Catholics from throughout the vast Rockhampton Diocese have gathered to discuss the needs of their diocese with the view to drafting a 10-year pastoral plan.  The Rockhampton Diocesan Assembly 2019 was convened at St Joseph’s Cathedral, Rockhampton, on March 28, following a Chrism Mass attended by priests, parishioners, assembly delegates and students. This was followed by an opening liturgy attended by 170 delegates from across the diocese, representative of those who had attended the regional ‘listening gatherings’ held in 2017 and 2018.

“This is a diocese of many challenges – those of distance, isolation, poverty, impacts of economic downturn, impacts of fly-in/fly-out mining workers on towns in the region. There are many challenges to family life,” Bishop Michael McCarthy said.  “The assembly was marked by excellent discussions, deep reflection and some beautiful liturgy and moments of prayer. There was such a richness of stories.”

The theme of the assembly was ‘Into the Deep’ with the symbol of water which is so crucial in the diocese with many communities suffering from years of drought. The story of Jesus, walking on the water, and inviting Peter to step out into the deep was a central motif.

In his final address to the assembly, Bishop McCarthy said: “The spirit of the Lord has been here with us this weekend. Our assembly is about our Diocese. We need to nurture the strength we have seen here this weekend. This is the Church that we are working together in as the people of God.”

Prior to this year’s assembly, two ‘listening gatherings’ were held in each region of the diocese, facilitated by local people to raise their pastoral needs and suggest solutions.

The Rockhampton assembly process was developed by Joy Philippi, Diocesan Pastoral Coordinator, and Shane Dwyer, from the National Centre for Evangelisation.

Issues discussed included:

• The pastoral and sacramental care of parishioners in isolated and remote areas
• The role of the laity in today’s Church, especially in their region
• The formation needs of lay ministers and how to provide good formation for leaders and all adults wishing to deepen their relationship with God
• Priorities of evangelisation – how to minister to those in the region who are disadvantaged and marginalised, to the youth and young families, and the elderly.

Delegates gathered in groups to develop propositions for the future and their propositions will be collated, refined and discussed further with the eventual result being a map to guide the next 10 years.

Bishop McCarthy said “We have heard so many wonderful stories of evangelisation, of pastoral care and cooperation of priests and lay people working together! I wish I could take (the delegates) with me in person – take the whole Diocese!”

During the assembly, Lana Turvey-Collins, coordinator of the Plenary Council 2020, provided a session on the Plenary Council.  Ms Turvey-Collins said attending the Rockhampton assembly was an experience of a truly Synodal Church: the people of God gathered together, speaking truth, listening deeply to one another and to the Holy Spirit and making decisions together.

“The gifts of many contributed to making the whole event a resounding success and I have no doubt that that resulting pastoral plan and strategic directions for the Catholic communities of the Diocese of Rockhampton will charge a missionary pathway towards a strong and faith-filled future,” she said.

Reflections from some who were there

Fr Matthew Moloney

Part of Fr Matthew Moloney’s homily for the Capricorn Coast gives the background and an understanding of what happened.

It has been an extra-ordinary few days of gathering with people from Mackay, down to Bundaberg, out to Aramac and many from the west. Some were delayed or did not get there due to beautiful rain which some have received out in the west. What a beautiful gift it was too. People from the highlands and mining fields and many from around this region of the Capricorn Coast and Rockhampton as well. One hundred and seventy delegates from the listening and gathering sessions from all over the Diocese of Rockhampton, gathered, worked at a plan and looked at the issues of our church and the future. These are exiting times.

Bishop Michael this morning spoke of some of the things which he heard as a summary of the day and a half’s gathering. He said that we are together missionary disciples and that this was a time of privileged moments where we listened to the voice of the Holy Spirit in our Church. He spoke of how we are all on a Mission. This is not about the maintenance, but mission. A mission where we seek out those who are not here in our church and those on the margins who feel they are not welcome. To go out to them and by the witness of our lives and by our invitation, God’s invitation, share the news of Jesus Christ. He said that he heard that there be an honest renewal and transformation of hearts – for all of us. With new models of pastoral care for our people, priests and people working together for the mission of Jesus Christ in our world.

The facilitator was a man called Shane Dwyer from the National Centre of Evangelisation. He said evangelisation was touching people’s hearts and leading them to a relationship with Jesus Christ and communion with one another. A churchy way of saying: loving and caring for people and showing them a way of life, which makes a difference to who you are and who they are. He then asked a central question which I held on to throughout the time and will reflect upon a fair bit more. He asked and put the word evangelisation at the very centre of who we are.

Evangelisation?

Living the faith in such a way that it makes people around you, ask questions of me?

 How am I living life in such a way that other people question me about it?

 As Bishop Michael heard of the comments and questions and discussions, the main one was asking of me and all of us: an honest renewal and transformation of hearts.

 May that be our prayer and our continuing of the journey, amen.

Greg Dwyer, the Facilitator.

What struck me is the faith and resilience of the diocesan faith community, committed as they are to genuinely seeking a way forward as they seek to discern what God is asking of them as a community today.

I was encouraged to experience the willingness with which participants engaged with the assembly process. This was not necessarily easy for them to do, as the assembly process itself had to be open-ended. Any attempt to lockdown the outcomes in anticipation would have been counterproductive to the purpose of the assembly: to work together to discuss and discern the way forward for the diocese over the next 10 years. Yet people were willing to work with it…

I was moved by a number of the 1-1 encounters I had as people shared with me their faith stories and the personal convictions that keep them going in what are often difficult circumstances.

 The venue was great and the hospitality offered by Rob and the staff was much appreciated.

 Shane Dwyer is the Director of the National Centre for Evangelisation

John Kennedy

 A general comment from people was that it was a great opportunity to interact with people from across the Diocese – especially from people away from the main population centers e.g. the far west – good to hear their views about the issues facing Catholics in the Diocese

• Was a good opportunity to connect with all the priests from across the Dioceses
• Wonderful liturgies to unit all the members of the Assembly
• An opportunity to hear more about the Plenary Council in 2020