Greetings from the Australian Catholic Bishop’s Conference, Melbourne.

Twice a year, the Bishops of Australia meet and discuss issues of the Church. This morning, we joined with the religious and listened to the progress of the Plenary Council. With all of the submissions in, including our own from individuals and from the Diocesan Assembly, they are now being assessed for the emerging themes. In the month of June, a discerning process will call forth interested people to join the various task groups to work on the material collected from all around Australia.

On the way here to Melbourne, I visited the National Evangelisation Office in Canberra headed by Shane Dwyer. Shane led us at the Diocesan Assembly and the office provides many materials in the area of Evangelisation, including the Catholic Enquiry Centre. Shane’s Office is currently planning for a Pastoral Planners’ Network meeting for 2020 and Proclaim in 2022.

 This month’s edition includes many items from around the Diocese of the Easter celebrations. I began Easter at the Cathedral and then on Easter Sunday joined the community at Woorabinda. Sr Cecilia is the Pastoral Leader of the Parish of Woorabinda and this year had five baptisms. The Easter Vigil at the Cathedral the night before included the baptism of a Catechumen (an adult seeking baptism), welcoming a person into full communion with the Catholic Church (someone who has been baptised into another Christian tradition) and the third person, completion of his initiation. I had baptised him in the Jordan River while on pilgrimage in December last year. It is a great joy to celebrate the Easter Sacraments and I would encourage all of our communities to plan towards Easter 2020 and actively encourage parishioners to look for possible people to join our church at Easter time through the rites of Christian Initiation.

 The last few weeks has brought sadness with the loss of life in Sri Lanka and, before that, Christchurch. Our prayers are with all who have lost loved ones and friends in these tragic attacks on people who had gathered in prayer.

 With blessings upon you and your families