HOPE was the major message from the Brisbane archdiocesan Priests’ Assembly at Caloundra from April 15-18.
About 200 priests gathered as a group for the first time since 1983. Significantly, the number of priests at this year’s assembly was larger than in 1983 even though there are fewer clergy today.
Fr Dave O’Connor, who is director of ongoing formation and pastoral care of priests and was an organiser of the assembly, said last Monday the purpose of the assembly was ‘to build hope for the future’.
Fr Ray Kearney, who is chairman of the Council of Priests in the archdiocese and parish priest at Sunnybank, said this had been achieved.
‘Whatever the problems, we’re all facing the future with great hope,’ he said.
The assembly took as its theme the message ‘We Really Need to Talk’.
Fr O’Connor said the priests embraced this theme, ‘sharing what we see happening out there in our Church and world and inside ourselves’, rediscovering and strengthening a sense of solidarity among priests, and discussing practical things such as priests’ retirement, deanery, parish and Catholic schools issues.
