149. Anne Dowling - 14 January 2024

Australian Women Preach

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time - John 1:35-42

In recent years Anne Dowliong discovered that she is autistic and has ADHD which made sense of many of her struggles and ways of being in the world. She delights in being an aunt and great aunt.

After many years as a Senior Pastoral Associate and as a Deanery Resource Coordinator Anne is no longer in paid employment. She has a number of roles in the Union of Catholic Apostolate (Pallottine Family) (UAC) in Australia. She’s a member of the Leadership Team of the Association of Pastoral Ministry Leaders – Melbourne and a member of Catalyst for Renewal.

In 1983 Anne began formation with the Mariana Community, an autonomous secular group within the UAC. It was founded in Melbourne in 1957 by lay women who wanted to strive to live a life of love in and for the world.

Her consecration was in 1987 – the year she volunteered at Pallotti College Millgrove.

For many years Anne studied part time while teaching in Catholic Primary Schools, including five years as a Principal, and then ministering as a Pastoral Associate in parishes. Her studies were in education, theology and ministry. 1986 was full-time at the National Pastoral Institute. In 1996 Anne had a different experience of Church, commissioned as Pastoral Leader of two parishes without a resident priest in Townsville Diocese. Anne participates in a group with an exercise physiologist, gardens, reads, barracks for the Magpies and the Cowboys, and on X tries to engage in polite conversation with Rad Trads.