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Latest Stage of the Synod on Synodality. 1 Nov 2022

The Record carried a report on the latest step in preparing for the Synod meeting in October 2023. (Pope Francis recently announced that, as in Australia’s Plenary Council, the Assembly will be held in two sessions with the second in October 2024) The report, titled Continental Working Document, can be read HERE

The Continental Working Document is a heroic distillation of the insights captured in over one hundred national Bishop ‘s conference’s submissions. Exactly what was involved in this task is well described in the Record item, and it was awesome. Three of the working group were from Australia – Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, Susan Pascoe and Father Ormond Rush.

The Continental Working Document has been released for public consideration and response although on a very short timeline. Submissions must be uploaded online by 9th December 2022. The Document can be found HERE

If there was an expression of interest, a meeting can be arranged to inspect and reflect on the Working Document and submit our thoughts. Please leave a comment if you would be interested, with an email contact.

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Bulletin, 8th Sunday of Ordinary Time – 27 Feb 2022

This is the last Sunday of Ordinary Time for now, as we move into Lent on Wednesday, Ash Wednesday, 2 March and start to prepare ourselves to be ready for the great celebration of Easter.

All the details for masses and devotions of Lent are to be found in the Bulletin, which can be found HERE or under the Information tab > Weekly Bulletins,

Also in the Bulletin is a memorial to Alistair Mory who tragically passed away this week. The whole parish community grieves the loss of this young (27yo) man and offers their prayers and sympathy to his family.

Some members of the parish came together during the week to reflect on the themes of the Global Synod “For a Synodal Church – Communion, Participation, Mission. The fruit of the session will be submitted for inclusion in the Archdiocesan summary, and thence to the Synodal assembly in 2023.
There will be another gathering on Thursday 10 March in the parish centre from 6.30 – 8.00pm, to consider another submission by the extended deadline, Sunday 13 March

Lent is also the time for Project Compassion, and there will be more information on this in the Bulletin and over the next four weeks leading to Easter. Please provide your support for this great need.

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Bulletin for 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time, 20 Feb 2022

The Bulletin can be found HERE or under the Information tab on this website.

Items of importance include
* Details of Registration for the 2022 Sacramental Program
* Details of a Parish reflection on the Pope’s Synod, Thurs 24th March, 6,30pm at the Parish Centre. All are invited to prayerfully consider and provide their experience and hopes related to the Synod’s purposes. It will be as per the Guidelines on the web.
* Further call for assistance with the Sunday Children’s Liturgy.

Take the Bulletin home after mass, and refer to it during the week.

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Sunday 13 February 2022 – Bulletin and Synod

The Bulletin for the 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year C) is to be found under Information>Weekly Bulletins or HERE

You can see that Lent is approaching on the year’s Liturgical Cycle, with Ash Wednesday on 2nd March. There are some suggestions in the Bulletin for you to plan what is best for you to enter this penitential season.

Another note is regarding Pope Francis’ Synod of Bishops to be held in October 2023. The theme of the synod is, Synodality: Communion, Participation , Mission. Pope Francis has invited every Christian (and others) to reflect on what church means to us and how it can better pursue the Mission entrusted to us all by Jesus. Submissions, either from groups or individuals, can be submitted online HERE , or at https://www.catholic.org.au/synodalchurch

From an article by Austen Ivereigh in Commonweal reporting on Pope Francis’ homily,

“He doled out some conciliar ecclesiology: the three keywords of this synod—communion, participation, and mission—are intrinsic to the Church regenerated by Vatican II, the first two reflecting the life of the Trinity, the third reflecting the apostolic commitment to today’s world that flows therefrom.”

“But then Francis leaned into one of the keywords in particular. Without participation, he said, synodality risks remaining abstract and “talk about communion remains a devout wish.” Without “real involvement”—turning up, speaking, being heard, acting—synodality stays on paper. Participation, he said, is a matter not of form but of faith. What happens at baptism is the conferral of “the equal dignity of the children of God.” Baptism therefore demands that we take part in the life and mission of the Church, in all the diversity of its charisms and ministries.”

We can and must Participate in the life of our Church, not leaving the stage for Others to make of it what they will. You can discuss what this might mean in the Comments section or by contacting Gerald on web@shentonparkcatholics.org.au .