AS one of the youngest members of the Plenary Council, 24-year-old Thomas Warren, says ecological conversion was, for him, the most significant motion passed at this months historic second assembly.
“It was the one that I felt very strongly about,” the Brisbane-based provincial youth officer with the Passionist Community, said.
“We simply can’t do our primary role of saving souls if our earth isn’t cared for first.
“Caring for our earth includes being sustainable, but also making sure that we’re looking after people’s primary needs of simply being housed and fed.
Motion 8.1 was one of more than 30 motions on the Plenary Council agenda. It recognised “the sacred duty to care for and protect the Earth as a common home for all God’s creatures”.
The motion easily passed a required two-thirds majority at a consultative vote, and was unanimously carried by bishops in a deliberative vote.
An accompanying motion, 8.2 also passed. It encourages all Catholics as individuals, and through parishes and Church organisations to accept Pope Francis’ invitation to join the Laudato Si’ Action Platform and develop Laudato Si’Action Plans, as a way towards ecological conversion.
Thomas Warren said another key plenary issue was recognition of indigenous identity and an apology for past wrongs committed by the Church towards First Nations peoples.
“The amount of comments I’ve seen online calling indigenous spirituality ‘pagan celebrations’ or people getting caught up about smoking ceremonies,” he said.
“They are saying ‘that doesn’t actually belong in our Mass’, but it seemed to me we have pagan rituals like singing ‘Happy Birthday’.
“And I’ve seen people sing ‘Happy Birthday’ at Mass – now that isn’t inherently a Christian thing.
“People singing ‘Happy Birthday’ at Mass has never been criticised by anyone, so the cleansing of people coming in to Mass [in a smoking ceremony] I just ask ‘Why is that copping a lot of flack?’”
Among many Plenary Council motions that received little attention was motion 5.1 calling for a retranslation of the Roman Missal.
It is important to note that the motion calls for a revised translation to be prepared in Australia
“That was huge one. I’m very excited about that,” Mr Warren said.
More than just using inclusive language, he sees the importance of a new Missal translation in changing Church culture.
“We’re hearing a lot how women aren’t accepted in the Church and there are not many leadership opportunities for them. And then they’re just not seen as equals.
“And I think small changes like this… like the language that we use, and when we start changing that our ideas and our perceptions change, and that brings about larger cultural change.
“Often it’s a male-centric language.”
Instead of using the word ‘mankind’ Mr Warren sees ‘humankind’ as a small, but important language shift.
“[Parramatta] Bishop Vincent Long also pointed out that the language we’ve used in the past is very power-centric.”
The plenary council also approved motions calling for implementation of women deacons if church law comes to approve of it; formation for the ministries (recently opened to women) of lector, acolyte, and catechists; and expanded use of general absolution.
A motion to allow for lay preaching at Mass was not approved.
