THE Australian Military Ordinariate is looking at plans to place non-ordained ministers in the defence forces as the number of ordained ministers falls.
Sixty Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel, chaplains and laity attended Assembly 2000 in Canberra from April 10-14, hosted by the Military Ordinary Bishop Geoffrey Mayne.
Bishop Mayne said the personnel gathered were extremely confident about the future demand for the military ordinariate.
Proposals were put forward for the role of both clergy and laity in the ordinariate, which Bishop Mayne will consider.
Other main themes which emerged included the role and mission of the Military Ordinariate, the military diocese as a Catholic community within the life of the ADF, spirituality and the ordinariate and its mission. There are also plans for an ordinariate pastoral council as as a result of Assembly 2000.
The assembly expressed overwhelming appreciation of and support for the past and present ministry of Catholic chaplains in the navy, army and airforce.
