BRISBANE archdiocese is holding a synod to start putting into action the outcomes of the Plenary Council.
Synod chair Brisbane auxiliary Bishop Tim Norton says the Plenary Council decrees are in Rome and awaiting assent from the Holy See, but there is still a lot of work we can do in the meantime.
“It’s time to have some actions,” he said.
He said the synod’s focus would be crafting action plans around the Plenary Council decrees so “we can really be moving forward on mission together”.
Part of this process is coming together and listening, he said, particularly to the voices who “may not have been heard up until this point”.
What is the Plenary Council?
A plenary council is a national gathering of laity and religious and their bishops and clergy to discern what God is saying to their Church at that time.
The most recent Plenary Council has been running since Pentecost 2018, which culminated in two councils in 2020 and 2021 where motions were raised and voted on.
The Plenary Council decrees can be read here.
What is the synod?
The synod is a gathering to discern the “practical and Spirit-led actions” that the Church in Brisbane will need to undertake in the implementation phase of the Plenary Council.
The 150 Synod Members will come from the community and reflect the diversity of the Church in Brisbane.
The synod must, by canon law, include bishops, clergy, religious, theologians, canonists and members of the lay faithful representing parishes, archdiocesan agencies, organisations and communities.
Each deanery will elect two parishioners as their representatives.
The Synod Engagement Team and the Synod Writing Team will engage in strategic consultations with key stakeholders, community members and Church agencies in the lead-up to the synod.
They would be guided by the question: “How can we be a more co-responsible church on mission?”
These consultations would help discern actionable ideas about what is already happening within Brisbane archdiocese that should be affirmed, what lessons can be learned from others, and where the gaps and needs are.
The synod members would then discuss and vote on these motions.
Putting decrees into action
Synod executive officer Steph Unger is excited to see what action plans come out of the synod.
She said the people of the Church in Brisbane had already listened and shared what the Holy Spirit was saying through the earlier phases of the Plenary Council and now was the time to turn that discernment into action plans.
“We want to make sure people are aware that we’re not changing Church teaching,” she said.
She said the synod was about coming up with actions so that the Church in Brisbane can “start living the things that came out of the Plenary Council”.
“It’s about how we’re going to move forward together as a Church that is a co-responsible Church on mission.”
The SYNOD24 will be held over two sessions at the Xavier Centre, Holy Spirit Seminary Banyo.
SYNOD24 Session 1:
September 6 and 7 at the Xavier Centre, Holy Spirit Seminary 487 Earnshaw Rd, Banyo
Opening Mass (open to public):
Friday September 6, 9am – 10am at the Australian Catholic University Chapel, 1100 Nudgee Rd, Banyo
SYNOD24 Session 2:
October 11 and 12 at the Xavier Centre, Holy Spirit Seminary 487 Earnshaw Rd, Banyo
Closing Mass (open to public):
Saturday October 12, 2pm – 3pm at the Australian Catholic University Chapel, 1100 Nudgee Rd, Banyo
Read more at aobsynod2024.com
