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The Parramatta diocese in Sydney NSW has unveiled a new Pastoral Plan for 2024-2028.
The plan focuses on fostering a synodal Church aimed at strengthening inclusivity, collaboration and active participation within the diocese.
Bishop Vincent Long (pictured) launched the plan at an event which more than 220 attended.
Central to the plan is the emphasis on communal discernment, recognising the shared responsibility between clergy and laity in Church decision-making.
“Our journey has only just begun” Bishop Vincent said.
“As we move forward, we endeavour to institutionalise best practice in communal discernment, decision making and governance which would enhance the authority of the ordained and the rightful participation of the faithful” he said.
“Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, we are strengthened by the encounter with Jesus as we embark on the journey of participation, communion and mission.”
Sense of Faith
Reverend Dr Ormond Rush said the new Pastoral Plan is built on a framework of key shared principles.
These principles include the significance of baptism as the starting point for the Diocese’s shared mission in the Church, as well as Sensus Fidei, meaning ‘sense of the faith’.
“We see this in how a person lives, speaks and acts as a follower of God. It helps us understand that everyone, not just clergy, can recognise true expressions of faith.
“It is this Sensus Fidei which propels us to work towards a Synodal Church by recognising the truth in what is said as we listen to others, to better understand our faith to make informed decisions, and to keep us on the right path” explained Rush.
Humility and openness
Bishop Long underscored the importance of a Church that listens and learns from its members, promoting a culture of humility and openness.
The new Pastoral Plan, shaped by insights from the 2023 Diocesan Synod, focuses on key objectives – creating an inclusive, humble and healing synodal Church; fostering a spirit of prayer and renewal; listening and reaching out to the margins; and encouraging collective journeying.
Five priorities have been set to achieve these goals:
- prayer
- mission
- formation
- listening and discernment
- building community.
The initiative is part of a broader effort by the Diocese of Parramatta to create a more vibrant and inclusive Church that remains relevant and responsive to the needs of its members and the world.
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