Page banner

FAQs

  • Does the Petition have support from any of the bishops?

    Yes. Bishop Patrick Power (Auxiliary Bishop, Canberra-Goulburn Archdiocese) has already explicitly indicated support in writing for the Petition. A number of other bishops have indicated support and the Bishops'Committee for Ministry has recommended that the Petition be placed on the agenda of the Bishops'meeting in November 2007.

  • You say the Petition is going to be submitted to the Plenary meeting of the bishop in late-November. What is the plenary meeting of the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference (ACBC) ?

    This is main meeting of all of the active Australian bishops. It was set up after the Second Vatican Council. At the Council the document on bishops, 'Christus Dominus', noted that "it is almost impossible, nowadays especially, for bishops to exercise their office suitably and fruitfully unless they establish closer understanding and cooperation with other bishops; and that outstanding examples of a more fruitful apostolate had been produced in countries where Conferences were already established. In 1966, Pope Paul VI’s Apostolic Letter 'Ecclesiae Sanctae' gave directions for the implementation of several Vatican II documents, including this teaching on Conferences.

    The 1983 Code of Canon Law, drawing on 'Christus Dominus', defines Conferences in this way: The Bishops Conference, a permanent institution, is the assembly of the bishops of a country or a particular territory, exercising together certain pastoral offices for Christ’s faithful of their territory. By forms and means of the apostolate suited to the circumstances of the time and place, it is to promote, in accordance with the law, that greater good which the Church offers to humankind." (From the ACBC Website)

    The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference meets at least annually. The Conference has a President and a Vice-President (each elected for two years), a Permanent Committee, various Bishops Commissions (each member is elected for three years) and a General Secretariat.

    The present President of the ACBC is Archbishop Philil Wilson of Adelaide.

  • Now the bishops have discussed the Petition, is this the end of the matter?

    No! A small group of us (Anne O'Brien, Marilyn Hatton, Paul Collins, Frank Purcell and Terry Curtin) have got together and formed Catholics for Ministry (CfM). We are continuing discussions with some of the bishops and our aim to make sure the issues raised by the Petition remain on the agenda of both the Australian church and the bishops. We will be talking to other Catholic organizations interested in the ministerial renewal of the church.

    We believe that these issues need to be tackled in each diocese and we would be very supportive of the formation of an independent Catholics for ministry group in each diocese. If you are interested contact us via the contact details on this webpage