Welcome to Plenary Post 11

Much of the focus for the Plenary Council so far has been on the primary question that the Council is considering: “What do you think God is asking of us in Australia at this time?” That is the first of three pieces of stimulus that people are invited to reflect upon when making a submission to the Council.
More than 21,000 voices have now contributed to this phase of the three-year process, and that number is growing quickly as more young people, families, priests and parishioners, school staff and students, agency leaders and staff, men and women working for the Church in dioceses and many other groups of people continue to listen to one another’s stories of their faith, God in their lives and their encounters with the Church.
Topics that are passionately and frequently raised include leadership and governance within the Church, the place and role of women, the importance of young people, the living tradition, liturgy and music, the priesthood and other vocations, inclusion and welcome, the sacramental life of the Church, ecology and creation, and social justice. The infographic below provides some insight into the current content and statistics of responses the Plenary Council team are receiving.
The stories and reflections that people are taking time to write down are truly inspirational. They reflect people’s joys and challenges, their hopes and fears, the deep faith of some and the wavering faith of others.
More stories and submissions will be shared over the coming months, with the Listening and Dialogue phase running until Ash Wednesday — March 6, 2019.