Vocations. Regularly they run workshops for over 130 people to impart their ideas and tell their story. Quite a few Christian Brothers from various provinces have attended these workshops and have returned fired with enthusiasm for Seeking New Brothers.

In January next year the largest gathering of Christian Brothers in Australia will assemble in Brisbane to Discuss Outcomes of Shaping Our Future. It is hoped we will gain:-

• A renewed commitment to living prophetic lives and to further the mission of the congregation.

• A clearer sense of their identity as Christian Brothers and an ability to articulate this.

• A clearer idea where to focus their energies for mission.

• A deeper understanding of the SOFCO goals and process.

• A sense of general support for the emerging structure of the Oceania region.

A better knowledge of their Brothers and the issues of the wider Oceania region.

This process would appear similar to what the Ferdinand Sisters underwent. Yet they saw there was no use restoring old buildings and projects without new members. Are we missing something in not having a focus on, Seeking New Brothers in Australia and New Zealand, at the Assembly?

To badly misquote St Paul, “ If we have no new members we are no more than a gong booming or a cymbal clashing”.

Kevin Laws SPP.