Fr Bill Uren SJ offers sage advice and a history lesson in the lead up to the synod in Rome. The late Cardinal Pell warned that synodal reform would water down bishops’ authority, but Fr Uren takes the long view that earlier popes had already centralised church decision-making in reaction to 19th century revolutions and part unintended consequence of Vatican II. He also detects in Pope Francis’ response to Germany’s synodal way a deep fear of an irrecoverable loss of direction. Further reading/listening: Fr Bill Uren's article in Eureka Street Loup Besmond de Senneville's article in La Croix ..read more

Geraldine teases out both the potholes and possibilities of church renewal with keen observer Br Mark O’Connor fms. He’s clear-eyed about opposition to the pope’s reforms but ultimately, he believes, the synod is the best hope of implementing Vatican II. Cardinal Martini in his last interview said: ‘Vatican II gave the Bible back to Catholics. Only those who perceive this Word in their heart can be part of those who will help achieve renewal of the church, and who will know how to respond to personal questions with the right choice.... Neither the clergy nor ecclesiastical law can substitute f ..read more

The need for Catholic educators to adapt religion to the modern classroom, operating amidst lower levels of religious literacy, has produced some good results in the Brisbane archdiocese. Their new RE program, Religion, Meaning and Life has been offered as a pilot course to Yr 11 and Yr 12 students across 17 Catholic schools since 2020 with an emphasis on personal reflection and dialogue in the classroom. Plus evaluation results among post-school students showed considerably raised interest in RE and in the worth of Catholic education more broadly. Guest are Associate Professor Bill Sultmann ..read more

First up in this new series Geraldine speaks with Dr Monica Dutton who leads the Sisters of the Good Samaritan Study and Mentoring (SAM) Program, helping lay women aged 30+ to pursue theological training. Now in its third year, with the support of male congregation leaders in Australia, the program offers mentoring, spiritual accompaniment and financial assistance to equip women to become future leaders in their chosen fields including education, chaplaincy and canon law. Further reading/listening: Massimo Faggioli's [article] in La Croix (https://international.la-croix.com/news/signs-of-the ..read more

Guests were Sr Nathalie Becquart, Undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops, Kirsty Robertson, CEO Caritas Australia, Paul McClintock AO, Chairman of Metlife Care, Director Catholic Health Australia, Chairman St Vincent's Health Australia, Chiara Porro, Australian Ambassador to the Holy See. This conversation is really worth listening to as a guide to the very latest developments in the Church's Synod-making. In discussion – the processes underway in this Oceania region; the wide-ranging personal commitments being offered; plus a realistic overview of what is required now from Australian Catholic ..read more

In this new episode, Geraldine speaks to Archbishop Tim Costelloe, president of the Australian Bishops Council and Bishop Shane Mackinlay, bishop of Sandhurst in Victoria and vice-president of the Plenary Council. Speaking during afternoon breaks of the bishops’ regular November meeting, they both reflect on the significant impact of Australia’s five year Plenary Council journey; on the eventful two public sessions, on how many Australians Catholics chose to contribute while also recognising how many in and out of the pews probably knew little about proceedings. And they have both met Pope Fra ..read more

Here is the promised bonus episode in this series. It offers a very rich---and bracingly realistic set of observations---about a Council from a seasoned Church participant, Fr David Ranson. He was secretary to the Council and deeply absorbed, as you'll hear, in the lead-up, in the events of the week itself and now in assessing what comes next. He might surprise you with his judgements. They're delivered by a man with an acute sense of Church procedures but also with an eye to possibilities. Let me know what you think. Join the conversation at the Facebook page "Plenary Matters ..read more

It's wrap-up time after a very big week in the life of the Church. Listen and ponder these first thoughts from two key contributors to the Council: Sr Patty Fawkner, head of the Good Samaritan Sisters and a member of the Council organising committee. Alongside Emeritus Professor John Warhurst, who was a scrutineer at the Council, ensuring the propriety of voting. He's a prominent member of the Concerned Catholics for Church Reform group from the Canberra-Goulburn diocese. They both feel transformational moments occurred but that there is much to come still, to ensure a welcoming, holy and worl ..read more

Well prepare yourself for some powerful listening in this episode. Two guests join me who've been at the core of events this past week of surprises at the 2nd Assembly...and they're still pretty raw from the sheer intensity of it all. First Archbishop Mark Coleridge, who as President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Council, persuaded his confreres to call this Council back in 2015, in an inspired moment following the Rome 2015 Synod on the Family. Then Dr Maeve Heaney joins me, a feisty but faithful theologian/liturgist, who's President of the Aust Catholic Theological Assn (ACTA) plus Dire ..read more

Geraldine gives a preview of the big final day of the Plenary Council. There'll be another longer episode out this afternoon ..read more