Year in Review 2024 Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst 11 2024 Reports Mick Chalkley Chair Sandhurst Mission and Pastoral Council Most Rev. Shane Mackinlay, Bishop of Sandhurst Rev. Vijay Bandanadam ALCP/OSS, Northeast Deanery Rev. Joe Taylor VG Mrs Libby Dowling, Northeast Deanery Ms Kate Fogarty, Bishop’s Appointment Mr Stephen McKinley, Northeast Deanery Mr Jean-Marie Mupenda, Bishop’s Appointment Mr Michael McLinden, Northeast Deanery Rev. Stephen Bolling, Western Deanery Rev. Jackson Saunders, Goulburn Valley Deanery Mr Mick Chalkley, Western Deanery Mrs Angela Finn, Goulburn Valley Deanery Mrs Christine Sebire, Western Deanery Mrs Jobelle Collier, Goulburn Valley Deanery Mr Miggy Podosky, Western Deanery Mrs Alana Brennan, Goulburn Valley Deanery Officers: Dr Chris Cotter, Executive Officer Mrs Leslie Cooper, Minute Secretary and Administrative Support. “a body that listens, discerns and acts on behalf of the whole Diocese in service of the Church on mission.” The Council’s formation agenda for the year has been largely taken up with reflection on resources and documentation from the XVIth Ordinary Synod for a Synodal Church. At the February meeting Bishop Shane presented the Council with an ‘up close and personal’ insight into the first General Assembly held in Rome in October 2023. Bishop Shane shared his experience and broke open the Synthesis Report — A Synodal Church in Mission. Each member of the Council was encouraged and challenged by the vision and task of being and becoming a Church on the journey together: the people of God proclaiming and living communion, participation and mission. And, at the November meeting of the Council, having just returned from the second General Assembly (October 2024) Bishop Shane provided the members of the Council with insights into the Final Document of the Synod. Bishop Shane highlighted the significance of the fact that Pope Francis had decided not to promulgate a customary post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, asking all the faithful to accept the Final Document as the part of the ordinary teaching Magisterium of the Successor of Peter. This decision by the Holy Father was not only a break with tradition but also an endorsement of the listening, dialogue and discernment of the delegates and the consultative processes of the Synod over three years. Three key points of the Final Document stand out for me: that baptism is the sacrament of membership of the people of God; that each member of the baptised is called to ongoing conversion; and that all the baptised have the responsibility to get on with the work of renewal for communion, participation and mission at every level of the Church. On behalf of the Council, I ask for your continued prayerful support as we strive to be true to this calling. Let us pray with Pope Francis: “[Mary] Mother of the Church … teach us to be a people of disciples and missionaries walking together, to be a synodal Church” (XVIth Ordinary Synod for a Synodal Church, Final Document n.155). Finally, I take this opportunity to thank Bishop Shane for his leadership and all members of the Council for their valued and dedicated service in 2024. Thanks also goes to our dedicated officers, Leslie Cooper and Dr Chris Cotter for their tireless administrative and organisational support during and between meetings. Sandhurst Mission and Pastoral Council Members of the
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