Sydney
7 September 2003

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Tasmania accused on same-sex adoption and ‘marriage’

Refugee kids freed, but for how long?

Matter of perspective

Archbishop honours Year 12 students

Treasured Gospels from Holy Island

Own faith is vital to dialogue – cardinal

Marist laity unity move

$50,000 for Susan’s pilgrimage

Good Shepherds find green pastures

Upgraded Bulls go into bat against their demons

Editorial: A parallel universe?

Letters: Age of consent

Conversation: Prof Friedhelm Mennekes, parish priest and art lecturer - Space for art in a sacred space

Why the world is the way it is

1500 reasons to be proud of his school

Brothers died on mission to save their leader

‘Don’t forget your people back home’

Pius XII – Hitler, the Holocaust and ‘Canossa’

On ‘going to Canossa’

Laity, clergy share the pastoral load

Pell embraces Cardinal's vision for Sydney Synod

Kylie on line to help kids

Engadine sisters in Columban art show




 

Archbishop Pell embraces Cardinal's vision for Sydney Synod

Before his retirement, Cardinal Edward Clancy (right) confided in his college of consultors that he would like to convene a Synod to involve the whole Sydney Church in planning and decision-making à la the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle and the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn which has been going down the same road as Maitland-Newcastle.

Unfortunately, the cardinal was too close to retiring to do anything about it.

Happily, his successor, Archbishop Pell (left), recently expressed his conviction that the laity would have to play an increasingly important role in the Sydney Church (CW 17/3).

The diocesan synod and the diocesan pastoral council are the only diocesan structures mentioned in the Code of Canon Law as ways of using the abundant gifts of the laity, “for the good of the whole diocesan community”. (Canon 460).

Fortunately, the recent experience of dioceses like Maitland-Newcastle and Canberra and Goulburn can be invaluable for other Australian dioceses looking to go down this road for the first time.