To livestream the Episcopal Ordination and Installation of the Most Reverend George Kolodziej SDS, as the Fifth Bishop of Bunbury please click the link below. The livestream will be opened from 9:30AM on 19 March 2025.
My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
It is with great joy that I write to you following the announcement that the Holy Father, Pope Francis has entrusted the Diocese of Bunbury to my pastoral care as Bishop. Firstly, may I extend to each of you, a brotherly sign of peace and humbly ask for your prayers, as I prepare for my episcopal ordination in St Patrick’s Cathedral on 19 March 2025.
As I commence this new chapter in my priestly ministry, it is a grace-filled opportunity to reflect on my life’s journey in the light of God’s Word. Through the unwavering source of strength and guidance that the Lord has bestowed upon me, I have felt that wondrous calling from God to be a pilgrim of hope. “Go forth from your land, your relatives, and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you” (Gen 12:1). Embracing God’s will, with faith, trust and fortitude has led me to the profound joy of witnessing His vast works — and God’s calling in my life, and in the lives of all whom I have encountered in my thirty years of priestly ministry.
As I write to you today, I am deeply and humbly aware that it is God Himself who is calling me to serve you as your bishop. Through the lens of faith, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I am reminded of the humble and trusting response from our Blessed Mother: “Here I am” (Luke 1:38). Yielding to God’s will transforms longing into gratitude and fear into awe — opening us to grace and intention. In His infinite wisdom, God has a sacred plan for each one of us to uphold our place in the vineyard of the Lord.
It is my hope that the Church in this beautiful region of Bunbury will become ever more joyful, welcoming, inclusive, and missionary — bringing the hope and Good News of Jesus Christ to all, rejoicing in the Lord always. It is in this spirit, that I begin my ministry as your shepherd.
In this holy Jubilee Year, may we unite as Pilgrims of Hope, one in the Body of Christ, to rejoice in the love and goodness of our Saviour to transform lives, and draw endless hearts into deeper relationship with Jesus. Together, may we stand with courage and strength to joyfully bring the light of the Gospel, with renewed enthusiasm, zeal and steadfast perseverance to all whom we encounter, both in our local church and beyond.
Please be assured of my prayers for you.
Yours in Christ,
Bishop-Elect of Bunbury
Pastoral Letter to the Catholic community of the Diocese of Bunbury
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ
It is with great joy that I share with you the news that the Holy Father, Pope Francis, has appointed Father George Kolodziej SDS as the next Bishop of Bunbury. Father George is presently the local Congregational leader of the Salvatorian community (Society of the Divine Saviour) in Australia. He is also the chaplain for Catholic Education WA, based at Leederville, and a member of the Council for Catholic Religious Australia (CRA).
The Salvatorians in Australia form part of the Polish Province of their Congregation. The first Salvatorians, originally from the British Province, came to Perth at the invitation of Archbishop Prendiville in 1961. Responsibility for the Salvatorian mission in Australia passed formally to the Polish province in 1987. Salvatorians now undertake pastoral care in a number of parishes in Perth and in country areas of Western Australia, including Esperance. Since 1999, they have also had a significant presence in the Broken Bay diocese in New South Wales.
Father (now bishop-elect) Kolodziej, who has spent his priestly life in Australia and knows the West very well, has post-graduate qualifications in Theology and in Psychotherapy/Counselling. He has had a number of parish appointments in both the Archdiocese of Perth and the Diocese of Broken Bay. He presently resides in the community residence of the Salvatorian headquarters in Perth.
The new bishop-elect will bring a wealth of experience and the richness of his Salvatorian spirituality to the new mission in the Church to which the Lord has called him. I know you will join me in welcoming him to the diocese, in praying for him as he contemplates this new and unexpected call from the Lord, and in supporting him in every way possible.
A precise date for the solemn ordination and installation of Bishop-elect Kolodziej, which will take place in March, will be announced as soon as possible. In the meantime, I would ask you to support your new bishop-elect with your prayers as he prepares to undertake this new mission.
+Archbishop Tim Costelloe SDB
Apostolic Administrator
Diocese of Bunbury
6th January 2025
As Pope Francis has made clear on many occasions, the long synodal journey which the whole Church is undertaking, and which will continue at the local level once the second assembly of the Sixteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops has concluded, should not be understood as a pathway to a new Church: rather it is a pathway to a renewed Church which rediscovers the central importance of baptism as the foundation of our lives as disciples of Jesus Christ, and as the principle of our fundamental dignity and equality as members of the Church. We are all baptised into Christ, all equally members of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, and all sharers in the priestly, prophetic and royal identity and mission which Christ has given to his Church. We are all, individually and collectively, entrusted with the responsibility to ensure that the “Church, in Christ, is (and is experienced to be) in the nature of a sacrament – a sign and an instrument, that is, – of communion with God and of unity among all people” (cf. Lumen Gentium 1). And, of course, precisely because Jesus, in himself, is the great sign and instrument of the communion between God and humanity, and through his death and resurrection the sign and instrument of unity among all people, we are, through our baptism, commissioned and empowered to be, as part of the Body of Christ (the Church), the sign and instrument of the ongoing presence and action of Christ in our own time and place.
From our own local diocesan perspective, as for the Church generally, it is important to remind ourselves that the “we” of which I speak above encompasses every baptised Catholic who forms part of the Catholic community. It is this fundamental truth, which we all know intellectually, which the pope is inviting us to reflect on deeply and help to bring alive in our own local and very specific contexts: in our parish, in our school, in our friendship group, in our family, in our neighbourhood, in our diocese, and in our wider society. There are no first and second class members of the Church: we are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:28).
Arising from this profound but often obscured truth, a fundamental question arises for each baptised person to ask: how can I, in the concrete reality of my own life and circumstances, play my part in keeping alive and effective the presence of Jesus Christ in that part of the world and Church in which I find myself? And because each Christian, and certainly each Catholic Christian, is by very definition a member of the Church which is the community of the disciples of Christ, the question really becomes a “we” question rather than an “I” question: how can “I”, as part of the “we”, play my part, in communion of spirit and action with my brothers and sisters in the faith?
The present Synod has been considering this fundamental question, very conscious that the members of the Synod are themselves a small part of a much greater “we” – the “we” of the whole Catholic community spread across the face of the earth. Pope Francis has been very insistent that the work of the Synod cannot happen in isolation. The Synod members have been invited to see themselves as part of an organic process of consultation, reflection, discussion and discernment in which each phase of the Synodal journey, beginning with the initial, world-wide consultation of the People of God, represents a further step in an ever-deepening discernment which will culminate in the drafting of a final document. This document, which will gather the fruits of the whole Synodal journey, will be offered to the Pope for his consideration, discernment and decision.
The nature and contents of the final synodal document are, therefore, in no way predetermined. Rather they will be the outcome of the considerations and conclusions of the Synod itself. It is important to stress that, whatever the outcomes, they will be offered to the Holy Father in a spirit of freedom and trust, fully respecting the right and duty of the Holy Father to make whatever decisions he believes are right and proper for the good of the Church at this time as it seeks to be faithful to its Lord.
While the Synod is of vital importance for every Catholic, it represents for us as priests and bishops, together with our deacons, an opportunity and an obligation to prayerfully evaluate our own approach to our ministry in terms of this synodal understanding of the Church. How are we to exercise our own particular ministry in the Church which fully recognises that it is the whole Church, and not just the ordained, (or the ordained together with the religious, or the ordained and religious together with those who exercise particular formal positions in the Church), to which the mission of the Church is entrusted?
As I reflect on this, I believe that something Pope St John Paul 11 once said might offer us a useful starting point. In Pastores Dabo Vobis, the pope’s Apostolic Exhortation published in 1992 after the Synod of Bishops of the previous year, he made the following statement:
The ministry of the priest is entirely on behalf of the Church; it aims at promoting the exercise of the common priesthood of the entire People of God (PDF 16).
While this statement must be read in its wider context, the linking of the ministerial priesthood with the common priesthood of all the faithful (which includes, of course, deacons, priests and bishops) is significant. It invites us to reflect on the meaning of the “common priesthood” which is a sharing in the one priesthood of Christ. How does our life and ministry promote this universal priesthood of the whole Church? And this question, in turn, invites reflection on the Christian understanding of priesthood. This understanding, while linked to the ancient Jewish priesthood, is to be understood fundamentally in relation to the theological insight, explicit in the Letter to the Hebrews but implicit across the whole of the New Testament tradition, that there is only one priest, Jesus Christ, who embodies in himself the three-fold and inter-connected Jewish tradition of “priest, prophet and king”. It is this one, unique priesthood which Jesus shares with the whole priestly people of God and, within that people, with bishops and priests in a particular way. As Pope John Paul 11 remarks, “reference to Christ is thus the absolutely necessary key for understanding the reality of priesthood” (PDV 12). This is true of the identity of the whole Church as a “priestly people” and true of those who, within the community of the Church, are ordained for priestly service as bishops and priests, with the deacons who assist them.
A reflection such as the one I am offering you now is not the place for a prolonged treatment of the theology of priesthood as it is expressed in the Catholic tradition. Suffice it to say that at its heart the priesthood of Jesus is to be found in his readiness to offer himself fully, finally and without reserve, as a sacrifice of love for the sake of God’s people. “It (my blood) will be shed for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins”. Any and all sharing in the one priesthood of Christ will be a sharing in that attitude of mind and heart which led Jesus to offer himself in sacrifice for others: this is the vocation of every Christian, it is the “gift” and “power” given through the sacrament of baptism, and it is the way in which every Christian is called and commissioned to make concrete his or her “priestliness”.
Each Christian will live out this priestliness in the concrete realities of his or her own situation. Most Christians will live it out in the context of marriage, which is a priestly vocation precisely because marriage makes real and concrete the selfless and self-giving love of Christ for his Church: husbands and wives offer the gift of their lives to each other in love. Parents do the same for their children, in this way manifesting the priestly nature of the vocation of parenthood. But these two intimately-related vocations make clear something that is true for all of us: that we are all called to make of our lives a generous gift of love and self-giving to others in all the ways that are open to us. And, of course, it is this impulse, this “sensus fidelium” so deeply inserted into the Christian identity, which makes the Church a truly missionary community of disciples: a truly priestly community.
Within the Christian community, formed and animated by the Spirit of Christ, the Lord has given us the gift of the ministry of priests and bishops, supported by the ministry of deacons. This is the three-fold structure of ordained ministry with which we are so familiar and which we believe is divinely-ordained. We have an ordained ministry not simply because we need some kind of leadership structure and some kind of organising principle, and the ordained ministry gradually emerged as the best model available, but because God has determined that the Church, to be faithful to its identity and mission, needs this ministry. Bishops and priests, together with the deacons, stand within the community as a powerful and concrete sign and reminder that the Church must look beyond itself and its own resources to the Christ who is the one true head and source of life for the Church. The ordained ministry thus has a “sacramental” function in the very structure of the Church: it signifies that Christ remains, and is recognised to be, the head, shepherd and spouse of his Church. As the Catechism reminds us, sacraments are “perceptible signs (words and actions) accessible to our human nature. By the action of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit they make present efficaciously the grace that they signify” (CCC1084). This is fundamentally true of the seven sacraments of the Church: it is, analogously, true of the ordained ministry itself which makes present efficaciously the presence of Christ, specifically in his capacity as head, shepherd and spouse.
This is the vocation of the priest and bishop: not to be the head of the Church but to be the sacramental sign pointing us to Christ the head; not to be the shepherd of the Church but to be the sacramental sign pointing us to Christ the Good Shepherd; not to be the spouse of the Church but to be the sacramental sign of Christ the spouse of the bride whom he loves. Without this sacramental sign the Church could easily forget that it depends fully on Christ and his grace, rather than on its own collective “wisdom” and its own resources. Without this efficacious sacramental sign, the Church, as the community of Christ’s disciples, would be incapable of being the priestly community Christ has created it to be.
Pope St John Paul 11 captures all this very well when, in his 1990 Holy Thursday Letter to Priests, he writes as follows:
The priesthood of priests and bishops, as well as the ministry of deacons, is “for” the laity, and precisely for this reason it possesses a “ministerial” character, that is to say, one of “service”. Moreover, it highlights the “baptismal priesthood,” the priesthood common to all the faithful. It highlights this priesthood and at the same time helps it to be realised in the sacramental life.
It is worth considering here that the sacramental ministry of priests and bishops, which in our Catholic tradition has assumed such a central role in the life and ministry of the ordained, is precisely the way in which God has determined to equip and empower all disciples of Jesus to live out their priestly vocation of total self-giving for the life of God’s people. Such a vocation is beyond the natural capacity of human beings: we need the power of God’s grace to enable us to be what, without that grace, we cannot hope to be. The ministerial priesthood of priests and bishops expressed, not exclusively but certainly most fully, in our sacramental ministry, indeed “highlights the priesthood common to all the faithful and helps it to be realised”.
The significance and prominence of the ordained ministry in the life of the Church is, therefore, a precious gift. This gift, and its prominence, carries with it, however, a very real danger for us. We can so easily fall into the trap of thinking that we are the heads, shepherds and spouses of the Lord’s Church: that I am the head of my parish (when, of course, it is Christ who is the head of the parish, which is his) or that I, and not Christ, am the shepherd of my diocese (which in reality is not mine but the Lord’s). This is one of the gateways to that “clericalism” which has emerged as such a concern in Pope Francis’s reflections and in so many of the submissions to the Synod from all corners of the Church. We forget that we are not masters, but servants, and that, in their engagement with us, our people are meant to encounter not those who lay heavy burdens on people’s shoulders and then don’t lift a finger to help them (cf. Matt 23:4) but living images of the one who is the face of the Father’s mercy (Pope Francis, Misericordiae Vultus, 2015).
This reflection invites us to consider the way in which we make Christ present to the particular community which has been entrusted to us. It is important to recall often that it is his way we are called to follow, his truth we are called to proclaim, and his life we are called to live and share (cf. John 14:6). When we fall into the trap of uncritically presupposing that our way (or our truth or our life) is fully in harmony with his, we run the risk of replacing fidelity with clericalism. We are no longer embodying the spirit of Saint John the Baptist (he must grow greater, and I must grow smaller cf. John 3:30), but rather the very opposite: he grows smaller as I grow greater. Surely none of us entered a seminary or religious congregation with the aim of diminishing or obscuring the truth and beauty of who Christ is – but each of us must have the courage and humility to ask if perhaps, in all kinds of different ways, this has at times been a tragic feature of our life and ministry.
Genuine humility, of course, recognises the truth – and the truth is that many of us, much of the time, live our diaconal and priestly lives with extraordinary generosity, self-sacrifice, fidelity and integrity. We do our best to be as available as possible to our people, not only when they come to find us in the presbytery or after Mass on the weekends, but also when we are called to the local hospital, aged care facility or nursing home, when we make that extra effort to be present in the local Catholic schools, and when we encounter our people in the local shopping centre. At our best, we are ready to leave our meal unfinished if someone has an urgent need for us, or to give up part of our day-off to lead a funeral, even when the deceased person or the family members have not been regular church-goers or perhaps do not technically belong to the parish. We try our best to be men of prayer, conscientious preparers of our homilies, just and compassionate employers of our staff, and willing supporters of our brothers in the ordained ministry. We certainly do all we can to be faithful to our commitment to treat others with respect and dignity and never to use or abuse others in any way. This generous self-giving to our people is our way of living our participation in the “common priesthood of all the faithful” and it is also the way in which our sacramental ministry and our way of life form a coherent whole.
None of us get all this right all of the time – but the vast majority of us do our best and remain faithful even when tiredness, discouragement, lack of resources and even direct opposition can threaten to overwhelm us.
Underpinning this complex reality of our lives as ordained ministers is the mystery of God’s choice. “You did not choose me,” Jesus said to his disciples at the Last Supper, “I chose you” (John 15:16). This is as true for us as it was for the first disciples. And what Paul once wrote in relation to this mystery of divine vocation can be a source of courage for us when we confront our own limitations and failures:
God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong (1 Cor 1:27).
But, of course, we must remember that God chooses us for a purpose. “I chose you,” said Jesus, “and I commissioned you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last” (John 15:16).
In a very real sense, the present Synod is a moment of grace for us, ordained ministers in the Lord’s Church, because it is an invitation coming from the Bishop of Rome as the visible source of the Church’s unity (cf. CCC
882), to reflect deeply on just what kind of fruit the Lord is looking for us to bear. In our local context, which for most of us means our parish community, what the Lord seems to be asking of us is that we dedicate ourselves to the task of helping our people to understand, to embrace and to realise in practice their fundamental call to be, in the words of Pope Francis, “missionary disciples”: people who embody, radiate and share the joy of the gospel with others; disciples who, as sharers in the priesthood of Christ, make of their lives a gift of generous and self-sacrificing love for others; and people who strive to do this in whatever ways are open to them in their individual circumstances. And because we are leaders of a community of disciples, and not dictators over “inferiors” whom the Lord has entrusted to our care, we will consider carefully how to generously and humbly invite all those who are willing and able to share the joy and the burden of Christian leadership to join with us in a common mission. This is an essential element of a synodal approach to our life and ministry as leaders of our local communities.
As priests and bishops, supported by our deacons, we are therefore called to place all our energies at the service of our brothers and sisters in the faith, animating, enabling and encouraging their, and our, exercise of the priesthood of the faithful, that priesthood which, because it is a sharing in Christ’s unique priesthood, calls us to “break our bodies” and “spill our blood” – that is, to give all that we are and have – so that others might have life and have it more abundantly (cf. John 10:10).
This is an exciting vision of the Church, both universally and at the local level of diocese and parish: it is one which I would invite you all to reflect on and embrace. There will be many challenges ahead, possibly some missteps along the way, and many options to consider, both at the local and diocesan level. Pope Francis has invited the whole Church to continue to walk this synodal path. I would like to think that we can do so together, sustaining, supporting and encouraging each other. Through the initiative of Pope Francis may God who has begun this good work in us bring it to fulfilment (cf. Ordination Rite of bishops, priests and deacons).
Most Rev Timothy Costelloe SDB DD
Apostolic Administrator Diocese of Bunbury
21 September 2024
Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle.
Diocesan Summary 2024
Synod of Bishops 2021 – 2024
Roman Catholic Diocese of Bunbury
Western Australia, Australia
About the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bunbury
We are the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bunbury from Western Australia. We are a geographically large rural diocese with a scattered population across 26 parishes. Our Diocese includes costal, metropolitan, mining and farming towns. We are also experiencing an expanding services industry. Some of our larger towns are experiencing significant population growth while other small farming towns face dwindling populations and closure. Tourism is a large industry in our Diocese and many towns are popular destinations for both local and foreign tourists. Our communities are populated by both ageing people and young families. In some areas much migration has occurred while others see generations of families still present. Many of our young people leave our Diocese in pursuit of further opportunities in education, work, social and family life.
Currently the Diocese is experiencing “sede vacante” with Bishop Emeritus Gerard J Holohan retiring in 2023 after serving 22 years as the Roman Catholic Bishop of Bunbury. The Most Reverend Timothy J Costelloe, Archbishop of Perth, has been appointed as our Apostolic Administrator. This period of waiting and transition has presented both opportunities and challenges and allows us a unique perspective on the Synod of Bishops 2021 – 2024 and on synodality.
The Process
The task of coordinating our Diocesan consultation and creating the Diocesan Report was given to the Diocesan Office for Evangelisation. We have undertaken two approaches for this consultation. The first was to announce to our parishes and clergy the current Diocesan Consultation Phase. While we did not ask every parishioner to be involved in the consultation, we did communicate that should groups wish to undertake a reflection session and submit their findings, they were welcomed to do so. We also offered assistance to any parish or group that wished to undertake and submit their reflections. Several parishes and groups made use of this offer and submitted their reflections to us. We also identified several key groups to be targeted for this consultation; priests and deacons, parish pastoral council representatives and key leaders in the diocese, both lay and religious, from a number of different ministries and groups. The targeted consultations were conducted through Zoom over several weeks.
There were some challenges in conducting these consultations. Given our Diocesan Synod in 2019, followed by the Plenary Council of Australia 2020 – 2022, many felt a “consultation fatigue.” This led to a lack of leadership, enthusiasm and lack of promotion of the Synod of Bishops 2021 – 2024. The result was that many of our people (aside from some who were keeping abreast of developments by their own volition) felt ill equipped, overwhelmed and left out of the process. Many felt that the language, depth and magnitude of the Synthesis Report was an obstacle to their engagement, especially if they had no familiarity with the topics or the process so far. This also led to some parishes, parishioners and leaders not engaging with the consultation. Given the vast distances between our parishes and people and the tight timeframe for the Diocesan Consultation phase, physical meetings were not a possibility for us, but many felt that the ‘Conversations in the Spirit’ would be greatly enhanced in a face to face environment.
In total we received 15 consultation reports from different groups. Each group was 4 – 6 members in size. These were received from:
Groups were invited to conduct reflection sessions as outlined by the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference National Center for Pastoral Research. Some groups focused on particular chapters with chapters 8, 9, 10, 11 and 16 being most common. Others chose to focus on the one question and two sub questions asked using the chapters of the Synthesis Report as the basis for their reflection.
It is from this context we now offer our insights and reflections on the Synthesis Report and in answer to the questions posed to us. We have summarized the results into themes for this document.
Introduction
We have gathered, prayed and journeyed together through this Diocesan Consultation Phase of the Synod. For some this is a new experience, while others have long awaited the opportunity to be more synodal. Much of the journey of the Synod has already occurred resulting in many fruits and treasures. We enter into this journey affirming the good work the Synod has already done, while acknowledging that we as a Diocese have not been able to enter into this journey for a range of reasons and ongoing challenges. We recognise that this is part of our story also. While our population is small and our geographical area large, we continue our journey of faith in our part of the world, and as part of the one Body of Christ.
We are all part of the Body of Christ, each needed, necessary and unique, but what does being part of this Body of Christ mean? Our consultation sessions point to a body desperately and urgently needing to know and understand itself better in order to breathe, move and live. How can the different parts of the Body of Christ communicate, function and work together? How do the many parts come together to form a whole? These questions developed from our prayer and reflection.
A body must work together and strengthen itself. This is also part of the body reaching a greater understanding of itself. It has been both surprising and unsurprising to identify, that of the many groups that were consulted, there was much convergence on how to work together and strengthen the Body of Christ into the future. It is also worthwhile investigating, that with many agreeing on the way forward, why are there barriers that continue to exist and what precisely are these barriers?
Our physical bodies reveal to us something about the Body of Christ. Our physical bodies are complex and beautiful, revealing the glory of our Creator. Our physical bodies have many parts, all unique, all working together to make up the whole. There is constant, unique and targeted communication throughout bodies, allowing each part to function and contribute to the whole. There are parts that are different, that occasionally get injured, and all of the parts rely on each other to continue to live and be part of the whole. Our reflections and the current Synod both reveal and demonstrates how we, as the Body of Christ, should walk together.
Urgent Need
These two words pervaded almost every consultation session, report and ‘Conversation in the Spirit’. Our people, lay, religious, clergy, young and old, have been faithfully living out their lives as part of the Body of Christ. This has presented unique challenges – some have been overcome and others are still being wrestled with. Much of what has been outlined already by the Synod, and other areas discussed by groups, was seen as urgently needed. Some felt the Church is at crisis point and many proposals and convergences need implementation now. Underpinning this was a sense of fading resiliency and patience for some, sadness for others, while others expressed regret over those who have chosen to no longer journey with us. Many expressed frustration at waiting and talking without any concrete action. Questions arose about what could be actioned on local, grassroots level and why obstacles still exist at this level. Despite this hope and faithfulness remain grounded in Christ and in this synodal journey. A great willingness, openness and desire for the fruits of this Synod was expressed. Enhancing differentiated co-responsibility for mission is possible but requires urgent action. The Body of Christ needs to move in this way and allow its different parts to function as intended.
Formation and Mission
Formation, education, training and related terms were mentioned 45 times throughout the submissions received. An urgent need for formation for every part and the entirety of the Body of Christ was recognized. Formation for everyone, at every level and across all levels in every area. Formation should not be isolated – it should move and flow freely between each part of the body – connecting us to each other and strengthening our bonds. In some sense formation is the blood of the Body of Christ, giving life and energy to every part and connecting every part together. Formation of the laity, priests, bishops, deacons, seminarians and other ministers were all identified as important areas where co-responsibility and collaboration could be practiced. Formation in synodality was also identified as a key area. A concrete thirst for formation was discovered, especially in regards to understanding the Church itself – or put another way – the body seeking to understand itself, its parts, and how they can function as one. ‘Conversations in the Spirit’ unveiled that a lack of formation is an obstacle to synodality and mission. Many felt that they did not posses the knowledge, understanding or authority to engage with the Synthesis Report. This reflects a wider hesitancy and paralysis when it comes to mission and synodality present in some of the faithful. This could explain why many people chose not to engage in the consultation. This hesitancy to engage and a lack of empowerment of the people may be attributed to the consequences and effects of clericalism over many decades. Despite this it was recognized that there are some good formation and missionary opportunities that exist and need to be built on and supported.
Women
Women are already an integral part of the Body of Christ. Appreciation for women and the work they do in families, schools and communities was felt to be undervalued. The rediscovering of the value and worth of women is apparent. Some felt further movement in this area was needed. There has been much said on women and their role in the Body of Christ. Much more was said during the consultations and there is still more to say. In many ways the consultation revealed a sense of inevitability and expectation of women being key parts of the body in the future – particularly in all levels of leadership and mission. This was especially true of roles that have historically not been available to them – ministries of acolyte, deacon and, for some, priesthood. Some expressed the need for better formation opportunities for women and on the deaconate in general.
Communication and Listening
Communication and listening recurred throughout the consultation. Communication should be clear, frequent, varied, unique and effective. All levels of the Church should communicate to each other to ensure mutual understanding. This should also be underpinned in the practice of genuine listening and in a spirit of openness. Many pointed to the ‘Conversations in the Spirit’ as a worthwhile and effective practice for better communication and listening. A physical body is in constant communication with itself and its parts. Furthermore, this communication is differentiated according to need, circumstance and which parts of the body are communicating with each other. Likewise, the Body of Christ needs to learn to communicate with the different parts in different ways, according to context, to ensure effective and meaningful communication. The Synod used the idea of “widening the tent” during the continental phase of the Synod. Communication, listening and openness ensures that we are ready to widen the tent when the time comes. For the Body of Christ to fulfil its mission and ensure responsibility, constant, open and transparent communication is necessary. In a physical body, the head receives and sends the vast majority of communications. Likewise the Body of Christ should communicate and listen to Jesus Christ, the head of the Body of Christ, first, foremost and above all else. It is through good communication that strong, trusting and loving relationships can be built.
Relationships
The building of relationships with and between people was seen as essential. It is from the building and existence of collaborative, trusting and strong relationships that mission and synodality is realized. Relationships both with and between laity, religious, clergy and the episcopate was identified as needing improvement. A good community is made of many smaller relationships between its members. Likewise, the Body of Christ needs to build strong and trusting relationships with and between its different parts. We should also seek to create harmony where different groups have faced division. Co-responsibility is made possible through strong relationships with and between people. Relationships in small groups were specifically mentioned. Small groups allow for better engagement, collaboration, discernment and accompaniment than in larger groups. This focus on relationships should also lead us to engage with those on the peripheries and margins of society and of our Church. The strength of body is demonstrated by its relationships with its most vulnerable parts – those seeking justice, those feeling isolated, abandoned and alone. These parts of the body might be identified as the extremities of the body, in need of great warmth and connection with the other parts.
Peripheries and Outward Looking
There was a substantial expression of the need to be outward looking and listening to those who are excluded and on the outside. This listening and outward orientation needs to be grounded in Christ and the love He has and shares for and with all people. People identified included those who do not share our faith, those of other religions or no religion, those who have left the Church (including former clergy members), young people, families, cultural groups and LGBTQI people. There are also people who are part of the Body of Christ that feel outside or disconnected from the whole and/or from other parts. The Body of Christ needs to reengage its distant and suffering parts and reach out to others who are not part of the body. Simultaneously we need to ensure that we are open to including those who wish to be part of the Body of Christ and removing obstacles to inclusion where possible. Inclusion and representation should also be considered when we discern and select those who lead the Body of Christ.
Governance and Co-responsibility
Governance, co-responsibility and decision-making structures and processes were key areas of consultation. There was very little disagreement in these areas across all groups including clergy. There was universal agreement on the need for recognition and inclusion of all the people of God (including laity and women), according to their gifts, talents, charisms, experiences and potential, in all Governance, co-responsibility and decision-making structures and processes. There appears much to be gained from developing a sense of differentiated co-responsibility, governance and decision making in the Church. Our mission suffers when this is absent. Formation was identified as a key aspect of enhancing what is already occurring. Many felt that discernment and the practice of ‘Conversations in the Spirit’ should also be integrated. Particular bodies, processes and structures that were mentioned included Parish Pastoral Councils, and Diocesan Pastoral Councils, as well as other movements and associations. Good governance, leadership, decision-making and responsibility structures and processes rely on the other areas already mentioned in this document to be accepted and effective. It is important that the Body of Christ trusts itself and its parts in order to function. This should be considered when selecting those for leadership and governance positions. The principles of Catholic Social Teaching and especially subsidiarity are essential for good governance and co-responsibility and are likely to be applied where trust is strong. As the Body of Christ understands itself better and strengthens itself, its leadership and governance will also improve. Ensuring the gifts and charism of all parts of body are recognized and nurtured will also improve governance and responsibility.
Gifts, Charism, and Laity
The Holy Spirit is active in both the whole and in each part of the Body of Christ. It nurtures different gifts and charisms in clergy, religious, laity and episcopate. These gifts and charisms need to be recognized, nurtured and utilized in every person in service to the mission of the Church. The consultation revealed a shared responsibility of everyone to achieve this – we all need to be aware and nurturing of the gifts of others. This was seen as fundamental in continuing to fulfil our mission. Importantly many of our clergy voiced strong opinion on recognizing and celebrating the gifts and charisms of all and especially women and their role in the Church. Each person in the Church should be given the opportunity to contribute to the mission and life of the Church according to their gifts and abilities. Furthermore we must ensure people’s gifts can grow. When parts of the body are strengthened and able to contribute, the whole body benefits. This is true also of the Body of Christ. There was discussion about expanded roles that the laity could fulfill especially in regards to pastoral work, teaching, sacraments, family life, preaching, evangelisation and other areas. Building on the gifts and charisms of all is essential to mission and true co-responsibility. Conversely, where gifts and charisms have been stifled or neglected, co-responsibility and mission have been stifled. These discussions also led to a conversation about clericalism.
Clericalism
The Synthesis Report defines clericalism well and accurately suggests that both clergy and the laity can suffer from clericalism. As mentioned we see the effects of clericalism still with people lacking formation and empowerment. Some feel too fearful to move or contribute due to clericalism. Others have never been given the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the life of the Church and now doubt themselves. Clericalism breaks trusts and relationships. Concern was expressed at “clericalising” the laity. Others voiced that roles and responsibilities held by laity are often not respected by some at the same level of clergy. St Paul describes how the eye cannot say to the hand “I do not need you.” Clericalism is one part of the body devaluing another. In many ways clericalism and its affects has been embedded into our Church. It was felt that formation at a grassroots level and acceptance at all levels of the Church could combat this. The lonely, isolated and sheltered lifestyle of priests was also raised as a concern. Many felt the need to offer support to and integrate our priests better in our communities. Furthermore priestly formation in seminaries would benefit from input and leadership from the laity.
Other Points
There were some other discussions worth noting during the consultation.
The involvement of the whole Body of Christ, including laypeople and women, was seen as necessary in the future selection of seminarians, priests and bishops. Furthermore the whole body should be involved in the formation and ongoing formation of all of its members and especially seminarians, priests, and bishops. The above is also true of our lay and religious leaders.
The family unit or domestic Church is still an important place of evangelisation. Some lamented the lack of support and pastoral planning for families, couples discerning marriage and young people. Others suggested that structures already in place need support and renewal such as Worldwide Marriage Encounter Australia and others. New media and relevant and effective strategies to evangelise every person at every age is needed.
Increasingly our communities are becoming multicultural. This presents its own set of challenges that can only be overcome by awareness, openness, listening and by the creation of opportunities to come together. The issues of language and cultural barriers and therefore the involvement of migrants in the life of the Church (including the Synod), was mentioned as an obstacle. Many migrants bring with them a rich and deep faith. This could benefit their new communities if effective formation of everyone enabled mutual understanding.
Acknowledgement and Recognition
Through the consultations there became an apparent need for recognition and acknowledgement of a number of phenomena. It is only by truly recognizing and acknowledging our challenges, histories, issues as well as strengths, can we truly begin to journey together.
Differentiation
Our identity as a diocese is firmly rooted in our ties to the land. The traditional custodians of the land worked with it and lived off it. We need to continue this as stewards of creation while building relationships with local indigenous people. Our communities span vast areas, with each region and area having its own unique character. This same land that nourishes us can also isolate us. Living and working this land we realise that what works for one part of the land may not work for the other. What works for one community may not work for another. Likewise for the Body of Christ, what works for one part may not work for the other. It is important to recognise that one approach, program or structure will not be able to meet all the unique needs of the Church in its rich complexity, uniqueness and expressions. Being attuned and accommodating to unique local needs is important. We must be aware and be willing to action differentiated approaches, processes and structures to ensure we reach every part of the Body of Christ.
Main Points
Conclusion
The Body of Christ is undergoing a period of growth and change. This is not unlike the adolescent development phase of our physical bodies. These changes can be painful, long and confusing but also worthwhile and fruitful. Most importantly these changes are necessary for our continuation into the future. The Synod of Bishops 2021 – 2024 has already discerned many good and worthwhile areas. As we seek to further understand ourselves we offer the above insights. Recognising Christ as the head of the Body of Christ and therefore our head, we await in prayer and faithfulness, the day when differentiated responsibility for mission becomes a reality and a new way of being the Body of Christ.
Authorship
This report was drafted by Mr. Aaron Faure, Evangelisation Coordinator of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bunbury. It was drafted in consultation with Dr. Deborah Robertson and Dr. Stephen Hinton. Both of whom are part of the lay faithful and involved in Diocesan activities.
“Easter, in the land where it originated as a Christian festival, is celebrated in Spring. New life is bursting through after often long and harsh winters, and the signs of renewal and new beginnings are plain to see. Here in Australia, and even here in the beautiful South-West, things are a little different. We are in the season of autumn, when nature begins to make preparations for the winter which will soon be upon us. Leaves fall from the trees, the mornings and evenings are becoming cooler, and we begin to look in our cupboards for warmer clothes, just in case.
For Christians the autumn season, while it might not seem to mirror the joy of Easter Sunday, does reflect a little better the mood of Good Friday and Holy Saturday. These days speak to us of suffering, of death and of the emptiness of bereavement. Those among us who have lost loved ones will know just how the first followers of Jesus must have felt on the day following His death. Their hopes and dreams died with Him, and they must have been tempted to despair. But incredibly, that sorrow turned to joy when they encountered the risen Jesus and realised that all He had said about the love and compassion of God was true. Life does triumph over death; love does triumph over hate; forgiveness does triumph over retribution.
This is a message of hope which we desperately need to hear as we look around our troubled world. Good people can make a difference – and really good people can make an extraordinary difference. And when good people work together, healing and hope can overcome suffering and despair. It is not only Christians who recognise Jesus Christ as “a really good person”. His life, His teachings, His integrity and His compassion remind us of what we, too, are capable of doing – and being.
May the Easter weekend provide us all with an opportunity to reflect on what we can do to make our own lives a gift for the good of others, as Jesus made His life a generous gift for all”.
Archbishop Tim Costelloe SDB
Apostolic Administrator
Catholic Diocese of Bunbury
Dear brothers in the ordained ministry, colleagues and friends, Throughout the first phase of the Archdiocesan Transition, an extensive discernment was undertaken with contributions made by the Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General, Episcopal Vicars, clergy of the archdiocese, agency directors, agency staff and a variety of other stakeholders, including Committees of Management, with respect to the dedicated ‘Agency Project’ as one of the identified archdiocesan Transition projects.
Subsequently, and through ongoing dialogue with directors and coordinators of archdiocesan agencies, further discernment was facilitated with respect to an identified outcome of the ‘Agency Project’ which was the development and implementation of a new role that would be dedicated to directly supporting directors and coordinators of archdiocesan agencies, the role of Head, Mission Enhancement and Outreach – Archdiocesan Agencies.
A recruitment process for the role of Head, Mission Enhancement and Outreach – Archdiocesan Agencies subsequently proceeded in partnership between the Archdiocese of Perth and Marvin Consulting. This process has now concluded, and I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Debra Sayce to the inaugural role of Head, Mission Enhancement and Outreach – Archdiocesan Agencies.
Debra is a well-known and highly regarded leader in Catholic education, both within the four dioceses of Western Australia and at a national level. Debra is currently the Executive Director of Catholic Education Western Australia, a role that she has held since 2018, following her completion of a term as the Interim Executive Director of Catholic Education Western Australia (2017 – 2018).
As Executive Director of Catholic Education Western Australia, Debra has eminently led a Christ-centred and child-focussed system of schools and staff across the four dioceses of Western Australia. Within the apostolate of Catholic education, Debra has served with distinction as the Director of Religious Education (2010 – 2017), a sessional lecturer at the University of Notre Dame Australia (2015-2016), as a Principal at La Salle College, Middle Swan, and as both Assistant Director, Religious Education and Assistant Director, Teaching and Learning, at Catholic Education Western Australia, in addition to appointments as a Deputy Principal, Head of Department and secondary teacher.
Debra holds a Doctor of Education from the University of Notre Dame Australia, a Master of Education (Religious Studies) from Edith Cowan University, a Bachelor of Physical Education and a Diploma of Education from the University of Western Australia, as well as Graduate Diplomas in Religious Studies (Edith Cowan University) and Health Science (Curtin University). Debra is currently completing a Master of Business Administration.
Within the Archdiocese of Perth, Debra is an active member of her parish of Our Lady Help of Christians, East Victoria Park, having served as a previous secretary of the Parish Pastoral Council and as the Coordinator of the Children’s Liturgy. Debra has further served as a member of the Archdiocesan Finance Committee, the Board of Clergy Life and Ministry, and as a Trustee of the Education Foundation of the Knights of the Southern Cross.
At a national level, Debra has made noteworthy contributions to the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) and both its Resourcing and Risk Standing Committees, in conjunction with her previous membership of the University of Notre Dame Australia’s School of Education and School of Philosophy and Theology Advisory Councils. A key leader within both the Plenary Council’s Executive Committee and Coordinating Committee, Debra’s wide-ranging and diverse experience of, and contribution to, local, archdiocesan and national Catholic life has demonstrably enriched the life of the Catholic Church across our nation.
In Debra’s own words, she has shared with me her observation that:
Debra will commence in this inaugural role on Monday, 8 January 2024.
I take this opportunity to acknowledge the discernment undertaken by the members of the interview panel:
Bishop Don Sproxton VG EV, Auxiliary Bishop of Perth & Episcopal Vicar, Parish Renewal
Fr Vincent Glynn EV, Episcopal Vicar for Education & Faith Formation
Mr Daniel Lynch, Executive Director, Office of the Archbishop
Ms Marina Re, Chief Executive Officer, Identitywa
In consultation with Ms Eva Skira AM, Chair – Catholic Education Commission of Western Australia, the bishops of Western Australia will commence the consultation and recruitment process for the next Executive Director of Catholic Education Western Australia during 2024, for appointment in 2025. I take this opportunity, on behalf of the bishops of Western Australia, to express our personal gratitude to Mr Wayne Bull (currently Deputy Executive Director, Catholic Education Western Australia) for accepting our appointment to serve as Executive Director for 2024.
I invite you to join with me in welcoming Debra to this inaugural leadership role in the life of our archdiocese as together we seek to strive to be well-formed and committed missionary disciples in a changing era.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Dear brothers in the ordained ministry, sisters and brothers in Christ,
We write to each of you across the four dioceses of Western Australia to share with you that Dr Debra Sayce, Executive Director, Catholic Education Western Australia Ltd, will conclude her appointment as Executive Director on 31 December 2023. Dr Sayce has deeply discerned and decided to take up an appointment as the inaugural Head, Mission Enhancement and Outreach – Archdiocesan Agencies for the Archdiocese of Perth – see attached statement. Dr Sayce has made a magnificent and enduring contribution to Catholic Education in Western Australia since 1994. After beginning her career as a teacher, she was successively appointed to numerous roles, culminating in becoming the first lay person to be appointed by the bishops of Western Australia as the Director of Religious Education. In 2017, Dr Sayce was appointed as the Interim Executive Director and subsequently confirmed in the role in 2018. Dr Sayce’s passion for Catholic education and her personal commitment to enhancing a lived expression of the Church’s mission through Catholic education has made her an outstanding leader. Dr Sayce has always clearly enunciated the wonderful gifts of a Catholic education for students and brought a distinctive witness to the Gospel values and theological teachings that underpin the Church’s ministry of education. Let us give thanks to Dr Sayce for her enduring legacy to Catholic education across the four dioceses of Western Australia and our nation.
The bishops of Western Australia have appointed Mr Wayne Bull, the current Deputy Executive Director, to the position of Executive Director of CEWA Ltd for 2024. Mr Bull has been a long-term contributor to CEWA, initially as a teacher, prior to his appointment to a number of senior leadership positions in various schools before advancing to school principalship in 2000. He was appointed CEWA Deputy Executive Director in 2020. In conjunction with Ms Eva Skira AM, Chair – Catholic Education Commission of Western Australia, the bishops of Western Australia will commence the consultation and recruitment process for the next Executive Director of Catholic Education Western Australia Limited during 2024, for appointment in 2025. We invite you to hold Dr Sayce, Mr. Bull, as well as all those who actively place themselves at the service of enhancing the lives of young people, their families and our Catholic communities across Western Australia through Christ-centered and childfocused learning communities that inspire all to actively live the Gospel in your prayers.
Thursday 5 October, 2023
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
As I write this letter to you, the members of the Synod on Synodality are coming to the end of our three-day retreat. We are staying in a beautiful Retreat Centre about an hour out of Rome. This evening we will all return to Rome in preparation for the formal opening of the Synodal Assembly on 4 October, the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, which will take place at a Mass in Saint Peter’s Square, presided over by Pope Francis.
Before departing from Rome for the retreat, the members of the Synod joined many thousands of people in Saint Peter’s Square for an Ecumenical Prayer Vigil on Saturday evening. This prayer vigil was coordinated by the brothers and sisters of Taizé in collaboration with Sister Nathalie Becquart XMCJ, who is one of the undersecretaries of the Secretariat for the Synod. A number of leaders of other Christian Churches and communities, including Anglican Archbishop Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, joined Pope Francis in a genuine and moving expression of the unity we share through our common baptism.
In many ways the central focus of the vigil was the role and importance of young people in the Church. Through music, drama, prayer and preaching, and through times of precious silence, the voice of the young was heard by everyone present. In this way, their hopes and dreams for their lives, and for the Church they love, will be carried in the hearts of the Synod members as the Synod unfolds over the coming weeks.
On the Friday evening, the day before the Prayer Vigil, I was privileged to be able to take part in a meeting of young people from all around the world who had gathered to pray together, to listen to each other, and especially to give voice to their own yearnings for the Church to become, more and more, a true reflection of the face of Christ in their own lives, and in the life of the world, or worlds, they inhabit. It is important that all of us as the Church, the community of the disciples of Christ, listen carefully, and with open hearts and minds, to these voices, for it is they who in God’s providence are receiving the gift of the Church, and the gift of faith, from the rest of us.
The journey of the retreat for the members of the Synod has been guided in a very particular way by Father Timothy Radcliffe OP. He has spoken with characteristic English gentleness, but also with the boldness of a son of St Dominic. He has helped us to understand how important this Synod is for the universal Church as it seeks to renew itself in the light of the gospel. He has reminded us of the words of Jesus – do not be afraid – and invited us to remember the promise of Jesus that He would send His Spirit upon the Church, the Spirit who will lead us all together into the fullness of the truth.
In a sense, we in Australia have a head start in terms of what the Synod is trying to achieve. From a practical point of view, the Australian members of the Synod are already familiar with the structures and processes which we will engage in over the coming weeks, for they are very similar to those of our own Plenary Council. We are familiar, too, with most of the issues and themes for discernment for they, too, have been part of our Plenary Council journey. We have much to offer the worldwide Church because of
this experience but, of course, we also have so much to learn. At our Plenary Council we spoke out of our Australian experience. At the Synod we are being invited to open ourselves to the ways in which the Spirit is at work in other cultures and societies. They are different to ours, but no less capable of hearing the voice of God, calling to them in the reality of their own time and place.
This time of retreat has been a moment of grace for us all because it has reminded us that we are engaged in an adventure which can only succeed if it is grounded in deep prayer, careful reflection, open listening and discussion, and deep respect for each other, including those whose experience and whose hopes for the Church may be different to ours.
Please continue to pray for all the members of the Synod that we may all learn how to step aside in order to make room for the Spirit who must be at the heart of everything we do. To paraphrase the famous words of St John the Baptist in speaking of Christ, we might also say, in speaking of his Spirit, “He must grow greater and we must grow smaller”.
I promise I will remember you all in prayer at the tomb of Saint Peter.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
+Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB DD
Apostolic Administrator
Diocese of Bunbury
Sunday, 24 September 2023
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
As I write this message, I am on my way to Rome to take part in the Synod of Bishops. According to the
“moving map” on the screen in front of me, we are just flying above Abu Dhabi and we still have six and a half hours to go before we reach our destination.
The Synod of Bishops is an institution which was initiated by Pope Paul VI at the time of the Second Vatican Council. Pope Paul IV saw it as an important way to maintain that spirit of co-operation and discernment among the bishops of the world which had been a vital part of the work of Vatican II. We call this reality of bishops’ collaboration “collegiality”.
The Synod also fosters the same spirt of collaboration with the Holy Father who is, of course, the bishop of Rome, and who presides over the Synod. In our Catholic tradition it is through our communion with our local bishop that we are in communion with all the other bishops of the world, and in this way also in communion with the Pope as the successor of St Peter. We call this the “primacy” of the Petrine (Peter’s) Ministry. Our communion with the Bishop of Rome thus grounds and ensures our communion with all our brothers and sisters in the faith.
One of our main tasks as Catholics, therefore, is to recognise, embrace and deepen this reality of “communion” in the Church. At the Last Supper, Jesus prayed that all His disciples might be one, as He and His Heavenly Father are one. Sometimes we understand this phrase as a call to work for better relations between ourselves as Catholics and Christians who belong to other Churches and Christian communities. This is true, of course, but it also refers to the local Church in the Diocese of Bunbury. Each local Catholic parish, led by its parish priest, forms part of the particular Catholic Church of the Diocese of Bunbury. In the local Church of Bunbury, we are called to be in communion with each other through our communion with our local bishop and, with him, to be in communion with Rome.
We are all fallible human beings with our own foibles, prejudices and scars, but we are also baptised members of the Lord’s Church, given new life by the Spirit at our baptism and sustained by God’s grace at every moment. God is asking us to recognise His will for us in the prayer of Jesus that we might all be one, and to commit ourselves to responding to that prayer by making the unity and communion of the Catholic community in our Diocese a fundamental priority.
It is my hope that one of the outcomes of the Synod will be a renewed appreciation of this communion, without which we cannot be fully the Church the Lord wants us to be. The discussions at the Synod, and any eventual decisions made after the Synod concludes with a second Assembly in 2024, are meant to breathe new life into the Church at every level. The hunger for this new life, and the hope that it will come, were very strong features of the recent Bunbury Diocesan Synod.
An important journey began in the Diocese of Bunbury with the Bunbury Diocesan Synod. Another
important journey will begin on 30 September when the Synod in Rome formally begins with an
Ecumenical Prayer Service in St Peter’s Square. The two journeys have much in common. I am
convinced that the local journey of the Diocese of Bunbury will be enriched by what is soon to commence in Rome. How fortunate we are to belong to the Lord’s world-wide Catholic Church. How fortunate we are to have the gift of the papacy as a central focus of our unity in Christ. How fortunate we are to belong to the Lord’s Church in the Diocese of Bunbury and in our local parishes. May we all be one as Christ and His Heavenly Father are one.
From somewhere over the Middle East, with my prayers for you all
Yours sincerely in Christ,
+Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB DD
Apostolic Administrator
Diocese of Bunbury