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Plenary Council 2020/2021
New Plenary Council Timeline
From Plenary Post 27, Thursday 27 August 2020
With all the date changes that have taken place with the rescheduling of
the Plenary assemblies, a new timeline has been developed to help people
understand the next couple of years of the Council journey.......Timeline HERE
Church Governance
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Media Release, Saturday 22 August 2020
One of the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was that the Catholic Church in Australia conduct a review of diocesan and parish governance and management. The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and Catholic Religious Australia accepted that recommendation and the Implementation Advisory Group was tasked with conducting and presenting that review.
The Implementation Advisory Group established the Governance Review Project Team to lead the review. The GRPT presented a version of the report to the Bishops Conference and Catholic Religious Australia in May 2020. That version, which was not the final version, was leaked and published.
That version was subsequently amended, making a number of corrections and clarifications. The final version of the report, entitled The Light from the Southern Cross: Promoting Co-Responsible Governance in the Catholic Church in Australia, was presented to the Bishops Conference and Catholic Religious Australia in mid-August 2020. The report was published online on August 21, 2020, along with an accompanying Reading Guide.
Click here to access a Reading Guide, which people are encouraged to read before the report.
Click here to access The Light from the Southern Cross.
Working Document Next Step on Plenary Council Journey
Extract from Gavin Abraham, Media release, Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, 30 July 2020
The working document – or instrumentum laboris – for the Plenary Council will provide a constant reminder of the need for deep and ongoing discernment of God’s will for the Church, the Council’s president has said. Work recently began on the development of the instrumentum laboris, with the document drawing heavily on the first two preparatory phases of the Council journey: Listening and Dialogue and Listening and Discernment. The voices of more than 220,000 people across the country, as well as discernment and writing papers on each of the six National Themes for Discernment, are being considered alongside Church teaching, Scripture, papal documents and a range of other sources – within and beyond the Church – in preparing the instrumentum laboris. Plenary Council president Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB pointed to a national review of parish and diocesan governance, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and the COVID-19 pandemic as some of those sources.......(MORE)
Extract from Gavin Abraham, Media release, Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, 30 July 2020
The working document – or instrumentum laboris – for the Plenary Council will provide a constant reminder of the need for deep and ongoing discernment of God’s will for the Church, the Council’s president has said. Work recently began on the development of the instrumentum laboris, with the document drawing heavily on the first two preparatory phases of the Council journey: Listening and Dialogue and Listening and Discernment. The voices of more than 220,000 people across the country, as well as discernment and writing papers on each of the six National Themes for Discernment, are being considered alongside Church teaching, Scripture, papal documents and a range of other sources – within and beyond the Church – in preparing the instrumentum laboris. Plenary Council president Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB pointed to a national review of parish and diocesan governance, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and the COVID-19 pandemic as some of those sources.......(MORE)
Australian Catholics’ sensus fidei: Priority Issues for the Plenary Council.
This
report is based on detailed analysis of of the 28 Diocesan Reports
which analysed both the respondents in each territorial diocese and the
content of their submissions in response to the ACBC May 2018 question
"What do you think God is asking of us in Australia at this time?" Its
aim was “to listen to the voice of God speaking through the voices of
the people and to gain a sense of their faith (sensus fidei)”........(See report HERE)
Responses to the 6 Plenary Council Discernment themes available
Monday 1 June 2020
A 'user-friendly' webpage for downloading responses to the 6 Plenary Council Discernment themes has been published on the Plenary Council website HERE. Note that Submissions have been de-identified and individual responses have been recorded, but are removed from public viewing. The Plenary Council team would like to remind everyone to read the guidelines for Communal Discernment well and to note its difference from the Listening and Dialogue phase before making a group response. The 6 Papers prepared by the Writing and Discernment Groups are available HERE
Monday 1 June 2020
A 'user-friendly' webpage for downloading responses to the 6 Plenary Council Discernment themes has been published on the Plenary Council website HERE. Note that Submissions have been de-identified and individual responses have been recorded, but are removed from public viewing. The Plenary Council team would like to remind everyone to read the guidelines for Communal Discernment well and to note its difference from the Listening and Dialogue phase before making a group response. The 6 Papers prepared by the Writing and Discernment Groups are available HERE
Most prominent issues for the Plenary Council agenda
Extract from Peter Wilkinson, The Swag, Vol. 28, No. 2, Winter 2020, republished here with permission from The Swag, 27 May 2020
New research into the written submissions to the Plenary Council shows that among the issues raised, some are more prominent than others.
Listening and Dialogue: Preparations for the Plenary Council began in May 2018 with a ‘Listening and Dialogue’ phase aimed at “listening to the voice of God speaking through the voices of the people” and “gaining a sense of their faith” (sensus fidei). Australian Catholics, and others, were invited to reflect on and respond to the question: What do you think God is asking of us in Australia at this time? By 13 March 2019 over 220,000 persons, mostly Catholics, had responded in 12,758 individual and 4,699 group submissions. The National Centre for Pastoral Research (NCPR) subsequently published several reports on both their content and authors. It found individual respondents were: more female (49%) than male (29%); slightly more numerous in the older age groups (23% - 15-29 yrs; 22% - 30-59 yrs; 32% - 60-80+ yrs); predominantly Australian-born (65%) but with very few indigenous (143); more from non-English-speaking countries (11%) than from other English-speaking countries (6%); predominantly Catholic (72%); other Christians (3%) and non-Christians (1%); significantly regular Mass attenders (76%); and most numerous from Brisbane (1890), Melbourne (1649), Wollongong (1244), Sydney (1103), and Perth (1082).......research paper on most prominent issues HERE
Extract from Peter Wilkinson, The Swag, Vol. 28, No. 2, Winter 2020, republished here with permission from The Swag, 27 May 2020
New research into the written submissions to the Plenary Council shows that among the issues raised, some are more prominent than others.
Listening and Dialogue: Preparations for the Plenary Council began in May 2018 with a ‘Listening and Dialogue’ phase aimed at “listening to the voice of God speaking through the voices of the people” and “gaining a sense of their faith” (sensus fidei). Australian Catholics, and others, were invited to reflect on and respond to the question: What do you think God is asking of us in Australia at this time? By 13 March 2019 over 220,000 persons, mostly Catholics, had responded in 12,758 individual and 4,699 group submissions. The National Centre for Pastoral Research (NCPR) subsequently published several reports on both their content and authors. It found individual respondents were: more female (49%) than male (29%); slightly more numerous in the older age groups (23% - 15-29 yrs; 22% - 30-59 yrs; 32% - 60-80+ yrs); predominantly Australian-born (65%) but with very few indigenous (143); more from non-English-speaking countries (11%) than from other English-speaking countries (6%); predominantly Catholic (72%); other Christians (3%) and non-Christians (1%); significantly regular Mass attenders (76%); and most numerous from Brisbane (1890), Melbourne (1649), Wollongong (1244), Sydney (1103), and Perth (1082).......research paper on most prominent issues HERE
Plenary Council assemblies set for 2021 and 2022
The two assemblies for the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia will now take place in October 2021 and April 2022, following the disruption of the original schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Extract from CathNews, ACBC Media Blog, 21 May 2020
The two assemblies for the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia will now take place in October 2021 and April 2022, following the disruption of the original schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference last week decided to postpone the opening assembly by 12 months, with it now to be held in October 2021. Adelaide remains the venue for the first assembly. The second assembly will be in Sydney in April 2022. “Mindful of the ongoing challenges of COVID-19, it was felt that delaying the first assembly by a full year would provide some certainty that travel and social distancing guidelines will have been lifted for the assembly,” said Plenary Council President Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB. “Just as importantly, we believe that period of time will allow for an adequate period of preparation for the delegates and the Catholic community. “The postponement was an unfortunate speed bump on the Church’s path to the Plenary Council assemblies, but we are committed to using this extra time wisely.” Plenary Council facilitator Lana Turvey-Collins said the continuing preparation for the Council will take on some new characteristics, shaped by the experience of the pandemic. “A program of webinars, podcasts and other multimedia projects will be rolled out in the latter half of 2020 to help the People of God explore and share about how they respond to the Spirit and live out their own call to mission – as individuals and collectively,” she said. “The material will be both formative and dialogical to help parishes, families, workplaces and other Catholic communities and organisations consider the unique contribution they make to the life and mission of the Church.” The next step on that journey will come next week at Pentecost, when the papers prepared by the Discernment and Writing Groups will be released...(more). Photo: ACBC 20200521
The two assemblies for the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia will now take place in October 2021 and April 2022, following the disruption of the original schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Extract from CathNews, ACBC Media Blog, 21 May 2020
The two assemblies for the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia will now take place in October 2021 and April 2022, following the disruption of the original schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference last week decided to postpone the opening assembly by 12 months, with it now to be held in October 2021. Adelaide remains the venue for the first assembly. The second assembly will be in Sydney in April 2022. “Mindful of the ongoing challenges of COVID-19, it was felt that delaying the first assembly by a full year would provide some certainty that travel and social distancing guidelines will have been lifted for the assembly,” said Plenary Council President Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB. “Just as importantly, we believe that period of time will allow for an adequate period of preparation for the delegates and the Catholic community. “The postponement was an unfortunate speed bump on the Church’s path to the Plenary Council assemblies, but we are committed to using this extra time wisely.” Plenary Council facilitator Lana Turvey-Collins said the continuing preparation for the Council will take on some new characteristics, shaped by the experience of the pandemic. “A program of webinars, podcasts and other multimedia projects will be rolled out in the latter half of 2020 to help the People of God explore and share about how they respond to the Spirit and live out their own call to mission – as individuals and collectively,” she said. “The material will be both formative and dialogical to help parishes, families, workplaces and other Catholic communities and organisations consider the unique contribution they make to the life and mission of the Church.” The next step on that journey will come next week at Pentecost, when the papers prepared by the Discernment and Writing Groups will be released...(more). Photo: ACBC 20200521
Historic review of Church governance presented to leaders
Media Release, Gavin Abraham, Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, May 18 2020
The Australian Catholic bishops have welcomed a report into Catholic Church governance practices and possible reforms, which was presented to them shortly before last week’s plenary meeting. The report, entitled The Light from the Southern Cross: Promoting Co-responsible Governance in the Catholic Church in Australia,was commissioned by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference following a recommendation of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The report is 200 pages long and includes 86 recommendations.“The members of the Governance Review Project Team are to be congratulated on producing such a substantial piece of work, with far-reaching implications for the Church’s life and mission,” said Archbishop Mark Coleridge, president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. “To do it justice, the bishops will now take advice, consider the report in depth, conduct discussions at a provincial level, and otherwise prepare for a full discussion at their November plenary. This will allow them to then publish the report and respond to it.” Archbishop Coleridge noted that the report, dealing as it does with so many aspects of Church governance, will necessarily become a significant contribution to the ongoing work of prayerful reflection and discussion leading up to the formal assemblies of the Plenary Council. “The whole Church in Australia is presently engaged in a process of deep reflection and discernment on the life and mission of the Church in the immediate and longer-term future,” said Archbishop Coleridge. “We owe a debt of gratitude to the Governance Review Project Team for their important and comprehensive contribution to this ongoing process of discernment. The report will undoubtedly contribute to the eventual formation of proposals to be considered during the Plenary Council.” The report identifies key principles of good ecclesial governance, such as subsidiarity, stewardship, synodality, dialogue, discernment and leadership. It offers important ideas on how the Church might enhance the leadership role of lay people and ensure appropriate co-responsibility at parish and diocesan levels.“ The bishops look forward to considering the report in depth and to its eventual public release,” Archbishop Coleridge said....(source)
Media Release, Gavin Abraham, Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, May 18 2020
The Australian Catholic bishops have welcomed a report into Catholic Church governance practices and possible reforms, which was presented to them shortly before last week’s plenary meeting. The report, entitled The Light from the Southern Cross: Promoting Co-responsible Governance in the Catholic Church in Australia,was commissioned by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference following a recommendation of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The report is 200 pages long and includes 86 recommendations.“The members of the Governance Review Project Team are to be congratulated on producing such a substantial piece of work, with far-reaching implications for the Church’s life and mission,” said Archbishop Mark Coleridge, president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. “To do it justice, the bishops will now take advice, consider the report in depth, conduct discussions at a provincial level, and otherwise prepare for a full discussion at their November plenary. This will allow them to then publish the report and respond to it.” Archbishop Coleridge noted that the report, dealing as it does with so many aspects of Church governance, will necessarily become a significant contribution to the ongoing work of prayerful reflection and discussion leading up to the formal assemblies of the Plenary Council. “The whole Church in Australia is presently engaged in a process of deep reflection and discernment on the life and mission of the Church in the immediate and longer-term future,” said Archbishop Coleridge. “We owe a debt of gratitude to the Governance Review Project Team for their important and comprehensive contribution to this ongoing process of discernment. The report will undoubtedly contribute to the eventual formation of proposals to be considered during the Plenary Council.” The report identifies key principles of good ecclesial governance, such as subsidiarity, stewardship, synodality, dialogue, discernment and leadership. It offers important ideas on how the Church might enhance the leadership role of lay people and ensure appropriate co-responsibility at parish and diocesan levels.“ The bishops look forward to considering the report in depth and to its eventual public release,” Archbishop Coleridge said....(source)
First assembly of Plenary Council postponed
Extract from Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Media Blog, Monday 6 April 2020
In response to the dramatic changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the bishops of Australia have made the “difficult, but necessary” decision to postpone the first assembly of the Plenary Council. Changes in the ways people live, work and communicate due to the pandemic led the Bishops Commission for the Plenary Council to consult with the advisory and planning teams, as well as the wider Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. The decision was made to postpone the assembly scheduled for October this year. Plenary Council president Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB said in a time of such upheaval, including severe restrictions on travel and group meetings, the postponement was unavoidable. “Even though it is possible Australia may have moved through the worst of this health crisis by October, our capacity to adequately continue the process of discernment and formation – for everyone in the Church and in particular for the delegates – is severely compromised,” he said. Archbishop Costelloe said the Church’s focus at the moment, and for the foreseeable future, is ensuring people continue to be cared for pastorally, spiritually and emotionally during the COVID-19 pandemic. The bishops will consider proposals for an alternative timeline for the Council’s two assemblies at their biannual meeting in May. “The bishops remain committed to the Plenary Council journey and affirm that two assemblies will take place. This allows for the maturation of the discussions and discernment of the first assembly to develop with clarity and lead into the second gathering,” Archbishop Costelloe said. “The timing, the order and the location of the two assemblies will need to be re-examined, but it is hoped that having one assembly in Adelaide and the other in Sydney might still be possible.”....(more)
Extract from Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Media Blog, Monday 6 April 2020
In response to the dramatic changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the bishops of Australia have made the “difficult, but necessary” decision to postpone the first assembly of the Plenary Council. Changes in the ways people live, work and communicate due to the pandemic led the Bishops Commission for the Plenary Council to consult with the advisory and planning teams, as well as the wider Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. The decision was made to postpone the assembly scheduled for October this year. Plenary Council president Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB said in a time of such upheaval, including severe restrictions on travel and group meetings, the postponement was unavoidable. “Even though it is possible Australia may have moved through the worst of this health crisis by October, our capacity to adequately continue the process of discernment and formation – for everyone in the Church and in particular for the delegates – is severely compromised,” he said. Archbishop Costelloe said the Church’s focus at the moment, and for the foreseeable future, is ensuring people continue to be cared for pastorally, spiritually and emotionally during the COVID-19 pandemic. The bishops will consider proposals for an alternative timeline for the Council’s two assemblies at their biannual meeting in May. “The bishops remain committed to the Plenary Council journey and affirm that two assemblies will take place. This allows for the maturation of the discussions and discernment of the first assembly to develop with clarity and lead into the second gathering,” Archbishop Costelloe said. “The timing, the order and the location of the two assemblies will need to be re-examined, but it is hoped that having one assembly in Adelaide and the other in Sydney might still be possible.”....(more)
Plenary Council 2020:
Final Report for Phase I: Listening and Dialogue - A Final Report to the Archdiocese of Melbourne 4 April 2020
Yesterday the National Centre for Pastoral Research (NCPR) published the last of its 28 Diocesan Reports – the 596-page report on the 2440 Written Submissions to the Plenary Council from 1649 individuals and 791 groups living in the Archdiocese of Melbourne. The report estimates that 58,031 people were represented through the 791 groups and that the total number of respondents from the diocese was 59,680. The findings in this report are a summary of submissions that were received from the Archdiocese of Melbourne in Phase One of the Plenary Council process called ‘Listening and Dialogue’. The report is available from the Plenary Council website Here. Image:Final Report for 2020 Plenary Phase I: Listening and Dialogue. A Report to the Archdiocese of Melbourne 20200403
Final Report for Phase I: Listening and Dialogue - A Final Report to the Archdiocese of Melbourne 4 April 2020
Yesterday the National Centre for Pastoral Research (NCPR) published the last of its 28 Diocesan Reports – the 596-page report on the 2440 Written Submissions to the Plenary Council from 1649 individuals and 791 groups living in the Archdiocese of Melbourne. The report estimates that 58,031 people were represented through the 791 groups and that the total number of respondents from the diocese was 59,680. The findings in this report are a summary of submissions that were received from the Archdiocese of Melbourne in Phase One of the Plenary Council process called ‘Listening and Dialogue’. The report is available from the Plenary Council website Here. Image:Final Report for 2020 Plenary Phase I: Listening and Dialogue. A Report to the Archdiocese of Melbourne 20200403
Melbourne’s Plenary Council delegates announced
Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne Communications Office, 23 March 2020
Today, more than 250 people have been called to attend the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia, which will be held over two sessions. The Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne has announced the names of four delegates to the Bishops Commission for the Plenary Council, to attend both the assembly in Adelaide (4-11 October 2020) and the assembly in Sydney (27 June - 2 July 2021). The chosen delegates for Melbourne are Nimmi Candappa, Jonathan Antony, Vivian Alamo, and Michelle Goh RSM. Archbishop Peter A Comensoli offered his congratulations to the four. ‘I have been humbled by the willingness and prayerful discernment expressed by so many in our community as we prepare for the Plenary Council.’ The role of the delegates is ‘not simply to represent particular causes, groups or issues,’ the Archbishop reminded those chosen, ‘but to act as delegates in service to the Gospel mission.....(more)
Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne Communications Office, 23 March 2020
Today, more than 250 people have been called to attend the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia, which will be held over two sessions. The Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne has announced the names of four delegates to the Bishops Commission for the Plenary Council, to attend both the assembly in Adelaide (4-11 October 2020) and the assembly in Sydney (27 June - 2 July 2021). The chosen delegates for Melbourne are Nimmi Candappa, Jonathan Antony, Vivian Alamo, and Michelle Goh RSM. Archbishop Peter A Comensoli offered his congratulations to the four. ‘I have been humbled by the willingness and prayerful discernment expressed by so many in our community as we prepare for the Plenary Council.’ The role of the delegates is ‘not simply to represent particular causes, groups or issues,’ the Archbishop reminded those chosen, ‘but to act as delegates in service to the Gospel mission.....(more)
Plenary Council - some issues discussed during the Catholic Social Services Vic conference from 23-24 February 2020, Melbourne
Brief Notes from conference participant and presenter Emeritus Professor John Warhurst, 3 March 2020
John's conference paper "Governing - Walking the Talk" is available for download HERE.
It was a shock during discussion when members of the Plenary writing groups were told they were consequently ineligible to be Plenary Council delegates. Some said they would not have performed the job if that had been made clear beforehand.
The following updates on Plenary Council composition were given in response to a question:
1. March 18 is the day when the delegates will be announced.
2. 63% of the 72 names are women. Most dioceses when asked for four names chose three women and one man. That won't of course by a long shot fully balance the male official clerical and episcopal delegates. Outcome in Rome still unclear.
3. Average age is 49.
4. 16 or 18 'young' delegates.
5. Indigenous delegates and agreement this is not enough, hence the need for adjustment at the national level.
Brief Notes from conference participant and presenter Emeritus Professor John Warhurst, 3 March 2020
John's conference paper "Governing - Walking the Talk" is available for download HERE.
It was a shock during discussion when members of the Plenary writing groups were told they were consequently ineligible to be Plenary Council delegates. Some said they would not have performed the job if that had been made clear beforehand.
The following updates on Plenary Council composition were given in response to a question:
1. March 18 is the day when the delegates will be announced.
2. 63% of the 72 names are women. Most dioceses when asked for four names chose three women and one man. That won't of course by a long shot fully balance the male official clerical and episcopal delegates. Outcome in Rome still unclear.
3. Average age is 49.
4. 16 or 18 'young' delegates.
5. Indigenous delegates and agreement this is not enough, hence the need for adjustment at the national level.
About the National Themes for Discernment - What happens Next
Extract from Plenary Council 2020 Website, 29 January 2020
Extract from Plenary Council 2020 Website, 29 January 2020
.....What
happens next? The six National Themes for Discernment are inspired
by the data and call us toward the future. As we move into this second
stage of preparation for the Plenary Council, we continue to seek the
wisdom of the Holy Spirit. In coming months, through the discernment
process and drawing on the six National Themes for Discernment, we will
develop the agenda for the first session of the Plenary Council.
This discernment process involves establishing Writing and Discernment
Groups for each National Theme for Discernment while people in faith
communities across Australia are called to participate locally in their
own communal Listening and Discernment encounters and to send through
their submissions to the Groups. The fruits of what is discerned
during this time will shape the agenda of the first session of Plenary
Council in October 2020....(more).
Photo: ACBC
Plenary Council 2020-2021
Nomination as Delegate, 12 January 2019
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has requested that each Diocese nominate four people, who may be laypersons, members of religious orders or Clergy, who are willing to be called as delegates for the Plenary Council Sessions in October 2020 and June and July of 2021.
As a delegate, you will participate in the process of discernment and contribute to a variety of forums before, during and after the Plenary Council Sessions. This is an important and critical role for the life of Catholic Church in Australia.
To apply, please fill out the following form and submit by the deadline of Friday 24 January 2020. Please note that the application process requires two referees including one active Priest (on appointment). Prospective delegate information HERE Delegate Nomination form HERE
Nomination as Delegate, 12 January 2019
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has requested that each Diocese nominate four people, who may be laypersons, members of religious orders or Clergy, who are willing to be called as delegates for the Plenary Council Sessions in October 2020 and June and July of 2021.
As a delegate, you will participate in the process of discernment and contribute to a variety of forums before, during and after the Plenary Council Sessions. This is an important and critical role for the life of Catholic Church in Australia.
To apply, please fill out the following form and submit by the deadline of Friday 24 January 2020. Please note that the application process requires two referees including one active Priest (on appointment). Prospective delegate information HERE Delegate Nomination form HERE
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Two Submissions to the Plenary Council Phase 2 Themes Working Groups available
1 January 2020
Because
our Parish submission to the Plenary Council Phase 1 process
effectively also included responses relevant to the Phase 2 process we
did not separately submit inputs to the Phase 2 process. That Phase 1 report report is published below (Friday 8 March 2019).
The Plenary Working Groups comprise: 1.Missionary
and Evangelising; 2.Inclusive, Participatory and Synodal; 3. Prayerful
and Eucharistic; 4. Humble, healing and merciful; 5. A joyful,
hope-filled and servant community; and 6. Open to Conversion, renewal
and reform.
St
Kevin's Parish Templestowe has published its submission to the Plenary
Council Phase 11 Working groups on its website, also available HERE.
The Catholics For Renewal submission to the Plenary Council phase two Theme Working Groups is available HERE. Further details and actions supporting the Catholics For Renewal submission are included in their Plenary Council submission/book Getting Back on Mission: Reforming Our Church Together (details HERE)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
About the 6 national themes for discernment
including Working Group membership details for each of the 6 themes
(updated 4 November 2019)
"Listening to Christ
by listening to one another"
After around nine months the Parish process for collecting the considered thoughts
of Parishioners and School families for the 2020 Plenary concluded in March 2019
and on 4 March a submission from our Parish was sent to the Plenary Council Team and to Archbishop Peter Comensoli
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Phase 2: "Let's Listen and Discern"
September 2019 - March 2020
"Listen to what the Spirit is Saying"
FINAL REPORT for the Plenary Council
PHASE 1: Listening & Dialogue
28 July 2019
(this 314 page FINAL REPORT is available HERE)
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Plenary Council progress - Mary Mother of the Church Catholic Parish Ivanhoe local video
28 July 2019
At each of our Parish Masses
this weekend a short parish-produced video was screened to update us
on the Plenary Council 2020 process of listening and discernment and
what lies ahead. It also refers to the FINAL REPORT for the Plenary Council PHASE 1: Listening & Dialogue report published also on 28 July 2019 and is accessible above vis the Plenary Council Team website. The Video also refers to the 17,500 submissions and 220,000 Inputs. The FINAL REPORT above and an earlier SUMMARY report below more specifically indicates how many of the 220,00 inputs were private submissions and how many (the majority) were 'contributors' to the 17,500 submissions.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Summary of Plenary Submissions March 2018 - May 2019 HERE
National Centre for Pastoral Research, July 2019
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Invitation to apply for positions of Leaders and members of pre-Plenary Council Working Groups (By 22 July 2019)
As previously announced The Bishops Commission
for the Plenary Council is seeking people who are willing to
be key partners and leaders in the process of discernment as
the Church in Australia continues preparing for the Plenary
Council in October 2020. The roles advertised are for Chairs
and members of groups which
will each reflect on one of the National Themes of Discernment
announced at Pentecost 2019:
A Christ-centred Church that
is:
1. Missionary and
Evangelising;
2. Inclusive, Participatory
and Synodal;
3. Prayerful and
Eucharistic;
4. Humble, Healing and
Merciful;
5. A Joyful, Hope-filled and
Servant Community; and
6. Open to Conversion,
Renewal and ReformNews 2019
The
groups will each engage in a process of communal
discernment and reflection on one of the themes in order to
draft a working paper by March 2020; the working papers will
help to form the agenda for the first session of the Plenary
Council. The
bishops have described this as "a unique opportunity for
visionary and open-hearted, faith-filled people who are
committed to the faith, life and ministries of
the Catholic Church in Australia and the mission of God." The role of these groups as
described should be critical to the development of the Plenary
Council agenda, which in turn will be critical to the adequacy
of discussion at the Plenary Council. The Member Role
Description Secretariat
For 'Plenary Council Discernment and Writing Group Member' may
be accessed HERE . The Chair Role
Description Secretariat For 'Plenary Council Discernment and
Writing Group Chair’ may be accessed HERE Application details are available HERE
Plenary Council 2020: Joint Parish Statement
Friday 28 June 2019
A group of twenty-three Melbourne parishes collectively prepared a statement (23 May 2019) on changes they wish to see resulting from the Plenary Council. The statement is a joint initiative between Nazareth Catholic Parish, Grovedale, Torquay & Anglesea; Our Lady of the Assumption, Chelthenam; St Carthages University Parish, Parkville; St Kevins Parish, Templestowe; and St Patricks Parish, Kilmore. The Joint Statement was submitted to the Plenary Council Team and sent also to a number of Bishops. The Joint Parish Statement may be viewed and/or downloaded HERE.
Snapshot report of the Plenary Council “Inclusive, Participatory and Synodal” theme
Plenary Council Team, Sunday 23 June 2019
A link to this second Snapshot report of the Plenary Council theme "Inclusive, Participatory and Synodal" is provided HERE. Included at the end of the Report is a schedule of the release of the other snapshot reports.
Previously published general details HERE on the overall 2020 Plenary 'themes' and on the "Mission and Evangelizing' theme.
Snapshot report of the Plenary Council "Missionary and Evangelizing" theme
Plenary Council Team, Thursday 19 June 2019
A link to the Snapshot report
of the Plenary Council theme of Missionary and Evangelizing is provided HERE.
Included at the end of the Report is a schedule of the release of the other reports.
Further details HERE on the themes
Announcement of national themes for discernment opens next phase for Plenary Council
Extract from Melbourne Catholic, Sunday 9 June 2019
The Plenary Council 2020 moves into its next phase of preparation today with the announcement of the National Themes for Discernment that emerged from a historic process of listening to the voices of more than 222,000 people. Between May 2018 and March 2019, almost 17,500 submissions, from individuals and groups of all sizes, addressed the Plenary Council’s central question: “What do you think God is asking of us in Australia at this time?” Over several days of listening to what the people of God said, with intense moments of prayer and discernment, the Bishops Commission for the Plenary Council and its Executive Committee, joined by the Facilitation Team, considered what people were longing for. Six National Themes for Discernment emerged. “The National Centre for Pastoral Research was able to pinpoint more than 100 recurring subject areas from those 17,500 submissions,” said Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, president of the Plenary Council. “In some ways, those subject areas described what one might call ‘the messy reality’ of Catholic life in Australia today. The voices of the faithful help all of us to understand something of the historical experience and the current reality of the Catholic Church in Australia. "We worked to discern what people were yearning for as we move into this next stage of preparing for the Plenary Council.” Archbishop Costelloe said there was a clear desire expressed for the Church to renew herself and focus on the person of Jesus Christ. “Accordingly, the six National Themes for Discernment flow from that primary goal of being a Christ-centred community of people,” he explained. The six National Themes for Discernment invite people to reflect, to pray and to consider how God is calling the People of God to be a Christ-centred Church in Australia that is:
Missionary and Evangelising
Inclusive, Participatory and Synodal
Prayerful and Eucharistic
Humble, Healing and Merciful
A Joyful, Hope-Filled and Servant Community
Open to conversion, Renewal and Reform
Plenary Council facilitator Lana Turvey-Collins said many topics relate to one or more of the National Themes for Discernment and this next stage of preparation – “Listening and Discernment” – is a time of prayerful consideration of the “big” questions that have been raised by the faithful. The emergence of the National Themes for Discernment is an important moment in our journey towards the Plenary Council.....(MORE)
Extract from Melbourne Catholic, Sunday 9 June 2019
The Plenary Council 2020 moves into its next phase of preparation today with the announcement of the National Themes for Discernment that emerged from a historic process of listening to the voices of more than 222,000 people. Between May 2018 and March 2019, almost 17,500 submissions, from individuals and groups of all sizes, addressed the Plenary Council’s central question: “What do you think God is asking of us in Australia at this time?” Over several days of listening to what the people of God said, with intense moments of prayer and discernment, the Bishops Commission for the Plenary Council and its Executive Committee, joined by the Facilitation Team, considered what people were longing for. Six National Themes for Discernment emerged. “The National Centre for Pastoral Research was able to pinpoint more than 100 recurring subject areas from those 17,500 submissions,” said Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, president of the Plenary Council. “In some ways, those subject areas described what one might call ‘the messy reality’ of Catholic life in Australia today. The voices of the faithful help all of us to understand something of the historical experience and the current reality of the Catholic Church in Australia. "We worked to discern what people were yearning for as we move into this next stage of preparing for the Plenary Council.” Archbishop Costelloe said there was a clear desire expressed for the Church to renew herself and focus on the person of Jesus Christ. “Accordingly, the six National Themes for Discernment flow from that primary goal of being a Christ-centred community of people,” he explained. The six National Themes for Discernment invite people to reflect, to pray and to consider how God is calling the People of God to be a Christ-centred Church in Australia that is:
Missionary and Evangelising
Inclusive, Participatory and Synodal
Prayerful and Eucharistic
Humble, Healing and Merciful
A Joyful, Hope-Filled and Servant Community
Open to conversion, Renewal and Reform
Plenary Council facilitator Lana Turvey-Collins said many topics relate to one or more of the National Themes for Discernment and this next stage of preparation – “Listening and Discernment” – is a time of prayerful consideration of the “big” questions that have been raised by the faithful. The emergence of the National Themes for Discernment is an important moment in our journey towards the Plenary Council.....(MORE)
Discernment transforms voices into Plenary Council themes
Data analysis, prayer and reflection have helped the Plenary Council 2020 process distil the voices of more than 222,000 people across the country into a number of “National Themes for Discernment”.
Extracts from CathNews, ACBC Media Blog, 31 May 2019
More than 75 people met last week to listen to and understand the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the submissions received during the 10-month Listening and Dialogue phase of the Plenary Council. The National Centre for Pastoral Research, using best-practice analysis skills and software, read the almost 17,500 group and individual submissions and over three days provided their insights for those attending the meeting. “Our job was to review and report on how people responded to the question ‘What do you think God is asking of us in Australia at this time?’,” explained National Centre for Pastoral Research director Trudy Dantis. Among those in attendance during the presentation of the data were members of the Bishops Commission for the Plenary Council, the Plenary Council Executive Committee and the Plenary Council Facilitation Team. Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, president of the Plenary Council, said it was a significant responsibility to listen to the stories from the hearts and minds of ordinary Catholics across a huge variety of contexts – sometimes in harmony with one another, at other times divergent. “This was done by listening to the information Dr Dantis and her colleagues presented, then taking time for reflection on those subject areas in prayer,” Archbishop Costelloe said......Members of the Plenary Council Local Coordinators Network, representing dioceses and archdioceses, met over the subsequent two days to discuss how the National Themes for Discernment could be communicated and considered by people in their local faith communities. The themes and other analysis from the Listening and Dialogue phase of the Council will be released throughout June, beginning at Pentecost....(More). Photo: CathNews, ACBC
Data analysis, prayer and reflection have helped the Plenary Council 2020 process distil the voices of more than 222,000 people across the country into a number of “National Themes for Discernment”.
Extracts from CathNews, ACBC Media Blog, 31 May 2019
More than 75 people met last week to listen to and understand the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the submissions received during the 10-month Listening and Dialogue phase of the Plenary Council. The National Centre for Pastoral Research, using best-practice analysis skills and software, read the almost 17,500 group and individual submissions and over three days provided their insights for those attending the meeting. “Our job was to review and report on how people responded to the question ‘What do you think God is asking of us in Australia at this time?’,” explained National Centre for Pastoral Research director Trudy Dantis. Among those in attendance during the presentation of the data were members of the Bishops Commission for the Plenary Council, the Plenary Council Executive Committee and the Plenary Council Facilitation Team. Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, president of the Plenary Council, said it was a significant responsibility to listen to the stories from the hearts and minds of ordinary Catholics across a huge variety of contexts – sometimes in harmony with one another, at other times divergent. “This was done by listening to the information Dr Dantis and her colleagues presented, then taking time for reflection on those subject areas in prayer,” Archbishop Costelloe said......Members of the Plenary Council Local Coordinators Network, representing dioceses and archdioceses, met over the subsequent two days to discuss how the National Themes for Discernment could be communicated and considered by people in their local faith communities. The themes and other analysis from the Listening and Dialogue phase of the Council will be released throughout June, beginning at Pentecost....(More). Photo: CathNews, ACBC
Plenary Update on the process ahead, Sunday 10 March 2019
The Plenary Council Team website has published a clear and comprehensive update on the Plenary process ahead, among other things including an overall process CHART , and the extract underneath. These update the report below. The next phase of the Plenary process as it affects Parishes launches the 'Listening and Discernment" phase on 9 June. It launches the Plenary THEMES but not the Plenary Agenda at that stage. The Agenda will follow from the Listening and Discernment phase
Based on the Chart The steps ahead are:
- Draft preliminary National Report (published early June) with emergent themes for the Plenary Council identified. Listening and Discernment stage (start 9 June)
- Application and selection of Working Group Chairs and members – one Working Group for each identified theme – to develop council papers for discussion as 1st session (starts in June 2019)
- Working Groups meet for first time and local group discernment begins (July 2019)
- Nominations open for [selection] of lay delegates to Plenary Council (September 2019)
- Diocesan qualitative reports published by NCPR (October 2019)
- Draft Plenary Council papers prepared by Working Groups made available for download and discussion (April 2020)
- 1st Session 4-11 October 2020 in Adelaide
- 2nd Session May 2021 in Sydney
EXTRACT The Plenary Team website update refers to the Listening and Discernment phase & what happens before then:
With the Listening and Dialogue phase now complete, the National Centre for Pastoral Research will continue the deep listening process, conducting a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the submissions received and, using best-practice research methods, will identify key themes that have emerged. Then, in May, the Bishops Commission for the Plenary Council, the Plenary Council Executive Committee and the Facilitation Team will work together with the National Centre for Pastoral Research to finalise the National Themes for Discernment. Those themes will become the focus for the Listening and Discernment phase and will be the foundations for the Plenary Council agenda.
With the second phase of the Plenary Council process – Listening and Discernment – to begin in June, it is important to understand what discernment is. In the coming weeks and months, there will be a number of articles and videos created to help explain discernment."
So what does all this mean for our Parish?
As per the above, the 'Listening and Discernment' phase will be the foundation for the Plenary Council agenda, based on the National Themes for Discernment' document. Articles and videos before June 6 will explain discernment. Then "Local small group discernment" (presumably in Parishes) will be part of a wider discernment process. In September Nominations will also "open for [selection] of lay delegates to Plenary Council." Furthermore, "In April 2020 "draft Plenary Council papers discerned by the Working Group become available for download and discussion."
Parish submission sent to the Plenary Council Team (link HERE)
John Costa, Parish Plenary input Convenor, Friday 8 March 2019, updated Sunday 10 March
Meeting the deadline of Ash Wednesday one year after formal launch of the Plenary Council 2020/2021 process to listen to what what people think "Christ is asking us to make our Church today", our response was formally submitted Tuesday. It is also being forwarded to Melbourne Archbishop Peter Comensoli. Over 100 people from small family groups in the Parish, School groups (some including children), some young adults, friend groups, Outreach Group, Parish Pastoral Council, Men's Group and individuals are telling Australia's bishops exactly what they think. All responses were frank, forthright and constructive. In the true spirit of the Plenary process they were also thoughtful, considered, and respectful, capturing what everyone involved honestly thinks. This listening process in the Catholic Church is the first of its kind in the world and very much a tribute to the idea of Pope Francis who introduced it. Plenary proceedings and outcomes will be watched with great interest across the whole Catholic world. Our participation is a particular tribute to those from our Parish and Schools who spoke out honestly "hoping to help renew our Church". Our submission is joined by many others around Australia. It includes individual comments as well as summaries and may be seen/downloaded HERE. It also includes some late responses not included in the prior A, B & C Question summaries. Shortly all Australian bishops will have been told what People of God in our Parish and across Australia think they should do. Will they listen? The future of our Church depends on their response. Guided by all these inputs the Plenary Themes will be announced on 9 June with the launch of the the "Listening and Discernment' phase. Our website will continue to provide updates.
John Costa, Parish Plenary input Convenor, Friday 8 March 2019, updated Sunday 10 March
Meeting the deadline of Ash Wednesday one year after formal launch of the Plenary Council 2020/2021 process to listen to what what people think "Christ is asking us to make our Church today", our response was formally submitted Tuesday. It is also being forwarded to Melbourne Archbishop Peter Comensoli. Over 100 people from small family groups in the Parish, School groups (some including children), some young adults, friend groups, Outreach Group, Parish Pastoral Council, Men's Group and individuals are telling Australia's bishops exactly what they think. All responses were frank, forthright and constructive. In the true spirit of the Plenary process they were also thoughtful, considered, and respectful, capturing what everyone involved honestly thinks. This listening process in the Catholic Church is the first of its kind in the world and very much a tribute to the idea of Pope Francis who introduced it. Plenary proceedings and outcomes will be watched with great interest across the whole Catholic world. Our participation is a particular tribute to those from our Parish and Schools who spoke out honestly "hoping to help renew our Church". Our submission is joined by many others around Australia. It includes individual comments as well as summaries and may be seen/downloaded HERE. It also includes some late responses not included in the prior A, B & C Question summaries. Shortly all Australian bishops will have been told what People of God in our Parish and across Australia think they should do. Will they listen? The future of our Church depends on their response. Guided by all these inputs the Plenary Themes will be announced on 9 June with the launch of the the "Listening and Discernment' phase. Our website will continue to provide updates.
Parish and School communities "Collected Responses to Question 'C'
- available for download below Helping to Renew our Church via input to the '2020 Plenary Council'
19 February 2019
What do we as Church need to do to move from 'A' to 'B' (what respondents suggest the Plenary Council needs to do to move from where we are now as a Church to what Christ is calling us to make the Church become).
Now
that members of our Parish and School communities have thoughfully
considered all these three questions while respectfully listening to
one another a final summary report will be prepared for formal submission to the Church's Plenary Council agenda-setting group, and our local Archbishop Peter Comensoli before the due date of Ash Wednesday (6 March) 2019. It will also be published on this website. The final report will briefly summarise overall comments and include three Appendices, for each of the A, B & C responses below.
The collection of responses to Question 'C' is available HERE
Parish and School communities "Collected responses to Question ‘B’"
- available for download below Helping to Renew our Church via input to the '2020 Plenary Council'
26 January 2019
Responses have now been captured from a mix of small groups and individuals in our Parish and school communities in answer to the second Question (B) “What is Christ calling us to make our Church today?” (Listening to the Holy Spirit). To assist the Australian Plenary Council 2020/2021 in its deliberations these responses together with previously collected responses to Question ‘A’ (available below) and subsequent responses to Question 'C' (to follow) will be refined and collectively summarised for submission to the Church’s Plenary Council agenda-setting group, and our local Archbishop Peter Comensoli, before the due date of Ash Wednesday (6 March) 2019.
Inputs to Questions 'A' and 'B' and 'C' are now closed.
The
collection of responses to Question 'B' is available HERE
Parish and School communities "collected responses to Question ‘A’" - available for download below Helping to Renew our Church via Inputs to the ‘2020 Plenary Council’
Thursday 6 December 2018
Thursday 6 December 2018
A compilation of captured answers from across our Parish and School communities to Question 'A' "What does our Church look like now" has now been published (below). It's part of the process of "listening to God by listening to one another" and an important step towards answering the even more important second Question 'B' "What is Christ calling us to make our Church today?", followed by the final question "What do we, as Church, need to do to move from A to B?". From collected responses to these questions a summary will be submitted to the '2020 Plenary' agenda-setting process, and also to Archbishop Peter Comensoli of Melbourne Archdiocese by Ash Wednesday 2019. Responses so been very helpful and honest, though received later than hoped. Time is running out, so responses to Question 'B' (and 'C' if possible at this stage) are now required by 23 December. A video progress report will be presented at Masses this weekend. The collection of raw responses to Question A at this stage (for later summary after Questions B&C responses are available) is available HERE.
- Plenary Council Questions for parish ONLINE submission (now closed):
Video Update on Parish and School communities input to the 2020 Plenary
Thursday 6 December 2018
This 3 minute video provides a progress update and announces availability of Mary Mother of the Church
Parish and school community responses to the 2020 Plenary input Question 'A' (of A,
B,C) "What does our church look like now" (Listening to one another). It also describes the next step in our Parish plenary preparation process. Video HERE- Plenary Council 2020 Website HERE
- Mary Mother of the Church Ivanhoe Launch Video (20 October 2018, 8 minutes) describing our Parish process for providing Plenary Inputs
- Guidelines for leaders of small, informal, 'listening and sharing' groups preparing inputs to the Plenary Council preparation process Here
- Plenary Council Questions' hard-copy proforma for Parish use may be downloaded HERE
- Indexed background resources to assist those discerning and preparing inputs to the Plenary Council HERE. These augment and are are complementary to those on the Plenary Council website. NOTE: The Preface explains how this user-friendly set of resources may be easily used.
- Enquiries on your Parish participation in the Plenary 2020 agenda setting process? Fr Bill, or John Costa 0409 967 207 or email HERE