Advisory Council for Anglican Religious Life in Australia

AIM

The aim of the Advisory Council for Anglican Religious Life in Australia is to advise and inform the Bishops’ Conference of the Anglican Church on the Religious Life as lived in the communities and by individuals in Australia. Members of the religious communities and individuals living the Religious Life may receive from the Bishops’ Conference both advice and direction on the role of the Religious Life in the Anglican Church.

MEMBERSHIP

The Advisory Council consists of the following persons:

• A Chair from among the members of the Bishops’ Conference appointed by the Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia.
• A Bishop and two other persons appointed by the Bishops’ Conference, after consultation with the Advisory Council. The appointment is to be for five years and renewable.
• Leaders of Religious Communities recognised by the Advisory Council. Where leaders are not available they may appoint a member of their Community to represent them.
• Leaders of Anglican Religious Communities and any liaison Bishop outside Australia may be invited to share in the work of the Advisory Council.

The Advisory Council shall appoint from among its members a secretary and a treasurer.

OBSERVERS

• A member from the Australian Conference of Leaders of Religious Institutes [ACLRI] may be invited to attend meetings of the Council.
• The Advisory Council may invite representatives from Communities in formation at attend its meetings.

OBJECTIVES

1. To advise Bishops:
   1. in their oversight of Religious Communities and individual religious by providing them with the procedures for the accrediting and recognition of new expressions of Religious Life;
   2. on the protocol for receiving life vows;
   3. on any other person referred to it by a Bishop.
2. To be a clearing house for receiving, promoting and distributing information about the Religious Life.
3. To encourage relationships with those following other forms and expressions of Christian community living.
4. To sponsor and organise Religious Life conferences which embrace Religious Communities, individuals in vows, other interested parties in the Church, and religious groups from other Churches.
5. To encourage relationships with people living the Religious Life in other communions.
6. To assist in the nurturing of those who are living the Religious Life.
7. To raise the awareness of the Church that religious Life is an inherent part of the normal life of the Church.
8. To keep a record of Communities and individuals recognised by the Advisory Council.
9. To encourage relationships with other Advisory Councils within the Anglican Communion.

RECOGNITION OF RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES AND SINGLE CONSECRATED PERSONS

ACARLA has developed guidelines to advise Bishops in the Anglican Church of Australia on the recognition and acknowledgement of a religious community or a single person’s engagement with another form of religious life.

Chair:  Bishop Garry Weatherill
PO Box 89
Ballarat  VIC  3353
Phone:  0428 112 221
Email:  bishop@ballaratanglican.org.au