Plenary Council 2020

PLENARY COUNCIL NEWS: September 2021

With just 2 weeks to go before the First Assembly of the Plenary Council, Bishop Greg has asked for the prayers of everyone in the Diocese as the representatives of our Diocese undertake training and formation.

Our representative members are – Bishop Greg Bennet, Fr Peter Slater (VG), Fr Denis O’Bryan (EV), Mrs Katherine Jelavic and Mrs Lize Privetera.

Please keep our representatives and the whole Catholic community in Australia in your prayers as this Council approaches.

In this year of St Joseph, let us turn to him to intercede for us as we journey together.

Most Reverend Greg Bennet

PLENARY COUNCIL NEWS: June 2020

Six Discernment & Writing Groups, one for each of the six national themes were tasked with writing papers to bring some major themes and issues into focus.The papers are an important contribution to the Church in Australia’s ongoing discernment towards the Plenary Council.

They will be foundational to the next stage of discernment toward the Plenary council –the development of the working paper, or Instrumentum Laboris –and ultimately the agenda for the Council assemblies.

To read the papers, the fruits of the labours of so many throughout Australia, please go to https://cathnews.com/cathnews/38106-discernment-papers-help-sharpen-focus-for-plenary-council?

The second stage of preparation for the Plenary Council begins soon. Until Ash Wednesday next year, Listening & Discernment process from the faithful on the six National Plenary Themes, will help shape the agenda for the first session of the Plenary Council.

Wednesday November 27th – Prayerful and Eucharistic daytime session.

Thursday December 12th - A joyful, hope filled and servant community evening session.

Sunday December 15th - Humble, healing and merciful after morning mass.

Details available on the posters, handout and sign-up sheets at the church entrances.

THE NEXT STEP:

All parishioners are warmly invited to attend the training session for animators or facilitators for this next stage of our discussions. The workshop will be held on Tuesday October 08 in the Mary MacKillop Hall -  7:30-9:30pm.

PLENARY COUNCIL 2020 : Call For Delegates

The Diocesan Assembly is coming up in September. Our parish has been allocated 10 delegate places. Please consider applying.

Details on the posters displayed in the church.

Plenary 2020 Discussion Parish Reading Guide

Reading Notes for St. Michael’s Parishioners, December 2018

This record of Plenary discussions has been confirmed by several members of the Parish Plenary
Committee as accurate.
Over 200 parishioners have had a voice… the majority on the Plenary Wall. A smaller but significant
number entered into extended dialogue at the luncheon and afternoon tea meetings. The Prayer
Group was the largest group to have extended discussions.

Trends

A cursory glance reveals what is on the hearts of parishioners… some of the issues are

  • A welcoming church
  • Upholding the Traditions (large T)
  • Inclusiveness
  • The role of women
  • Support for Young People
  • Broadening Sacramental authority (e.g. priesthood: who &how)
  • Centrality of Jesus and his Gospel
  • Parish Participation & Cohesion
  • Sunday liturgy… (e.g. language, music)
  • Ecology & the Christian response
  • Ecumenism
  • Evangelisation
  • Prayer & Sacraments

Reflection

Perhaps there are no surprises in this list. I would point out that there are two distinct groups of insights and suggestions for further action.

There are some things we as a parish can do nothing about (e.g. Married priests)… we send these concerns and suggestions into the organising committee for national discernment and discussion. There are, however, many concerns and suggestions in the record which we can actually start working on or continue to strengthen right here and right now (e.g. Support for the Young of the Parish)

If we were to sum up the parish possibilities for action I suggest we could do no better than to check out the Plenary Wall Comment on the last page of the Plenary Discussions Record… go to the seventh dot point: Love within yourself & to others… compassion to others and to all… understanding of The Word… giving of yourself… assist more with charity.

I believe that this is a fabulously powerful tool for Parish Renewal… a central document for all of us to carefully consider and act upon. A prayerful reading of this record of what is on the hearts of our parish members will inform opportunities for personal action. We are all called to co-responsibility for the health and vitality of the life of the parish and the church community.

Please click here for the full report.

Mike Hansen, convener of the Parish Plenary 2020 Committee