2007 Retreat Team

FR. TERRY NAUGHTON MSC
(Retreat Team)

I was born in Allora in 1939, a little rural town in the Darling Downs of SE Queensland. My early schooling was in Warwick with the Sisters of Mercy and the Christian Brothers to whom I carry a big debt of gratitude.

In 1956, I entered the apostolic school in Douglas Park. After the novitiate, I studied at Croydon and Canberra and was ordained in Toowoomba in 1966.

My first posting was to Daramalan College in Canberra as a scholastic in 1962 which was the opening year of the College. After ordination I returned as Assistant Principal to the Junior School. With Frank Anderson MSC and Tony Caruana MSC I was heavily involved in parent groups; father/son camps; twilight retreats for parents and retreats for religious.

After discernment it was decided that in 1979, I would do a year’s study at the Institute of Spirituality in Berkeley, California.

I then went to Chevalier College Bowral, NSW in 1980, where I was again assistant principal for the junior school for 18 months.

I was appointed to the formation of MSC pre-novices until 1985. In the early stages of this time I did Siloam under Brian Gallagher MSC and Sue Richardson in Melbourne. At the final stages of my time as director of pre-novitiate, I went to Guelph in Canada and did the Exercises of Ignatius and the subsequent workshop for directors. This was preparation for my next appointment as director of the novitiate which was from 1987 to 1996. During this time, I did the course on Contemplative Spiritual Direction by Bill Connelly SJ and Madeline Burningham.

In 1997, I wheeled my books across the lawn to the Retreat House where I have delighted in working with committed people ever since.

In 2005 during my sabbatical, I travelled to Chicago where I was able to work with Peter Campbell MSC (founder of the Life’s Healing Journey Retreat) and then in Portland Oregon with Armand Nigro SJ who had a big impact on the post Vatican 2 Australian church. I was also able to do a course on the Spirituality of Diocesan priests with George Ashenbrenner SJ at Creighton University, Omaha Nebraska.

I am very happy to finish my ministerial life here at Douglas Park unless the Holy Spirit nudges me further!

DR. KERRIE HIDE PhDTheol
(Retreat Team)

God’s invitation to me to be a spiritual director is something I cherish dearly.

In this silent sacred place, St Mary’s Towers, I desire to be with the team in a way that enables us to create a safe, warm, hospitable place where those who come can enter their hearts, sink deep roots into the silence and stillness of God, experience God’s healing love and come to know more and more profoundly that they are one with God.

I trained as a spiritual director at Fordham University in the 1980’s and have been engaged in the wonderful art of spiritual direction for twenty years.

I have been formed theologically and spiritually initially by the writing of Julian of Norwich, and in more recent years the author of the Cloud of Unknowing. I have a delight in drawing from the rich tradition of Christian mystics.

I have also had the great honour of assisting in creating a new generation of spiritual directors through teaching in the master’s spiritual direction program at Australian Catholic University.

As a spiritual director I seek to listen with the ear of the heart with an emptiness that waits upon God, knowing that in time and in the spirit of deep listening and quiet stillness God’s desire for each of us and for the universe will become clear.

The words of Elizabeth of the Trinity help give voice to my longing:

I desire to be all silence,
All adoration,
To penetrate deeper and deeper into God
And be so filled with God
That I may by my prayer
give God to those who cannot find God.

FR. CHRIS CHAPLIN MSC
(Retreat House Director)

I am often asked, "do you like working at the Retreat Centre?" Each day I am graced to sit with Retreatants and their God, and be in the profoundly privileged position of listening to their intimacy, struggles, pain, joy, and the whole range of human experience and divine responses; Yes, I think I could say I like it. Watching God at work in people is awesome and humbling. Watching how people risk opening themselves to God is miraculous.

God's abundance is never far away. Growing up in Adelaide near the sea helped me appreciate that and so my one deep desire has been to seek, and be with, that abundant God.

I was professed a Missionary of the Sacred Heart in 1987 and ordained a year later. My first appointment was to Nightcliff parish, Darwin. I trained in Transpersonal and Emotional Release Counselling, graduating in 1998. I find TERC a great asset to the work of spiritual direction and awe at the healing process.

In 1994 I completed my formal training as a spiritual director with the Siloam program (Heart of Life Spirituality Centre - Melbourne).

While participating in Siloam my yearning for "the one for whom my heart longs" became more intense, and through discernment, began to recognise God's desire for me and a call to live as a solitary contemplative.

I was appointed to the MSC Education Retreat Team, travelling to our MSC Secondary Colleges conducting student and staff retreats.

In 1997 I moved into the solitary contemplative life, at "Glastonbury" hermitage, in the hinterland on the mid-north NSW coast. What a gracious time of listening. What blessed years of learning about prayer and the inner life.

I was called to work in Fiji as a spiritual director in 2000. I was soon co-opted to work in formation of Religious with local seminarians and brother candidates.

Returning from Fiji in 2006 I took up spiritual direction at St. Mary's Towers. I was appointed Director of the Retreat House at the beginning of 2007.

As with our retreatants I find "the joy of being saturated with the presence of God" in this peaceful God-place and with these committed God-people.

FR. PAUL BRENNAN MSC
(Part Time)


FR. TERRY NAUGHTON MSC (Retreat Team) I was born in Allora in 1939, a little rural town in the Darling Downs of SE Queensland. My early schooling was in Warwick with the Sisters of Mercy and the Christian Brothers to whom I carry a big debt of gratitude. In 1956, I entered the apostolic school in Douglas Park. After the novitiate, I studied at Croydon and Canberra and was ordained in Toowoomba in 1966. My first posting was to Daramalan College in Canberra as a scholastic in 1962 which was the opening year of the College. After ordination I returned as Assistant Principal to the Junior School. With Frank Anderson MSC and Tony Caruana MSC I was heavily involved in parent groups; father/son camps; twilight retreats for parents and retreats for religious. After discernment it was decided that in 1979, I would do a year’s study at the Institute of Spirituality in Berkeley, California. I then went to Chevalier College Bowral, NSW in 1980, where I was again assistant principal for the junior school for 18 months. I was appointed to the formation of MSC pre-novices until 1985. In the early stages of this time I did Siloam under Brian Gallagher MSC and Sue Richardson in Melbourne. At the final stages of my time as director of pre-novitiate, I went to Guelph in Canada and did the Exercises of Ignatius and the subsequent workshop for directors. This was preparation for my next appointment as director of the novitiate which was from 1987 to 1996. During this time, I did the course on Contemplative Spiritual Direction by Bill Connelly SJ and Madeline Burningham. In 1997, I wheeled my books across the lawn to the Retreat House where I have delighted in working with committed people ever since. In 2005 during my sabbatical, I travelled to Chicago where I was able to work with Peter Campbell MSC (founder of the Life’s Healing Journey Retreat) and then in Portland Oregon with Armand Nigro SJ who had a big impact on the post Vatican 2 Australian church. I was also able to do a course on the Spirituality of Diocesan priests with George Ashenbrenner SJ at Creighton University, Omaha Nebraska. I am very happy to finish my ministerial life here at Douglas Park unless the Holy Spirit nudges me further!	DR. KERRIE HIDE PhDTheol (Retreat Team) God’s invitation to me to be a spiritual director is something I cherish dearly. In this silent sacred place, St Mary’s Towers, I desire to be with the team in a way that enables us to create a safe, warm, hospitable place where those who come can enter their hearts, sink deep roots into the silence and stillness of God, experience God’s healing love and come to know more and more profoundly that they are one with God. I trained as a spiritual director at Fordham University in the 1980’s and have been engaged in the wonderful art of spiritual direction for twenty years. I have been formed theologically and spiritually initially by the writing of Julian of Norwich, and in more recent years the author of the Cloud of Unknowing. I have a delight in drawing from the rich tradition of Christian mystics. I have also had the great honour of assisting in creating a new generation of spiritual directors through teaching in the master’s spiritual direction program at Australian Catholic University. As a spiritual director I seek to listen with the ear of the heart with an emptiness that waits upon God, knowing that in time and in the spirit of deep listening and quiet stillness God’s desire for each of us and for the universe will become clear. The words of Elizabeth of the Trinity help give voice to my longing: I desire to be all silence, All adoration, To penetrate deeper and deeper into God And be so filled with God That I may by my prayer give God to those who cannot find God.	FR. CHRIS CHAPLIN MSC (Retreat House Director) I am often asked, "do you like working at the Retreat Centre?" Each day I am graced to sit with Retreatants and their God, and be in the profoundly privileged position of listening to their intimacy, struggles, pain, joy, and the whole range of human experience and divine responses; Yes, I think I could say I like it. Watching God at work in people is awesome and humbling. Watching how people risk opening themselves to God is miraculous. God's abundance is never far away. Growing up in Adelaide near the sea helped me appreciate that and so my one deep desire has been to seek, and be with, that abundant God. I was professed a Missionary of the Sacred Heart in 1987 and ordained a year later. My first appointment was to Nightcliff parish, Darwin. I trained in Transpersonal and Emotional Release Counselling, graduating in 1998. I find TERC a great asset to the work of spiritual direction and awe at the healing process. In 1994 I completed my formal training as a spiritual director with the Siloam program (Heart of Life Spirituality Centre - Melbourne). While participating in Siloam my yearning for "the one for whom my heart longs" became more intense, and through discernment, began to recognise God's desire for me and a call to live as a solitary contemplative. I was appointed to the MSC Education Retreat Team, travelling to our MSC Secondary Colleges conducting student and staff retreats. In 1997 I moved into the solitary contemplative life, at "Glastonbury" hermitage, in the hinterland on the mid-north NSW coast. What a gracious time of listening. What blessed years of learning about prayer and the inner life. I was called to work in Fiji as a spiritual director in 2000. I was soon co-opted to work in formation of Religious with local seminarians and brother candidates. Returning from Fiji in 2006 I took up spiritual direction at St. Mary's Towers. I was appointed Director of the Retreat House at the beginning of 2007. As with our retreatants I find "the joy of being saturated with the presence of God" in this peaceful God-place and with these committed God-people.	FR. PAUL BRENNAN MSC (Part Time)