Page 6 - Unity Edn 44

NEW DATE - ASSEMBLY 1 NEW DATE - ASSEMBLY 2
October 3-10, 2021 July 4-9, 2022
ADELAIDE SYDNEY

Darwin delegates commissioned!
During the Chrism Mass on 29 September, our
Diocese became the first local Church to
commission delegates for the Fifth Plenary
Council of Australia, the first assembly of which
will open in Adelaide in 12 months’ time.
Given the postponement of the Plenary Council
assemblies by a year due to COVID-19
restrictions on travel and public gatherings, the
Chrism mass was the opportune time for our
local Catholic community to pray for our
delegates.
The aim of the Plenary Council is to discern the
future of the church of Australia through
listening and dialogue with the local churches.
“We must work towards always renewing the
vision of the Church; we cannot continue with
‘business as usual’,” Bishop Charles said.
“We need to reach out to people and to nurture
people. We need to know who we are not
connecting with at all and with whom we are Darwin Diocese Plenary Council Delegates (left to -right): Fr Malcolm Fyfe (Vicar
not connecting adequately.” That will include General), Fr Prakash Menezes (Episcopal Vicar for the Southern Region), Bishop
reflecting on “the quality of our connections”. Charles Gauci, Mrs Clalia Mar and Mr Shaun De Zylva
“We need special emphasis on connecting with
young people in effective ways. We also need to ensure that we
have a special outreach and connection with our Aboriginal
people. We need to provide ministry to all from the cradle to the
grave,” Bishop Gauci said.
“As part of the larger Australian Church through the Plenary
Council, we want to listen to the Holy Spirit calling us to be the
Church that God wants us to be in this country. During the
Chrism Mass, we commissioned our Plenary Council delegates to
this same Council. We also committed ourselves to serving God
where we are, here in the Northern Territory, according to the
heart and mind of God.
“Our continued reflection and review of ministry across the
diocese will be an integral part of our participation in the Plenary
Council.”
The Darwin Diocese Plenary council Journey map to the right
shows that in the coming weeks the Diocesan Working Group for
the Plenary Council will, through each Parish be providing more
information on the recently released six Thematic Papers to be
broken open for prayerful reflection.
The written and audio versions of the Thematic Papers are
currently available online at plenarycouncil.catholic.org.au.
Your reflections on these papers and the subsequent Working
Document which will be released in February 2021 are welcome.
They will assist in preparing for the two assemblies in October
2021 and July 2022.
Contact with our Diocesan Delegates can be made by email to:
plenary2020@darwindiocese.com or contacting the Diocesan
office on 08 8942 6000.