On the Road Together – The final post

The final Mass at St Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City. Photography by Fiona Basile.

“The Synod journey is far from over; in some ways an important new phase is only beginning. But we are much better equipped … this doesn’t mean we have a detailed road-map; but Abrahamic journeys never do. They require instead a listening of another and deeper kind.”

27 October 2015, by Archbishop Coleridge.

Into St Peter’s we marched yesterday to close the Synod that had opened three weeks ago. It seemed like three months. When I made it to my place and sat down, I felt a fatigue come over me – probably the let-down after the intensity and sheer hard work of the Synod journey. Then I felt a tap on my shoulder, thinking it was either my guardian angel or an MC telling me I was in the wrong place. But no: it was the Australian Ambassador to the Holy See who’d been sitting in the front row in all his finery and then saw me take my place. He needed to speak with me. Under Pope Francis, it seems, diplomatic formalities aren’t what they used to be. No one stays in their proper place any more. All these surprises can be exhausting. Continue reading →

Catholic Prison Ministry: Light at the End of the Tunnel

Dr Ruth Webber addressing delegates at the prison chaplains gathering in Sydney.

Prison ministry has an important role in providing genuine human contact and a place where prisoners can interact in a positive way with each other and with the ministry team.

Dr Ruth Webber spoke about the integral role of prison ministry during the National Prison Chaplains Gathering between 24–26 September 2015.

Focusing on ‘the restorative practices employed in prison ministry and the ways in which they assist prisoners towards healing and transformation’, Dr Webber said that ‘while it may not be essential, I believe if prisoners can reconnect with their faith and with the spiritual and religious part of themselves this restorative process will be easier as they embrace the Christian message of hope and forgiveness’.

Touching on the announcement by Pope Francis that we will celebrate a ‘Year of Mercy’ in 2016, the theme of the Gathering was ‘Prison Ministry – The Face of Mercy’. The gathering was supported by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference through the Australian Catholic Prisoners Pastoral Care Council (ACPPCC). Bishop Terry Brady attended the gathering as Chairperson of the ACPPCC. Continue reading →

On the Road Together – A radio conversation Synod on the Family 2015

Archbishop Coleridge in Paul VI Hall. Photo by Fiona Basile.

A few of my blog posts were brought up in this interview with Noel Debien – from ABC Radio in Australia. We were able to speak about many Synod moments in the 30-minute interview. I enjoyed speaking with Noel before the final Mass of the Synod.

I told Noel: “There has been a genuine step forward on a long and complex journey to try to deal with people in a way the respects the truth … but at the same time accompany people. Don’t just hurl doctrine in their general direction. If there was any word that came to dominate the language of the Synod, it was accompaniment. In other words, you have to walk with people.
Continue reading →

On the Road Together – Wonderment, gratitude, relief, weariness Synod on the Family 2015

The Pope packing up his things at Synod’s end after he’d given another stirring talk. Cardinal Pell can also be seen. A bit like Where’s Wally?

“When Francis finished, the entire assembly gave him a standing ovation. This was heartfelt rather than some corny showbiz stunt. We felt we’d heard the voice of Peter.”

When we returned to the Synod Hall yesterday afternoon for voting, there was another touch of high farce – an unscripted skit to finish this Synod of surprises. After we’d recited the Adsumus prayer (used daily at Vatican II), the president of the day welcomed us back and then passed the microphone to the Secretary General, as he normally did.

Cardinal Baldisseri began by reminding us that we had to remember the change from “ora legale” to “ora solare” – in other words, turn you clocks back. Glad he mentioned that; I would certainly have turned up an hour late for the closing Mass this morning. It was one of Cardinal Baldisseri’s finest moments. Continue reading →

On the Road Together – Unanimity was striking Synod on the Family 2015

Dancing at the close of the week.

“We were reminded again and again of the presence of the Holy Spirit amongst us. Of this presence, there was no doubt in my mind.”

25 October 2015, by

It has been a welcome end to an intense three weeks as well as a poignant one. All of us are grateful for the time we have been privileged to share: a time of rich discussions, intense debate and the congenial settling of most differences. It is poignant as we farewell people that we would like to see again, whilst knowing this is unlikely. In our temporary ‘home’ at CIAM we shared in a cultural programme in which even the nuns participated in the dancing and singing. Continue reading →

Families are really the heartbeat of the Church Synod on the Family 2015

Bishop Hurley outside the Synod hall. Photo by Fiona Basile.

For the past three weeks, Bishop Eugene Hurley of Darwin has been in Rome attending the XIV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, discussing the theme: ‘The vocation and the mission of the family in the Church and the contemporary world’. He was accompanied in Rome by fellow Australian bishops Mark Coleridge of Brisbane and Bishop Antoine Tarabay OLM of the Maronite Church. In the final days, Bishop Hurley took some time out to catch up with fellow Australian and photojournalist Fiona Basile.

Tell me about your experience of the synod.

I think my overwhelming sense is one of great privilege. Firstly, to represent the Australian Church as a representative of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, and secondly, it’s an enormous responsibility to listen carefully to the real lives of families, particularly Catholic families, many of whom find themselves trying to manage the Church’s teaching. They’re great people of great faith and I think we need to listen really carefully to the struggles they’re having. Continue reading →

The family – important and imperfect, says Cardinal Pell Synod on the Family 2015

Cardinal Pell. Photo by Fiona Basile

At the conclusion of the 3-week synod on the family in Rome, Australia’s George Cardinal Pell has said that he agrees with the Holy Father, ‘that everyone will have been changed by the synod’.

He said, ‘It made people realise even more, if it was necessary or possible, how important the family is and how imperfect it often is, but we encourage people to keep on keeping on.’

Speaking on the final document, which is currently only available in Italian, and which contains 94 paragraphs on the theme ‘The vocation and the mission of the family in the Church and the contemporary world’, Cardinal Pell said, ‘it demonstrates that the Church is first of all about love’. Continue reading →

Pope’s Discourse at Close of Synod Synod on the Family 2015

Pope Francis in the Synod Hall. Photo by Fiona Basile.

“It was about showing the vitality of the Catholic Church, which is not afraid to stir dulled consciences or to soil her hands with lively and frank discussions about the family.”

Vatican City, 24 October 2015. English translation by ZENIT.org

Below is the Vatican-provided translation of Pope Francis’ discourse at the conclusion of the Synod of Bishops on the Family in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall this afternoon:

***

Dear Beatitudes, Eminences and Excellencies,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I would like first of all to thank the Lord, who has guided our synodal process in these years by his Holy Spirit, whose support is never lacking to the Church.

My heartfelt thanks go to Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, Secretary General of the Synod, Bishop Fabio Fabene, its Under-Secretary, and, together with them, the Relator, Cardinal Peter Erdő, and the Special Secretary, Archbishop Bruno Forte, the Delegate Presidents, the writers, consultors and translators, and all those who have worked tirelessly and with total dedication to the Church: My deepest thanks! Continue reading →

Creating a welcoming society CSSA Leadership Forum

Dr Tim Soutphommasane, Race Discrimination Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission.

How would you organise your society if you were living behind a veil of ignorance? Dr Tim Soutphommasane, Race Discrimination Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission asked this question of leaders gathered at the Catholic Social Services Australia National Leadership Forum held at QT Canberra Hotel last week.

Would you ‘protect the vulnerable, help those in need, ensure there is a sense of justice?’, Dr Soutphommasane added.

Focusing on a local story about recent protests against a place of worship, a mosque in Bendigo, he said, ‘Bendigo is a town divided because of such protests. Some residents have sought to close down this project of building a mosque. They see the religion of Islam as incompatible with Australian values and society’.

Continue reading →

Bishops offer help to international work to abolish the death penalty

Photo of prison

Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) president, Archbishop Denis Hart, has written to a Parliamentary inquiry, offering the Church’s help for the Australian Government’s international work to abolish the death penalty.

The Australian Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee for Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, recently published the ACBC’s submission. The Joint Committee is holding an inquiry into Australia’s advocacy for the abolition of the death penalty.

Archbishop Hart restated the Catholic Church’s opposition to the death penalty, saying we must recognise and honour the human dignity of both victims and offenders. Continue reading →

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