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Archbishop Julian Porteous of Hobart / Archdiocese of Hobart Denver Newsroom, Apr 13, 2022 / 16:57 pm (CNA). At a time when Catholicism in Australia faces crises such as a loss of faith and declining religious practice, a plenary council prepar...
The 280 Plenary Council (PC) Members have just taken another major step towards the Second Assembly in Sydney on 3-9 July. Yet it is difficult to have a proper public conversation about this step because it has taken place behind closed doors. By John Warhurst
The Church in Australia has taken a step towards greater transparency with the release by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) of its first ever Annual Report-this one for the 2020 year. This step is welcome, but there is more to be done. Synodality and co-responsibility presumes that those who are walking together have equal access to information upon which to discern the future of the Church at all levels. By John Warhurst
Synodality confronts the traditional practice of hierarchy within the church. When the ACBC responded last December to The Light from the Southern Cross report, which promoted synodality and co-responsible governance, it re-stated its position that hierarchy was embedded in the church’s approach to governance. This immediately set up a potential tension between episcopal authority and participation in governance by the People of God. By John Warhurst
After a three-year preparatory process, the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia kicked off last week gathering approximately 280 delegates from across ...