Working with the Aboriginal Catholic communities in Northern New South Wales, Australia is a relatively new initiative for the Society of Mary. Begun by Fr Bern Ryan, it builds on the Holy Father's call to the Australian Church, to welcome the richness of Aboriginal Spirituality and Culture, and is a collaborative venture between the Marist provinces of Australia, New Zealand and Oceania.

The purpose of this mission is to build a community, that is authentically Aboriginal and Catholic.

The team observes that as far as expectations go, their experience in ministry with Aboriginal people has been very much a case of relearning and adjusting to new cultural boundaries. Building relationships in the culture is a priority that comes before beginning any kind of ministry and the process of becoming known in the community is a slow one.

Bern Ryan says, "In the midst of so much historical and ongoing suffering, the challenge we face is to help people understand the dignity and value of themselves as Aboriginal. In this situation Fr Colin's remark - 'to build a new church,' seems to take on more of a literal meaning."

As part of building an Aboriginal and Catholic Church, the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry has begun a number of new projects which are mainly focused around building up and strengthening lay leadership within local Aboriginal Church communities. These include:

• Greater outreach especially in the northern areas
• ongoing healing from the effects of trauma and abuse - running Life Healing Journey Retreats and women's days
• supporting youth and mens groups initiatives
• hosting a bi-annual gathering of Elders
• the establishment of an Elders Council for the Diocese which is the authorising body for the ministry and represents the different Goori homelands in the diocese.
• continuing Gumbaynggir languages classes
• establishing counseling training for Kooris so they can help other Koori
• ministry training for Eucharistic ministers, lay leadership and bereavement ministry
• Sacramental preparation of children utilising family members as teachers.

In addition to the above projects, a major initiative has been the establishment of a theological training organisation specifically for Aboriginal people. The initiative has the support and blessing of the Aboriginal Catholic Elders Council and has attracted a lot of interest and enthusiasm within the communities.

Called LITE (Lismore Indigenous Theological Enterprise), it was formed in 2002 and is a partnership venture between the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry, the Catholic Education Office, the Catholic Elders Council and Nungalinya Ecumenical Theological College.

The courses offered by LITE are designed specifically for Aboriginal students and enable them to study scripture and theology from the perspective of their own culture and spirituality. The course also gives room for local input and a contribution from the local elders with their stories of the homelands of this diocese. Peter McDermott comments, "It is very much a theological process grounded within the local church."

There are four Marists working in the Aboriginal ministry:

• Bern Ryan who is like the “founding father” of the Marist presence here, and who has an “emeritus” status.
• Peter McDermott who has been with this work for two years and co-ordinates the courses and works with Colleen Rhodes a mercy sister
• Paul Sullivan who is an Australian Marist who has significant experience working with Koori and who has until recently been working in the Northern Territiry in Alcohol Awareness and Family recovery programmes.
• Mika Cilicewa a Marist from Fiji. Mika has worked in the Solomons and Rotuma.
• Brian Prendeville who has been working with the Maori people in the Far North of New Zealand for the past fifteen years.

Bern, Peter, Paul and Mika work alongside a Sister of Mercy, a Josephite Sister and a Christian Brother, and together they form the Lismore Diocese Religious Team.

Peter concludes saying, "In a world of so many great emotional highs and lows we try to keep an even keel on a rather rickety ship – we do a lot of bailing out at times but also a lot of exhilarating work battling high seas and following winds, knowing that it is not so much the destination that matters as the journey."