Celebrating the Journey Together

On Friday and Saturday last week, 10-11 Oct, I attended the second session of the Archdiocesan Synod at Holy Spirit Seminary in Banyo, Brisbane. The two sessions of the synod in September and October were designed to make concrete decisions regarding the implementation of eight decrees of the Plenary Council (2021-2022). Following the completion of the Plenary Council, all dioceses in Australia were required to hold a synod and it is notable that our diocese was among the first to complete this important task.

The synod was comprised of approximately 140 voting members who, sitting at round tables of 6-8 people, engaged in a discernment process called Conversations in the Spirit. This deliberate approach to discernment, which leads to decision making, acknowledges and seeks the voice of the Spirit in each member’s sharing of both what they heard in their prayer, and what they heard in the group. Among the action items within each decree were important decisions that dealt with contemporary issues which, when they filter down to parish level, will have a positive impact such as Witnessing to the equal dignity of women and men, Formation and Leadership for Mission and Ministry, and Governance at the service of communion and participation.

From a process point of view, it is important to note that while all the actions were endorsed by the members – with only two needing to be re-written – they are then given to the archbishop to ratify and make decisions around the timing of implementation. Archbishop Mark, in his closing address to the synod, reiterated his confidence in the actions themselves, and made a plea for patience as many of the actions require a significant allocation of time and resources to make them a reality. One example of this will be the availability of training to introduce the leadership ministries of Lector, Acolyte and Catechist – previously reserved as steppingstones towards ordination – for lay people in parishes. These ministries will be valuable as we look to the future and seek to ensure that lay people with charisms for leadership in different areas receive training.

In his closing remarks at the synod, Archbishop Mark asks us “How might we embed and inculcate Conversations in the Spirit across the entire Archdiocese?” This is something which will become familiar in our parish very soon. In the context of my announcement on page three of the printed newsletter, we will be holding a series of Conversations in the Spirit in each worshipping community over the next 3 months.  These conversations (with 8-10 community representatives) will take place in the larger context of a broad consultation to the entire parish about how we can be on mission together. Here I am reminded of Pope Francis’ vision for our Church:

“I dream of a ‘missionary option,’ that is, a missionary impulse capable of transforming everything, so that the Church’s customs, ways of doing things, times and schedules, language and structures, can be suitably channelled for the evangelization of today’s world rather than for her self-preservation” (emphasis added).

Friends, these are indeed interesting times for us in our parish. We will face challenges to make decisions which, rather than for our self-preservation, will lead to our growing capacity to engage in what we have been baptized to do: make disciples – followers of Jesus. I invite your prayers as we journey on together in a spirit of synodality.

Peace and blessings, Fr Josh.