Vision
Our vision is for an inclusive church which welcomes all people in the spirit of the Gospels, where the talents, gifts and wisdom of lay Catholics, religious and ordained men and women contribute to all levels of participation and decision making in the Catholic Church in Australia as spelled out in canon law.
"The Christian faithful have the right and even at times the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful." (Canon 212.3)
Mission
We are committed to ensuring Catholic lay people in the Canberra-Goulburn Archdiocese have an effective role and voice in the administration and direction of their church.
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse has provided the grounds for profound system reform of the Church's administration and of its clerical culture.
Throughout the hearings the lack of transparency and accountability, the absence of competent lay participation and leadership, and a culture of secrecy and non-disclosure was shown to be characteristic of Church administration and governance.
Moving from darkness into light, we seek initiation of significant reforms based on:
- Greater accountability, inclusiveness, and transparency,
- Women's participation in decision-making at all levels of the church,
- Lay leadership, and
- Collaborative working towards a reform agenda in the Archdiocese more broadly.
Aim
In a spirit of mutual responsibility for the growth of our local Catholic community in the Canberra-Goulburn Archdiocese we seek to explore:
- New models of church and more effective lay participation,
- Effective vehicles for the participation of women in key decision-making,
- Establishment of a diocesan pastoral council with a view to establishing lay leadership, and
- Agreement for a work plan based on mutual partnership with our bishop, lay people and our committed priests and religious to achieve a reform agenda.