Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese REPORT
9 Dec 2011
Seven leading Catholics from across Australia have been appointed to head up the Bishops Commission for Church Ministry's newly established Lay Pastoral Council.
The Most Rev Peter Comensoli, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Sydney will be the Bishops' delegate on the Council which has been formed to develop policies for the education, formation, pastoral care and support of Lay Pastoral Ministers.
As Bishops' Delegate on the Council, Bishop Comensoli will also help develop a network of resource personnel who have expertise in scripture, theology, formation, psychology, anthropology and social analysis.
Bishop Peter Comensoli
appointed to new Pastoral
Council for Lay Catholics
"This is the first opportunity I have had to work with a Council of a Bishops' Conference and I am happy that it is in such an important area of Church Ministry," says Bishop Comensoli who was ordained as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese by the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell at St Mary's Cathedral in June this year.
"Lay people, more and more, are demonstrating through their participation, their depth of faith, spirituality, and their leadership, and how this is crucial to the evangelising message of the Church," Bishop Comensoli says.
Others appointed to the Pastoral Council for Lay Catholics are Sister Philiomena Burrell from Perth, Mrs Heather Carey from Adelaide, Sister Kathy Hatherall from Brisbane, Mrs Kathleen Lillis from Melbourne, Mr Richard McMahon from Sydney and Father Brian Moloney as representative of the Australian catholic Council for Clergy Life and Ministry.
A pastoral council for lay Catholics is the vision of Bishop Emeritus, the Most Reverend Michael Malone who saw an increasing need of support for lay people who regard the ministry as their vocation, whether in a paid or voluntary capacity.
"The Council is a wonderful sign of how the Church in Australia is recognising the Body of Christ present in the lay faithful," Bishop Brian Heenan, Chair of the Bishops Commission for Church Ministry (BCCM) says. "It is also a sign the Bishops see the importance of supporting their formation and that they recognise the link between this and a strong and vibrant Church throughout Australia."
Bishop Brian Heenan Chair of
the Bishops Commission
for Church Ministry
Bishop Heenan expressed his gratitude on behalf of the BCCM to members of the working party who provided assistance in the developing the mandate for the newly-established Council, land identifying issues that will be explored in the future.
Father Brian Moloney also
appointed to the new Pastoral
Council for Lay Catholics
Three new members for the Council bringing the total number to 10, will be appointed in the coming months by the BCCM, with the first meeting of the new Council planned for 16 February 2012 at Mary MacKillop Place, North Sydney.
http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2011/2011129_1585.shtml
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