The St Thomas the Apostle Chaldean Diocese in Australia and New Zealand has begun a five-month “diocesan assembly” process.

It is the first of its kind for the diocese and comes as the Catholic Church celebrates the Jubilee year and Pope Francis encourages all dioceses to embrace synodality.

Archbishop Amel Nona, a member of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, said the theme of the assembly process is “Tradition and Evangelisation”.

“The Christian faith we live and experience today did not come from nowhere. It is the fruit of the deep faith of our fathers and ancestors, who preserved our traditions and passed them down through generations,” he told the diocese in a letter announcing the assembly.

“They handed us our rich liturgical heritage, the Chaldean language, the
social customs and principles that shaped our identity—both in their strengths and challenges.

“Whether in our homeland or here in Australia and New Zealand, we have carried and safeguarded this precious legacy.”

He said the diocesan assembly would “serve as a platform to develop a shared vision for our Church and engage in meaningful discussions” around the theme.

Key topics of the assembly include: the ecclesial tradition and its role in evangelisation; a church with an inherited tradition within the evangelisation journey; a church that evangelises Christ in today’s world; and the Church’ Sacraments are the source of evangelisation and preserver of tradition.

It began on February 1 and will involve discussions across all parishes and communities in the diocese.

The conversations are open to all parishioners, church groups, and ministries, guided by key questions based on the main themes.

The insights gathered from the discussions will be compiled into a working document
for the final assembly session, which will take place at the end of 2025.

Representatives from each parish will participate.

“The outcome of the assembly will be a comprehensive vision for our diocese on preserving our tradition and strengthening evangelisation in our faith journey. Let us pray for one another and walk together in unity, renewing our faith and deepening our understanding of its richness throughout this journey,” Archbishop Nona said.

(Photo courtesy Chaldean Catholic Diocese in Australia and New Zealand)